Laminate flooring calculator

Packs of laminate needed = floor area plus 5–10% cutting waste, divided by the coverage per pack (printed on the box), rounded up to whole packs. Parquet Planner goes further: draw the real room shape, enter the plank size and compare the number of planks, packs and offcuts for several laying patterns.

Calculate laminate for a rectangular room

Measure the room length and width using the same unit. Multiply them to find the floor area.

Find the coverage per pack on the product label. Divide the required area by that coverage and always round up. If a pack covers 20 sq ft, 168 ÷ 20 equals 8.4 packs before allowing for waste, so at least nine complete packs would be required.

How many planks are in a pack?

It depends on the product, so the label is the place to look: it gives both the number of planks and the area they cover. You can check one against the other. For example, a plank measuring 128.5 × 19.2 cm covers about 0.247 m² (2.66 sq ft), so a pack of 8 such planks covers just under 2 m² (about 21 sq ft).

In Parquet Planner you enter the plank length and width under “Floor”, and the number of planks under “Expansion gap, per pack and price”. The planner then counts the packs for you – and the planks, row by row.

Allow for cuts and fitting

Laminate is cut at walls, doorways, corners and fixed obstacles. A simple straight installation often uses a planning allowance of roughly 5–10%, while diagonal layouts and irregular rooms may need more. The manufacturer’s instructions should take priority over a general rule.

A fixed percentage cannot tell whether an offcut from one row can start the next. The planner simulates the board layout, including the room outline, plank dimensions, expansion gap and laying direction. This provides a useful project estimate before ordering.

Irregular and L-shaped rooms

You can calculate an L-shaped room by splitting it into rectangles and adding their areas. For angled walls, alcoves, islands or fireplaces, drawing the outline is often easier. Add cutouts for areas that will not receive flooring and add separate rooms for a whole project total.

Information to have ready

1. The room shape and wall measurements.
2. The laminate plank length and width.
3. Planks per pack or coverage per pack.
4. The required expansion gap and joint-offset rules.

Check the installation guide for minimum end-joint spacing, acclimation and batch-mixing advice. Keeping spare boards from the same batch can also make future repairs easier.

What the planner shows – and what it doesn’t

• Planks, packs and waste for each laying pattern, side by side, for the room you drew.
• A shopping list with an optional margin of 5 or 10%.
• The width of the last row against the wall, so you know before you buy whether it will be a thin sliver.
• A cutting list with saw templates that shows how each plank is cut.
• Several rooms in one project, and rooms joined by a doorway counted as one floor when they share the same flooring.

The planner has no brand catalogue or shop prices – you enter your own plank size and pack details from the box.

Frequently asked questions

How many packs of laminate flooring do I need?

Take the floor area, add a cutting allowance (often 5–10% for a straight layout), divide by the area one pack covers and round up to whole packs. Example: 14 m² plus 7% is 14.98 m². With packs covering 1.97 m² that is 7.6 packs, so you buy 8. Drawing the room in Parquet Planner gives the number for your actual layout instead of a flat percentage.

How many planks are in a box of laminate flooring?

It depends on the product and the plank size, so check the label: it states both the number of planks and the area they cover. You can check one against the other: plank length × plank width × number of planks should match the coverage printed on the box.

Is there a free laminate flooring calculator?

Yes. Parquet Planner is free, needs no account and runs in the browser on phone, tablet and computer. Draw the room, enter the plank size and it shows planks, packs and waste for six laying patterns.

How much extra laminate should I buy?

Plan roughly 5–10% extra for a straight layout and 10–15% for diagonal or herringbone. Many people also keep an unopened pack from the same batch for future repairs. In Parquet Planner you can add a 5 or 10% margin to the shopping list.

Does it work for vinyl or engineered wood too?

Yes. Choose Laminate, Engineered wood, Solid wood or Vinyl / LVT, or enter your own plank sizes – the calculation works the same way.

More guides

• Calculate floor area – formulas for rectangular, L-shaped and angled rooms.
• Flooring waste calculator – how much waste to allow for straight, diagonal and herringbone layouts.
• Last row too narrow? – how wide the last row gets and when to rip the first row.
• How to lay laminate flooring – step by step, with underlay, radiator pipes and door frames.