How to measure your home when ordering new flooring: A Simple Guide

Renovating or building a new home can be an exciting venture, especially when it comes down to choosing the right flooring. However, selecting new flooring requires one crucial step: measuring your floor area correctly. If done inaccurately, you risk ordering too much or too little, which can lead to unnecessary costs and delays. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step approach to measuring your floor area, ensuring a smooth installation process.

Gather Your Tools

To measure your floor area accurately, gather the following essential tools:

• Tape Measure: A steel tape measure is ideal as it remains straight while extended.

• Calculator: For quick calculations.

• Pen and Paper: To note down your measurements.

• Graph Paper or Floor Plan Software: Useful for visualising your space to create accurate layouts.

  
  

Measuring the Floor Area

Start with the Basics

Begin by determining your room's shape. Most rooms are rectangular or square, but some may have irregular shapes. For simple layouts, calculating the area is straightforward, while irregular patterns may need you to break them down into smaller rectangles or squares.

Measure Length and Width

For square or rectangular rooms:

1. Use your tape measure to find the length of the room from one wall to the opposite wall.

2. Measure the width of the room parallel to the first wall.

3. Write these numbers down.

   
   

Calculation: Multiply the length by the width to get your area in square meters (m2)

Area = Length x Width

Measuring square or rectangular rooms example

Handling Irregular Shapes

For L-shaped or other complex rooms, divide the area into smaller rectangles and measure each one separately.

For example, if you have an L-shaped room:

1. Measure each rectangular section of the L-shape.

2. Calculate the area for each rectangle using the previously mentioned formula.

3. Add the areas together for the total floor area.

   
   

Total Area = Area of Rectangle 1 + Area of Rectangle 2

Measuring L Shape and Irregular Shape Floor Spaces Example

Consider Doorways and Closets

Include any doorways or built-in closets in your calculations to avoid overordering materials.

1. Measure the width and height of the doorway or closet.

2. Calculate their area just like the other parts of the room.

3. Subtract this area from the total floor area to ensure you only order what you need.

   
   

Adjusted Total Area = Total Area - Doorway/Closet Area

Additional Considerations

Adding 10% Wastage for Installation Fitment

(15% - 20% Wastage is required for Herringbone or Chevron Pattern Flooring)

To prevent future headaches, add a wastage of 10% to your total area. This allows room for error and accounts for fitting around corners or cutting the pieces.

1. Multiply your adjusted total area by 0.10.

2. Add this figure to the adjusted total area.

   
   

Final Order Amount = Adjusted Total Area + (0.10 x Adjusted Total Area)

Placing Your Flooring Order

After you finalise your measurements and factor in waste, it's time to place your order for engineered timber flooring. Always check with your supplier about their specific recommendations based on your measurements, as coverage requirements can vary by product.

Gathering accurate measurements for engineered timber flooring is a key step that can affect the outcome of your renovation project. Follow the detailed steps in this guide to ensure you order the right amount of flooring. By considering doorways, closets, and a waste factor, you can avoid costly mistakes.

With your precise measurements in hand, you're on track to enhance your home's beauty and comfort with stunning new flooring.

Measuring the floor area for engineered timber flooring on a professional mark up software for new build work.