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All of us who have done DIY projects know what it's like to visit the local building supply stor multiple times in a day to pick up items we've forgotten. At times we even run out of some materials because we don't know how to properly estimate. When it comes to flooring supplies, there's a quick 3-step method used by professionals to get it right every time. If you follow these steps you should not run out of materials under normal conditions.

Determine Total Area of the Room

The first thing is to find out the total area of the room including floor space taken up by appliances, islands, and other things. To do this you measure the total length of the room including the area within door frames. Next, measure the width of the room and multiply the two numbers. This will give you the total are in square feet or meters, depending on your unit of measurement. Just be sure to keep your tape measure taught and firmly against the wall on either end for accurate measurements.

Subtract Areas Where the Floor is Covered

Obviously, there are things like cabinets and stair cases which take up floor space. There's no point in buying extra flooring supplies for these areas that don't need them. Simply measure the length and width of such things, multiply the two numbers, and subtract the result from the total area you calculated in the first step.

Add Extra for Waste

We all make mistakes, even the pros. Purchasing a little extra to account for unexpected circumstances will save another trip to the store, as well as provide spare flooring supplies for future repairs. The standard rule of thumb for industry pros is to add 10% for jobs 1,000 square feet or less and 7% for jobs greater than 1,000 sq. ft. So if the number you ended up with after the first two steps is 700 sq. ft., you would add 70 sq. ft. to account for waste.

Armed with the final number you can head off to your flooring supplies store in confidence. If you'll be speaking to a sales person, just tell him what your number is and he'll be able to calculate how much flooring material and supplies you'll need. If you prefer to decide on our own, you'll need to look at the specifications listed on the packaging or product description to find out how much area a single unit covers. Take a calculator with you to make things easier.