Image Source: Bedard and Son Installations
It’s crucial to plan ahead and be ready for any problems that may arise while installing new flooring, which may be an exciting home improvement job. Buying additional flooring to allow for wastage and errors is a vital step in the installation process. Attempting to save money by purchasing exactly the quantity of flooring required might be problematic in the long run. It’s important to have some additional flooring on hand in case there are any problems with the installation or need for repairs down the road.
This article will help you determine how much extra flooring to buy depending on the dimensions of your space, the width of your flooring planks, and the percentage of flooring that will be wasted. Having enough flooring to finish your job without any hassle or extra costs is possible if you follow our advice and recommendations.
-
Factors To Consider and Their Examples
Estimating how much supplementary flooring to purchase involves various variables. Among them are:
Layout of the Room:
How much additional flooring to purchase is heavily influenced by the room’s arrangement. There will be less opportunity for waste during installation and less demand for additional flooring if the space is mostly rectangular with few doors or cuts. However, additional waste may be produced owing to the necessity for more cuts if the space has a complicated plan with several entrances, closets, or other cutouts.
Example:
In a space with a straightforward rectangular form, for instance, it may be sufficient to order 5-10% more flooring than is really needed. The waste factor may be as high as 20% in a space without any cuts, but it could be as high as 80% in a kitchen with an island or a bathroom with built-in cabinets.
Form of the ground:
Extra flooring may be required depending on the curvature of the floor as well. More flooring may be needed to account for cuts and waste if the floor has irregular forms, angles, or curves.
Example:
It’s possible that more than 20% of the flooring you purchase will go to waste because of the additional work involved in cutting it to suit a space with a rounded or elliptical floor.
Plank dimensions:
The quantity of additional laminate flooring required may also be affected by the size of the planks used. It’s possible that using wider planks might save waste since fewer boards would be needed to cover the same ground. However, there is a possibility that more flooring may be required if thinner boards need to be cut and more trash is produced.
Example:
Laminate flooring may be installed with as little as a 5-10% waste factor if you purchase and use broad boards. However, a greater waste factor of 15-20% or more may be required if you use smaller planks to account for the extra cuts and trash created.
Technician proficiency:
The quantity of additional flooring required may also be affected by the installer’s degree of expertise. It is possible that less trash will be produced during the installation of laminate flooring if the installer is knowledgeable and skilled in this area. However, more waste may be created, necessitating a greater quantity of additional flooring, if the installer is less skilled or prone to blunders.
Example:
A waste factor of 15-20% or more may be appropriate if you are a do-it-yourselfer with minimal expertise installing laminate flooring. However, if you choose an experienced professional installation, a waste factor as low as 5-10% may be all that’s needed.
-
Calculating the Amount of Flooring
The following calculation may be used to determine how much more flooring will be required.
Amount of additional flooring required = Total square footage of the space + Waste factor
Multiplying the room’s length by its breadth yields the room’s square footage. For clarity, let’s say the space is 12 feet wide by 15 feet long, for a total of 180 square feet (12 x 15).
The waste factor is the additional percentage of flooring that must be purchased to allow for possible waste during installation. Considerations such as the room’s dimensions, the contour of the floor, the width of the planks, and the installer’s experience should inform this decision.
For straightforward rectangular rooms with few cuts and a competent installation, a waste factor of 5-10% is suggested. A waste factor of 15-20% or more may be required to guarantee adequate excess flooring is available for more difficult rooms with irregular forms, angles, or curves, or for less experienced installers.
The following is an example of how to determine how much more flooring is required for a standard rectangular room with a total area of 180 square feet and a waste factor of 10%.
180 Sq. Ft. plus 10% waste = 198 Sq. Ft.
As a result, 198 square feet of laminate flooring should be ordered to cover the area of the room and any waste that may occur during the installation process.
Indeed, fguring out how much additional flooring would be required is a vital step in installing laminate. If you use the supplied calculation and adjust for waste based on the considerations we’ve examined, you’ll be able to buy just the right quantity of flooring to get the job done with little leftovers.
-
Suggestions and Ideal Methods
When it comes to purchasing more flooring, there are a few tried-and-true methods that can increase the odds of a smooth installation and lessen the likelihood of problems arising during subsequent repairs. Among them are:
Get the flooring you need all at once:
It’s best to buy all the flooring at once so that there is no variation in color or design. The flooring may not match if it was acquired at separate dates and hence from different dye batches.
Maintain the same color lot:
It is important to verify that the dye lot number on the boxes of replacement flooring matches the number on the flooring that was originally installed before making the purchase. There may be a visible color or pattern change if the dye batches are different.
Keep the flooring in the right place:
The extra flooring has to be kept out of direct sunlight and heated environments to prevent warping. The flooring may warp if it were kept on an angle, so always maintain it flat.
Get some more flooring:
Always get more flooring than you think you’ll need to allow for installation waste and to use in future repairs or other projects. The need to buy new flooring that may not be a good fit for the existing flooring can be avoided in this way.
Be sure to document the flooring:
In case you need more of the same flooring in the future, it’s a good idea to keep track of the brand, model, and color. Doing so may assist guarantee a seamless appearance between the old and new floors.
Frequently Asked Questions: FAQs
What is the recommended amount of additional flooring?
There are a number of variables that determine how much additional flooring is required, including the form of the floor, the size of the planks, and the waste factor. Simple rectangular rooms with few cutouts may get away with a waste factor of 5-10%, whereas more intricate spaces may need a waste factor of 15-20% or more.
If I decide I want more flooring, is that something I can get?
Additional flooring may be purchased, of course. If the flooring was acquired at a separate period, however, it may be difficult to match the dye lot and the pattern.
Where should I keep the extra tile?
Protect the additional flooring away from heat and light, and out of direct sunshine, to protect it from warping. Warping may occur if the flooring is stored on its edge, so keep it level.
What if I end up with an excess of flooring?
If the shop allows returns, you may always send back any unopened flooring you don’t end up using.
Can I use the flooring from an old renovation?
Recycled flooring from another job is an option, but only if the dye lot and pattern are an exact match for the flooring already in place.
Final Words
Purchasing additional planks is a crucial step in laying laminate flooring. When calculating how much additional flooring to buy, it’s important to think about things like the room’s dimensions, the form of the floor, the size of the planks, and the waste factor. For straightforward rectangular rooms, a waste factor in the 5-10% range is advised; for more intricate spaces, this range may need to be increased. It’s also important to buy all the flooring at once, maintain it in the same dye lot, and carefully preserve any leftovers.
A satisfactory and stress-free floor covering installation may be achieved by following the aforementioned steps to guarantee there is adequate material for any errors made during installation and subsequent repairs.
Browse the articles down below for some further reading material:
Written By: Trisha Mae Raymundo
