Laminate Flooring Calculator — Packs, Underlay & Waste
Calculate how many packs of laminate flooring you need for any room, plus underlay and skirting or beading. Enter room dimensions and the pack coverage from the label, choose your laying pattern, and get the pack count with waste included.
How many packs of laminate do I need?
Add waste to the room area first — 5–7% for a straight lay, 10–15% for diagonal or herringbone — then divide by the coverage on the pack, usually near 2 m² or 22 sq ft. Round up to whole packs and keep the offcuts: dye lots change between orders, so a plank replaced next year rarely matches.
Does laminate always need underlay?
Yes. It is a floating floor — not fixed to anything — so the underlay carries it, deadens the hollow sound and evens out small dips in the subfloor. Over concrete you also need a damp-proof membrane, either built into the underlay or laid first. Allow the floor area plus about 10% for overlaps.
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How the pack count is calculated
- 1Room area = length × width
- 2Waste: 5–7% for straight lay, 10–15% for diagonal or herringbone
- 3Packs: area with waste ÷ coverage per pack (printed on the pack label)
- 4Underlay: room area + 10% for overlaps, unless pre-attached to the boards
- 5Skirting or beading: room perimeter − door widths, +10% for mitres
- 6Round up to whole packs — and keep one spare pack for future repairs
Worked example
Bedroom: 4.2 × 3.5 m = 14.7 m² (14 × 11½ ft, 158 sq ft). Straight lay (7% waste), packs covering 2.22 m² — 24 sq ft — each.
Area with waste: 15.7 m² (169 sq ft) → 8 packs. Underlay: 16 m² (172 sq ft). Beading: approximately 14.5 lm, or 48 linear feet.
Frequently asked questions
How many packs of laminate do I need for a 12×12 room?
A 12×12 ft room is 13.4 m². With 7% waste: 14.3 m². At a typical 2.22 m² per pack: 7 packs. Pack coverage varies by product — always use the figure on the label.
Do I need underlay under laminate?
Yes — 2–3 mm (about ⅛ in) foam or fibreboard underlay for cushioning, sound damping and minor levelling, plus a vapour barrier on concrete subfloors. Skip separate underlay only if it's pre-attached to the boards.
Can I lay laminate in a kitchen or bathroom?
Kitchens: yes, with a water-resistant product and sealed perimeter. Bathrooms: generally no — the fibreboard core swells with standing water. Use vinyl plank (LVP) in wet rooms instead.
Which direction should laminate run?
Along the longest wall or towards the main light source — long sightlines hide joints. Direction changes the cutting waste slightly, which is why the calculator adds a waste factor.
How much extra laminate should I buy?
5–7% for straight lay, up to 15% for patterns — plus one unopened spare pack. Décors get discontinued, so buying a matching pack years later is usually impossible.