How to Choose the Best Flooring Laminate for Your Home
When you're ready to transform your space with beautiful laminate flooring, one of the most crucial steps is getting your measurements right. Whether you're a seasoned DIY enthusiast or tackling your first flooring project, understanding how to measure a room for laminate flooring can save you time, money, and frustration. At The Dryden, we believe in empowering our customers with the knowledge they need to succeed in their creative projects, and this comprehensive guide will walk you through every step of the process.
Laminate flooring has become increasingly popular over the years, and for good reason. It's durable, affordable, and comes in countless styles that can mimic the look of real wood, stone, or tile. However, before you can enjoy the beauty of your new floors, you need to accurately measure your room. This isn't just about knowing the square footage—it's about understanding the nuances of your space, accounting for waste, and ensuring you have enough material to complete your project successfully.
Understanding Why Accurate Measurements Matter
Before we dive into the how-to, let's talk about why getting your measurements right is so important. When you're purchasing laminate flooring, you're typically buying it in boxes, with each box covering a specific square footage. If you underestimate your room's size, you might run short of flooring before completing the installation, which could mean delays while you wait for more material or, worse, discovering that the dye lot has changed and your new flooring doesn't match perfectly.
On the flip side, overestimating significantly can lead to unnecessary waste and expense. While it's always good to have a little extra for mistakes or future repairs, buying too much means wasting money on material you won't use. The key is finding that sweet spot where you have enough material to complete your project with a reasonable buffer for waste and mistakes.
Additionally, accurate measurements help you plan your layout more effectively. Laminate flooring looks best when it's installed with proper planning, considering factors like the direction of the planks, how they'll look in relation to windows and doorways, and how to minimize visible seams. When you know your exact measurements, you can create a detailed installation plan that results in a more professional-looking finished product.
Tools You'll Need for Measuring
To measure your room accurately, you don't need expensive or specialized equipment. In fact, most people have the basic tools already at home. Here's what you'll need:
A tape measure is your most essential tool. A 25-foot tape measure is ideal for most rooms, though if you have a particularly large space, a 50-foot tape measure might be helpful. Make sure your tape measure is in good condition and that the blade extends smoothly without kinks or damage.
A notepad and pencil are crucial for recording your measurements. Don't rely on memory—write everything down as you measure. It's easy to forget a number or mix up dimensions, especially if you're measuring multiple rooms.
A calculator will help you compute square footage and account for waste. You can use a basic calculator or even your smartphone's calculator app.
A laminate flooring calculator can be incredibly helpful. Many manufacturers and flooring retailers provide online calculators where you can input your room dimensions and the calculator will tell you how many boxes you need, accounting for standard waste percentages.
Optional but helpful tools include a smartphone with a measuring app, a level to check if your floor is even, and a camera to take photos of your space for reference.
Step-by-Step Guide to Measuring Your Room
Now let's get into the actual process of measuring your room for laminate flooring. Follow these steps carefully to ensure accuracy.
Step One: Clear Your Space
Before you begin measuring, clear the room of furniture and obstacles. You need a clear view of the entire floor space to get accurate measurements. Remove area rugs, move furniture to another room, and clear out any clutter. This also gives you a better sense of the actual space you're working with.
Step Two: Measure the Length and Width
Start by measuring the length of your room from one end to the other. Place your tape measure along the baseboard or wall, and record the measurement to the nearest quarter inch. Then measure the width of the room in the same manner. If your room is a simple rectangle, these two measurements are all you need to calculate the basic square footage.
However, most rooms aren't perfectly rectangular. You might have closets, alcoves, or irregular shapes. If this is the case, divide your room into smaller rectangular sections. Measure each section separately, then add all the square footages together to get your total.
For example, if you have an L-shaped room, you could divide it into two rectangles. Measure the length and width of each rectangle, calculate the square footage for each, then add them together. This method works for any irregular room shape.
Step Three: Account for Doorways and Permanent Fixtures
While doorways don't require flooring, you still need to include them in your overall measurements. The flooring will extend to the threshold of the doorway, so measure right up to where the doorway begins. This ensures your measurements are accurate for the entire floor area.
For permanent fixtures like kitchen islands, built-in cabinets, or fireplace hearths, measure around them. If you're not removing these fixtures during installation, you'll need to account for the space they occupy. Measure the length and width of each fixture and subtract that square footage from your total room measurement.
Step Four: Measure Closets and Alcoves
Don't forget about closets, pantries, or any alcoves in your room. These spaces need flooring too. Measure the length and width of each closet or alcove separately and add this square footage to your total.
