how much extra vinyl plank flooring to buy

2 min read 19-01-2025

how much extra vinyl plank flooring to buy

Meta Description: Planning a vinyl plank flooring project? Don't get caught short! This comprehensive guide reveals exactly how much extra vinyl plank flooring you need, factoring in waste, cuts, and unexpected issues. Learn the percentages to buy, saving you time, money, and stress. Get started now and avoid costly mistakes!

Understanding Vinyl Plank Flooring Waste

Buying the right amount of vinyl plank flooring is crucial for a successful DIY or professional installation. Underestimating leads to costly delays. Overestimating wastes money. This guide helps you find the sweet spot.

Factors Affecting Vinyl Plank Waste

Several factors influence how much extra vinyl plank flooring you'll need:

Room Shape: Simple rectangular rooms require less extra material than complex rooms with many angles, alcoves, or obstacles.
Plank Length: Longer planks generally result in less waste because fewer cuts are needed. Shorter planks mean more cuts and more potential waste.
Installation Pattern: Certain patterns (like herringbone or diagonal) inherently generate more waste than straightforward straight-lay installations.
Skill Level: Experienced installers can minimize waste better than beginners. Expect more waste if it's your first time installing vinyl plank flooring.
Subfloor Condition: A poorly prepared subfloor can lead to more cuts and adjustments, increasing waste.

Calculating Your Needs: The Percentage Method

Many professionals recommend adding a percentage to your calculated square footage. This percentage accounts for cuts, mistakes, and unexpected issues. The recommended percentage depends on the factors above:

Straightforward Installations (rectangular rooms, straight lay): Add 5-7% extra to your total square footage.
Moderate Complexity (some angles, minor obstacles): Add 10-15% extra.
Complex Installations (many angles, obstacles, intricate patterns): Add 15-20% or more. It's better to overestimate here.

Example: You need 200 square feet of vinyl plank flooring for a simple rectangular room with a straight-lay installation. Adding 7% (a conservative estimate) means you should buy 214 square feet (200 x 1.07 = 214).

Addressing Specific Scenarios

How to Account for Waste with Irregular Room Shapes

For rooms with many angles, use graph paper to carefully sketch the room and plan out your plank placement. This helps visualize potential cuts and estimate waste more accurately. You can even lay out the planks virtually using flooring calculators.

What to Do if You Need More Flooring

Running out of flooring mid-project is disastrous. Ordering more might result in slight color variations. Always check for matching batch numbers. Order enough upfront to avoid this problem. Some retailers offer a "color match guarantee," but they can't promise perfection.

Beyond the Percentages: Practical Tips

Measure Twice, Cut Once: Accurate measurements are essential to minimizing waste. Double-check all measurements before cutting.
Practice Makes Perfect: If you're a beginner, practice cutting planks on scraps before tackling the actual installation.
Pre-Layout: Before gluing or clicking, lay out the planks dry to get an idea of the pattern and minimize cuts.
Order Extra Boxes: It's always better to have extra than to be short. You might need it for repairs in the future.

Conclusion

Determining how much extra vinyl plank flooring to buy requires careful consideration. While percentages offer a useful guideline, the optimal amount depends heavily on the project's complexity and your installation skills. Planning ahead, measuring accurately, and ordering slightly more than needed will save you time, money, and frustration in the long run. Remember to always account for the possibility of mistakes!