Measuring for Hardwood Floors

Basic Guidelines

The simplest way to measure the square footage of an area is to try to break the areas up into squares or rectangles.  You should measure from each of the longest points in both directions. Also try to round up to the highest whole number to ensure proper measurements. For example, if you have a room that is 14’ 8” x 15’ 7”, then you should use 15 x 16 as the measurement for this area.

Avoid Being Short of Materials

You can avoid the problem of coming up short on materials by including a reasonable amount of waste in the calculation. If you are doing a straight lay, we suggest that you use anywhere from 6%-8% as a waste factor. If, however, you will be laying the materials in a 45% angle, you may consider using a waste factor of approximately 10%-12%. The best waste percentage in our opinion would be 8% for straight lay and 10% for a 45% job. It's also better to have a few extra boxes on hand in case of repairs that may be needed in the future. It can be challenging to get certain styles in the future if the manufacturer were to change the way they mill the product or if they decided to discontinue the item altogether.

Transition Pieces & Trim

Many people forget to order the necessary Transition prices and Trim pieces that may be required for the job. Don’t forget to order these pieces. Most trim pieces come in lengths of 6’ – 6 ½’. You will have to double check this as not all manufacturers trim pieces will come in these lengths.  Refer to our Accessories section for more details on Transition Pieces and Trim Pieces.

Common doorway openings measure anywhere from 28" to 36". Others can measure up to 72" depending on the type. You should make sure you have ordered enough of the trim materials. Matching quarter round, shoe molding, and/or base would be measured by lineal feet.

Placing the Order: Let take an example.

As you may have seen by now, different types of wood flooring will come in different square feet per carton. So you must be careful and keep this in mind when ordering materials for your job. Here is an example, let’s say you have two rooms that you are measuring for. The size of the rooms are 11’ 9” x 12’ 10” and 20’ 5” x 16’ 4”. 

Step 1) First Room: 11’ 9” x 12’ 10” should be converted to 12 x 13, so the sq ft of Room 1 is 156 sq ft

Much of the calculations above are automated for you on our site, however, it is important for you to understand how these calculations work.