Vinyl and LVP Flooring Calculator
Works out luxury vinyl plank or tile packs for a room. For sheet vinyl off a roll, the carpet calculator handles the roll-width waste instead.
Whole packs, rounded up.
Share sends a link that reopens these numbers. Copy details pastes the full breakdown as a list.
The formula
packs = ceiling(area × (1 + waste) ÷ pack coverage)
The rounding is the whole point. Flooring only comes in whole packs, so a room needing 20.1 m² of a 2.2 m² pack buys 10 packs and 1.9 m² of spare — which is why the waste percentage matters less than people think on a small room and more on a large one.
What to watch out for
Waste depends almost entirely on how it is laid:
- Straight, square room: 5%. Offcuts from one row start the next.
- Diagonal: 10–15%. Every board at the perimeter is an angled cut.
- Herringbone or chevron: 15–20%. Almost nothing can be reused.
- Awkward room — bays, alcoves, lots of doorways: add 5% to any of the above.
Vinyl is thin and flexible, which makes the subfloor the deciding factor. It telegraphs everything underneath — a 2 mm ridge in the screed or a gap between floorboards will show through within weeks. Latex levelling compound or a hardboard overlay first is usually not optional.
Glue-down vinyl needs a dry subfloor. On a new concrete slab that means waiting, or sealing it — moisture under vinyl has nowhere to escape and lifts the adhesive.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much LVP flooring do I need?
Floor area plus 10% waste, divided by the pack coverage. A 5 × 4 m room needs 22 m², which is 10 packs at 2.2 m².
Does vinyl need underlay?
Click LVP usually does, unless it has an attached backing. Glue-down vinyl never does — it bonds directly to the subfloor, which has to be smooth and dry first.
Why does my subfloor need levelling for vinyl?
Because vinyl is thin and flexible, so it follows whatever is beneath it. A small ridge or a gap between boards shows through the surface within weeks of laying.