Step Five: Check for Irregularities
Some rooms have sloped ceilings, bay windows, or other architectural features that might affect your flooring installation. While these don't change your square footage calculation, they're worth noting. Take measurements at different points along walls that might not be perfectly straight, and note any areas where the floor might not be level.
Step Six: Double-Check Your Measurements
This is crucial. Go back and remeasure everything. Measure the length and width of your main room again, then measure your closets and alcoves again. Verify that your measurements are consistent. If you get different numbers on your second measurement, take a third measurement to determine which is correct.
Calculating Your Square Footage
Once you have all your measurements, it's time to calculate your square footage. The formula is simple: length multiplied by width equals square footage.
For example, if your room is 12 feet long and 10 feet wide, your calculation would be: 12 feet × 10 feet = 120 square feet
If you have multiple sections, calculate the square footage for each section, then add them all together.
Let's say you have an L-shaped room. The main section is 12 feet by 10 feet (120 square feet), and the additional section is 8 feet by 6 feet (48 square feet). Your total would be: 120 + 48 = 168 square feet
Write down your total square footage clearly. This is the number you'll use when calculating how much laminate flooring you need to purchase.
Understanding Waste and Adding a Buffer
Here's where many people make mistakes. Your total square footage is not the amount of laminate flooring you should purchase. You need to add extra material to account for waste, mistakes, and future repairs.
Waste occurs for several reasons. First, when you install laminate flooring, you often need to cut planks to fit along walls, around doorways, and in corners. These cut pieces are waste. Second, some planks might be damaged during installation or might have defects that make them unusable. Third, you might make mistakes during installation that require you to replace a plank.
Industry standard recommendations suggest adding 10% to your total square footage for waste. However, if your room has an irregular shape with many corners and obstacles, you might want to add 15%. If your room is very simple and rectangular with few obstacles, 10% should be sufficient.
Let's use our previous example. If your total square footage is 168 square feet, adding 10% would be: 168 × 0.10 = 16.8 square feet 168 + 16.8 = 184.8 square feet
You would round this up to 185 square feet and purchase enough laminate flooring to cover that amount.
If you want to add 15% instead: 168 × 0.15 = 25.2 square feet 168 + 25.2 = 193.2 square feet
You would round up to 194 square feet.
Using a Laminate Flooring Calculator
While manual calculations work fine, using a laminate flooring calculator can make the process even easier and help ensure accuracy. Many flooring manufacturers and retailers offer free online calculators on their websites.
To use a laminate flooring calculator, you typically input:
- The length of your room in feet
- The width of your room in feet
- The waste percentage you want to add (usually 10-15%)
- The square footage per box of laminate flooring you're considering
The calculator then tells you exactly how many boxes you need to purchase. This is incredibly helpful because it takes the guesswork out of the equation and accounts for the specific product you're buying.
Some calculators also allow you to input multiple rooms, which is perfect if you're installing laminate flooring throughout your home. You can measure each room, input the dimensions, and get a total for all rooms at once.
Measuring for Different Room Shapes
While we've covered basic rectangular rooms, let's discuss how to measure some common irregular room shapes you might encounter.
L-Shaped Rooms
L-shaped rooms are common in many homes. To measure an L-shaped room, imagine dividing it into two rectangles. Measure the length and width of each rectangle, calculate the square footage for each, then add them together. Make sure you're measuring the actual dimensions of each section, not overlapping areas.
Rooms with Alcoves or Nooks
If your room has an alcove or nook, measure it as a separate rectangle and add it to your main room measurement. For example, if you have a main room that's 12 feet by 10 feet and an alcove that's 4 feet by 3 feet, your total would be 120 + 12 = 132 square feet.
Rooms with Angled Walls
Some rooms, particularly in older homes or those with cathedral ceilings, might have angled walls. Measure the length of the angled wall at its longest and shortest points, then calculate the average. Use this average in your square footage calculation.
Rooms with Multiple Levels
If your room has different floor levels, measure each level separately and add the square footages together. This is common in homes with split-level floors or rooms with raised platforms.
Considering Your Laminate Flooring Layout
Beyond just measuring square footage, it's worth considering how you'll lay out your laminate flooring. The direction you install the planks can affect how much waste you generate and how professional your finished floor looks.
Most designers recommend installing laminate flooring in the direction of the longest wall or in the direction that allows the most light to flow across the planks. This creates a more visually appealing result and can make your room appear larger.
When you plan your layout, consider where seams will be visible. Try to avoid having seams directly in front of doorways or in the center of large open spaces. Instead, position seams along walls or in less noticeable areas.
Also think about how you'll handle transitions between rooms. If you're installing laminate flooring in multiple rooms, you'll want to plan how the flooring will transition from one room to another. This might affect how you measure and plan your installation.
