How many packs of laminate do I need for a 20 m² room?

With a straight lay and an 8% waste allowance you need to cover 21.6 m². At a typical pack coverage of 2.22 m² that works out at 21.6 ÷ 2.22 = 9.7, so 10 packs. The same room in herringbone needs 23.6 m², or 11 packs.

How much waste should I allow for laminate?

Allow 5% to 8% for a straight lay in a simple rectangular room, 8% to 12% if the room has alcoves or angled walls, 10% to 15% for a diagonal lay, and 15% to 20% for herringbone or chevron.

Is it better to buy an extra pack of laminate?

Usually yes if you are estimating with percentages, because an unopened pack can normally be returned. A layout planner that places every board removes the guesswork. It counts the actual offcuts, so the pack count is exact rather than padded.

Laminate flooring calculator

Enter your room size, pick your laying pattern, and this calculator turns square metres into whole packs of laminate. It uses the waste allowance that matches how you plan to lay the boards. Everything runs here on the page, with nothing to install and no signup.

Laminate is sold by the pack rather than by the square metre, so packs are the number you care about. The coverage per pack is printed on the label, usually somewhere between 1.5 and 2.6 m² depending on board size. Enter it and the calculator rounds up to whole packs for you.

Room length (m)Room width (m)Extra area, alcoves or bays (m², optional)Pack coverage (m², printed on the pack, optional)Laying pattern & roomWaste allowance (%), typical for this pattern: 5-8%

Floor area

To buy (+8% waste)

Packs to buy

This is the estimate. The designer lays out every board in your actual room, so the pack count comes from real cuts, not a flat percentage.

See the actual layout free

Use the pattern selector honestly

A straight lay in a simple rectangle wastes 5% to 8%. The same boards laid herringbone waste 15% to 20%. Picking the right preset is the difference between ending up one pack short and three packs over.

Measure at floor level, twice

Skirting boards make walls look straighter than they are. Measure each dimension at both ends of the wall and use the larger figure.

Buy in one batch

Laminate colour varies between production batches. Buy your full quantity at once, including the waste allowance, so you avoid a visible shade line if you ever have to top up later.

Frequently asked questions

How many packs of laminate do I need for a 20 m² room?: With a straight lay and an 8% waste allowance you need to cover 21.6 m². At a typical pack coverage of 2.22 m² that works out at 21.6 ÷ 2.22 = 9.7, so 10 packs. The same room in herringbone needs 23.6 m², or 11 packs.
How much waste should I allow for laminate?: Allow 5% to 8% for a straight lay in a simple rectangular room, 8% to 12% if the room has alcoves or angled walls, 10% to 15% for a diagonal lay, and 15% to 20% for herringbone or chevron.
Is it better to buy an extra pack of laminate?: Usually yes if you are estimating with percentages, because an unopened pack can normally be returned. A layout planner that places every board removes the guesswork. It counts the actual offcuts, so the pack count is exact rather than padded.