Measure the floor area
For a rectangular room, measure length and width in metres and multiply them together. A room 5 metres long and 4 metres wide has an area of 20 square metres. Use the actual room measurements rather than estimating from a photograph or the number of boards in an existing floor.
For an L-shaped room, divide the plan into rectangles, calculate each area and add them together. Include alcoves and the areas you intend to floor through doorways. For irregular spaces, stairs or difficult layouts, ask your fitter to measure and prepare the plan.
Allow for cutting and the laying pattern
The ECE product calculator offers a 10% allowance for plank flooring and 15% for herringbone or chevron layouts. These are planning allowances, not a guarantee that every installation will need exactly that amount. Diagonal layouts, awkward rooms, borders and your preferred board selection can change the requirement.
For a measured 20m² room, adding 10% gives a planning quantity of 22m²; adding 15% gives 23m². Enter the measured room area into our calculator and check whether the allowance box is selected. Do not add the same allowance twice.
Round up using the exact pack coverage
Floors are ordered in whole packs. Divide the area including your cutting allowance by the square metres in one pack, then round up to the next whole number. Pack coverage varies between products, so use the figure for the exact floor you have selected.
For example, M2001 has a listed pack coverage of 1.71m². A 22m² planning quantity needs 13 packs: 22 ÷ 1.71 is approximately 12.87, rounded up to 13. Those packs cover 22.23m². Recheck the current product specification before ordering.
Compare the square-metre price with the pack total
The square-metre price makes it easier to compare floors with different pack sizes. Your product total depends on the whole number of packs ordered. Check both the pack coverage and the price per pack on the listing, then review the quantity and total in your basket.
Delivery is a separate consideration. Read the delivery information and check the charge shown before payment. Do not assume that the measured room area and the total pack coverage will be identical.
Before placing the order
- Have your fitter confirm the measured area and laying pattern.
- Check the cutting allowance and any special layout requirements.
- Use the exact product's pack coverage and round up to whole packs.
- Check doorway transitions, trims, adhesive or underlay requirements with the installer.
- Compare a sample and check the finish, grade and dimensions.
- Confirm delivery arrangements before booking the installation.
If you plan to retain spare boards, agree that separately with your fitter rather than relying on the cutting allowance to provide them. If you need help interpreting a listing, email sales@eceflooring.co.uk with the product code and your fitter's required quantity.
Explore engineered plank flooring, herringbone flooring or our sample guide for the next step.