Laminate Flooring Materials List: Packs, Underlay, Beading (UK)
A 4 × 3.5 m room (14 m²) needs 7 packs of laminate at 2.22 m² each (10% waste), 1 roll of underlay, 14.2 m of scotia or beading and 1 door bar. The laminate floor materials calculator does your room.
The materials list
| What to buy | How much | How we worked it out |
|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 7 packs of 2.22 m² | Laminate floor calculator: 14 m² plus 10% waste, rounded up to whole packs |
| Underlay | 1 roll of 15 m² | The room area. Skip it if the planks have a pad attached |
| Scotia or beading | 14.2 m | The perimeter less the doorways, in 2.4 m lengths |
| Door bars | 1 | Where the floor meets another floor at a doorway |
| Fitting kit | 1 | Spacers, a tapping block and a pull bar |
Laminate for other rooms
2.22 m² packs, 10% waste, one door:
| Room | Area | Packs | Underlay rolls | Beading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 × 3 m | 9.0 m² | 5 | 1 | 11.2 m |
| 4 × 3.5 m | 14.0 m² | 7 | 1 | 14.2 m |
| 4 × 4 m | 16.0 m² | 8 | 2 | 15.2 m |
| 5 × 4 m | 20.0 m² | 10 | 2 | 17.2 m |
| 6 × 4 m | 24.0 m² | 12 | 2 | 19.2 m |
| 7 × 5 m | 35.0 m² | 18 | 3 | 23.2 m |
Waste allowance
For the 4 × 3.5 m room:
| Waste | Packs |
|---|---|
| 5% | 7 |
| 8% | 7 |
| 10% | 7 |
| 15% | 8 |
Before you lay
- Leave the packs in the room for 48 hours to acclimatise.
- Prepare the subfloor: it must be flat (within 3 mm over 2 m), dry and clean. Add a damp-proof membrane over concrete.
- Lay the planks in the direction of the main light, or along the longest wall, with a 10 mm gap round the edges.
- Stagger the joints by at least 300 mm, and use offcuts to start the next row.
- Undercut the door frames so the planks slide under them.
- Fit the beading or refit the skirting last, fixing it to the wall, not the floor.
See also the skirting board calculator. Estimates only: follow the manufacturer's laying instructions.
Frequently asked questions
How much laminate flooring do I need?
The room area plus 10%. A 4 × 3.5 m room (14 m²) needs 7 packs of 2.22 m², which is 15.54 m² of flooring.
How much waste should I allow?
5 to 10% for a simple room laid straight, and 15% for diagonal laying. For this room, 5% needs 7 packs and 15% needs 8.
Do I need underlay for laminate?
Usually yes, unless the planks have a pad attached. This room needs 1 roll of 15 m² underlay.
How much beading or scotia do I need?
Enough for the perimeter less the doorways: 14.2 m for this room, or 6 lengths of 2.4 m. If you remove the skirting boards and refit them, you will not need beading.
What expansion gap should I leave?
10 mm round the edge of the floor, under the skirting or beading, since laminate moves with temperature and humidity.
More guides
Tools & materials for this project
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Estimates only. Quantities depend on your materials, site and supplier. Confirm important numbers before you order, and check the Building Regulations and any planning rules for anything structural or close to a boundary.