Accounting for Subfloor Conditions
Before you finalize your measurements and purchase your laminate flooring, it's worth considering the condition of your subfloor. While this doesn't change your square footage calculation, it might affect your installation timeline and overall project success.
Check if your subfloor is level. Use a level or a long straightedge to see if there are any high spots or low spots. Laminate flooring requires a relatively level subfloor—typically, the floor shouldn't vary by more than 3/16 of an inch over a 10-foot span.
If your subfloor isn't level, you might need to sand down high spots or fill in low spots before installing your laminate flooring. This is additional work, but it's crucial for a successful installation. Uneven subfloors can cause laminate planks to rock or creak, and they can even cause the flooring to fail prematurely.
Also check for moisture. Laminate flooring is sensitive to moisture, and installing it over a damp subfloor can cause it to warp or buckle. If you suspect moisture issues, you might need to install a moisture barrier or address the underlying moisture problem before proceeding with your flooring installation.
Special Considerations for Different Rooms
Different rooms might have special considerations that affect your measurement and installation planning.
Kitchens
Kitchens often have cabinets, islands, and appliances that affect your flooring layout. Measure around these fixtures carefully. Also consider that you might want to remove and reinstall cabinets during your flooring project, which could affect your measurements. If you're planning to remove cabinets, measure the full floor area including under the cabinets.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms often have fixtures like toilets, vanities, and tubs. Measure around these carefully. Also consider that bathrooms are high-moisture areas, so you might want to use a moisture barrier under your laminate flooring.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms are typically simpler to measure since they usually have fewer fixtures. However, if you have closets, measure them carefully and include them in your total.
Open Concept Spaces
If you have an open concept living area that combines a living room, dining room, and kitchen, measure the entire space as one area. This helps ensure continuity in your flooring and makes the space feel larger.
Common Measurement Mistakes to Avoid
Even with the best intentions, it's easy to make mistakes when measuring. Here are some common errors to avoid:
Don't forget to include closets and alcoves in your measurements. Many people measure only the main room and forget about these spaces, then run short of flooring.
Don't round down your measurements. Always round up to ensure you have enough material. It's better to have a little extra than to run short.
Don't measure only once. Always double-check your measurements. Mistakes happen, and a second measurement can catch errors before you purchase your materials.
Don't forget to add waste. Many people calculate their exact square footage but forget to add the 10-15% buffer for waste. This often results in running short of material.
Don't ignore irregular room shapes. If your room isn't a perfect rectangle, take the time to measure each section separately. Trying to estimate irregular areas often leads to inaccurate calculations.
Don't forget about doorways and transitions. While doorways don't need flooring, they affect your overall measurements and layout planning.
Recording and Organizing Your Measurements
Once you've completed your measurements, organize them clearly so you can reference them easily. Create a simple diagram of your room, marking all dimensions. Include measurements for:
- The length and width of each room section
- The dimensions of closets and alcoves
- The dimensions of permanent fixtures you're working around
- Any irregular areas or special considerations
Take photos of your room from different angles. These photos can be helpful when you're shopping for laminate flooring or discussing your project with flooring professionals.
Write down your total square footage prominently, along with the amount you're purchasing (including your waste buffer). Keep this information with your flooring purchase receipt for reference during installation.
Purchasing Your Laminate Flooring
Once you know how much laminate flooring you need, it's time to make your purchase. When you're shopping, keep these tips in mind:
Buy all your flooring at once if possible. This ensures that all your boxes come from the same production run and will have consistent color and finish. If you need to purchase additional boxes later, there's a risk that the dye lot might be different, resulting in noticeable color variations.
Check the square footage per box. Different products have different coverage amounts. A box might cover 20 square feet, 25 square feet, or another amount depending on the plank size and thickness. Make sure you understand the coverage of the specific product you're buying.
Verify the total square footage on your receipt. Make sure you're purchasing the correct amount based on your calculations.
Consider purchasing a little extra for future repairs. Even after your installation is complete, it's nice to have a few extra planks on hand in case you need to replace a damaged plank in the future. Store these extra planks in a climate-controlled area to ensure they remain in good condition.
Preparing for Installation
Once you have your laminate flooring, you're almost ready to begin installation. Before you start, make sure your subfloor is properly prepared.
Clean your subfloor thoroughly, removing all dust, debris, and old flooring material. A clean subfloor ensures better adhesion and a more professional-looking result.
Check that your subfloor is level. If there are high spots, sand them down. If there are low spots, fill them with a leveling compound. Allow the compound to dry completely before proceeding.
Install an underlayment. Most laminate flooring requires an underlayment, which provides cushioning, sound dampening