Measuring a Room for New Flooring
Measure the length and width of each area that will receive new flooring. For a simple rectangular room, multiplying those measurements gives you the floor area.
For L-shaped rooms, hallways, closets, or other irregular spaces, divide the floor into smaller rectangular sections and measure each section separately. Adding those areas together usually provides a more reliable estimate than trying to treat an irregular room as one large rectangle.
What Should You Subtract From the Floor Area?
Permanent features that will not have flooring installed beneath them may be subtracted from the project area. Examples can include built-in cabinets, kitchen islands, hearths, or other permanently installed fixtures.
Ordinary furniture generally shouldn't be subtracted. Sofas, beds, tables, appliances, and other movable items may change location later, while the flooring normally continues underneath them.
Why Buy Extra Flooring?
Buying exactly the calculated floor area usually isn't enough. Flooring must often be cut at walls, doorways, corners, vents, and other obstacles, and some of those cut pieces may not be reusable elsewhere.
Extra material can also be useful after installation. Keeping a few matching planks or tiles gives you replacement material if a section is damaged later, especially if that exact flooring style is eventually discontinued.
Check the Carton Before You Buy
Flooring sold in boxes or cartons is usually labeled with the amount of floor area each package covers. Use the manufacturer's stated coverage rather than estimating it from the outside dimensions of the box.
Because you normally have to purchase complete cartons, the amount you actually buy may be slightly greater than the calculated amount you need. Check the product dimensions, coverage per carton, and installation instructions before placing your order.