Formula
The order quantity stays in square feet:
square feet = length × width × (1 + waste / 100)
Tile count, laminate boxes, hardwood strip length, and carpet square yards are separate pages.
Assumptions
- The room is a rectangle.
- Waste is a percent of the whole room.
- The material is sold by the square foot.
Worked example
A 12 by 15 foot room with 10% waste needs 198 ft².
Input definitions
- Waste
- Extra material for cuts and a future repair. Ten percent is a common straight-lay allowance.
Limitations
Closets, diagonals, and a patterned match can need a different percent. This page does not count pieces.
Questions
Why is 12 by 15 not 180?
180 is the room. Ten percent waste makes the order 198 square feet.
Which page counts tiles?
The tile page. It divides the order area by the area of one tile.