My room is 500 square feet, but we’re being told to order 550 square feet of flooring. Why is this necessary?
It might seem counter-intuitive, but yes, you normally need to order more flooring than the square footage of your room. Your flooring company isn’t just recommending this to get more money from you. Instead, ordering approximately 10 percent more flooring than the square footage of your room is an industry standard.
To understand why this is necessary, take a few moments to think about the installation process. Your flooring needs to be carefully cut to fit the size and shape of your room, so every foot of the flooring will not end up being usable in your space. Once boards are cut, the end tongue or groove is removed, so the small excess segments cannot be properly installed.
Although the 10 percent rule is a great place to start, it’s important to remember that every space and situation is different. If you are installing flooring in an odd-shaped room with a lot of angles, or if your space contains a staircase, fireplace or large closets, you might need to order more than 10 percent extra flooring. If you have a basic square room without any odd angles, you might be able to get by with ordering less than 10 percent extra flooring.
In order to get the most for your money, enlist the assistance of a National Wood Flooring Association certified professional. Each NWFA professional meets strict requirements and training standards, so they have the expertise necessary to help you through both the ordering and the installation process and deliver excellent results.