How to Calculate Flooring

Basic measurements are needed to calculate flooring.

New flooring can be a major investment, and often it's difficult to determine what type of flooring to shop for that is within your remodeling budget. While an exact replacement estimate will depend on the type and style of floor you have in mind, you can calculate the rough square footage of flooring needed for your home and use that figure as a basis for estimating what kind of floor you can afford and a ballpark figure of what it will cost.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape

Instructions

1. Break up the flooring area into imaginary rectangles.

2. Multiply the length and width of each individual rectangle. This is the square footage of each rectangle area.

3. Add the square footage of all rectangles together; this is the total square footage of floor to be covered.

4. Estimate a rough cutting waste of 15 percent of the total square footage and add it to your total. This is the rough amount of flooring needed for the job.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to include extra installation materials for the flooring you choose. For example carpet will require pad and may need additional material for seams; laminate flooring will need underlayment and transition pieces; hardwood flooring will require nails or adhesive as well as transition pieces; sheet vinyl and ceramic flooring will require sufficient subflooring as well as adhesives.

• Most flooring professionals charge per square foot for installation.

• Reputable flooring installers will do a professional estimate for a nominal fee; typically this estimate will be used for an exact quote when you purchase the flooring.

• Laminate flooring will typically have 10 percent cutting waste, while carpeting may require more than 15 percent if there is to be a seam or a pattern in the carpet.

References

• Bankrate: How Much Flooring Do You Need?
• Consumer Reports: Flooring Guide

Resources

• Find Any Floor: Basic Flooring Estimator Tools