How Much Extra Flooring Should I Buy?

If you’re laying flooring, you are no doubt wondering how much extra materials you should purchase. The answer is dependent on several factors including what type of flooring you are laying, if it has a pattern, and the quality of the materials.

Type of Flooring

Vinyl, tile, and wood flooring are all figured differently. Carpet varies even more. In this article, we will specifically be discussing wood flooring. Even when dealing with wood flooring, the amount of extra materials you will want to purchase can differ due to various factors and conditions of the wood.  

Wood Flooring

When laying wood flooring on a surface of 1000 square feet or more, you generally want to purchase around 10% extra. If you are going with a diagonal or another intricate pattern or if the grade is low quality, you may do best to get 15% more. On the other hand, if you are laying a surface of less than 1000 square feet that doesn’t have a pattern, 7% extra will usually be enough. 

Solid wood and engineered wood flooring are configured very similarly. Pay attention to the grade they are, if there are any patterns you will need to match up, and how large the room is that you will be laying them in. If you are an amateur, you might throw in an extra box to allow for a learning curve.  

Note that through the years, you may need to replace boards that get scuffed, stained, or damaged. You will never regret having extra wood flooring planks but you sure will if you don’t get enough and need them. This is one situation where it is definitely better to be safe than sorry. 

The Details

Typically, hardwood flooring is sold in 20 square-foot cartons. But, you must read the details on the box to be certain or you can land up in trouble. You can code them in at the online store or scan them at a brick and mortar store. However you do it, don’t fail to double check because the packaging can vary.

Packages of wood flooring usually include some extra to make up for any pieces that are defective. It is also intended to compensate for an irregularity in color or grain. Again, it’s not a given.  

If you have any questions about the amount of flooring to purchase or are not completely clear on anything else pertaining to your project, don’t hesitate to ask a flooring professional such as Chestnut Flooring. It is always best to purchase all the wood flooring planks you are getting all at the same time rather than have to reorder or go back to the store for more. There is always a chance that the store will be out of the same style or could even discontinue them altogether. 

When deciding how much wood flooring to purchase for your project, it is better to have more extra than you need rather than to not have enough.