How to Measure Your Room for Flooring
Getting the right measurements is the first step toward transforming your space with beautiful new flooring. Whether your room is simple or unusual in shape, this guide will help you measure accurately and confidently — ensuring you order the right amount of engineered wood flooring with minimal waste.
What You’ll Need
Before you begin, grab:
1. How to Measure a Square or Rectangular Room
Step 1
Measure the length of the room in
metres.
Step 2
Measure the width of the room in
metres.
Step 3
Multiply the two numbers to get the total area in square metres (m²).
Example:
Length = 8m
Width = 4m
Area = 8 × 4 = 32 m²
That’s your basic floor area.
2.How to Measure an L-Shaped Room
L-shaped rooms should be divided into two rectangles.
Step 1
Measure each section separately (length × width).
Step 2
Add the two totals together.
Step 3
Multiply the two numbers to get the total area in square metres (m²).
Example:
Rectangle A = 35 m²
Rectangle B = 16 m²
Total area = 35 + 16 = 51 m²
3.How to Measure an Odd-Shaped Room
If your room has alcoves, recesses, or irregular corners, don’t worry.
Best Method:
Divide the room into as many squares or rectangles as possible.
Measure each section individually, calculate its area, and then add them all together.
This method gives you a very accurate measurement without complicated geometry.
4.How to Measure a Circular Room
Circular rooms are rare, but easy to measure using radius and π (Pi).
Find the Radius
Measure the width of the room across the centre, then divide by 2.
Example: Width = 12m → Radius = 6m
Multiply the Radius by Itself
6m × 6m = 36
Multiply by Pi (3.142)
36 × 3.142 = 113.112 m²
Your floor area is approximately 113.1 m².
5. Accounting for Wastage (Very Important)
No matter the room shape, flooring requires extra material for:
✔ Cutting around edges
✔ Pattern alignment
✔ Trimming for a perfect finish
✔ Natural variations
Standard Flooring:
Add 5% wastage
Example: 32 m² × 1.05 = 33.6 m² (round up to 34 m²)
Herringbone & Parquet Flooring:
Requires more precision → add 10% wastage
Example: 32 m² × 1.10 = 35.2 m² (round up to 36 m²)
Adding wastage ensures you don’t fall short during installation.
6.Quick Measuring Checklist
Before finalising your measurements, double-check:
- Have you measured the longest length and widest width?
- Have you included alcoves, wardrobes, closets, and recesses?
- Have you added 5–10% wastage depending on the floor type?
- Have you rounded up to the nearest full box?
This helps avoid under-ordering.
7.Optional: Create a Simple Floor Sketch
A floor plan helps visualise the layout and ensures you don’t miss any areas.
Just draw the basic shape of your room and write down each measurement.
You don’t need perfection — it’s for your own clarity.
