Linoleum calculator
Running metres of roll flooring for a room, with strips, seams and offcut.
Fill in the fields and the result will appear here automatically.
Roll flooring has arithmetic of its own, unlike laminate: you buy running metres of a fixed-width roll, not an area. Strips run along the length of the room, and their number is the room width divided by the roll width, rounded up — which is also where the seams come from, one fewer than the strips, so a room exactly one roll wide has none. The offcut is shown separately: the difference between what you buy and what you lay is what ends up rolled in the corner, and it is better known in advance than discovered on delivery.
How it works
Formula and logic
Strips n=⌈B/R⌉; running metres=n·L·(1+w/100); bought area=running metres·R. Floor area=L·B; offcuts=bought area−floor area; seams=n−1. Dimensions are positive and finite, w is 0–50%. Allowance increases strip length only, not width; strips always run along L.
Example
A 5 by 3.5 m room on a 3 m roll with 5 % allowance takes 10.5 running metres in two strips with one seam.
Fields and units
- Room length — m
- Room width — m
- Roll width — m
- Allowance — %
How to use
- — Enter the room length and width.
- — Enter the actual roll width in metres.
- — Choose the allowance, which increases strip length only.
- — Check the seam count: a wider roll may remove it entirely.
Method and limitations
- Calculation method
- Formula and logic
- Limitation
- Allowance increases strip length only, not width; strips always run along L.
FAQ
Which way should the strips run?
The model runs strips along entered length L. Swap length and width and recalculate for the other orientation. Pattern matching and product installation instructions are not modeled.
How do I avoid a seam?
One strip results when R≥B in this geometry. Equal widths leave no side-trimming margin: the allowance field adds length only. Determine actual cutting dimensions separately.
Why is so much left over?
Because you buy whole roll width. A 3.5 m room on a 3 m roll needs a second strip of which only half a metre is used; the rest is the price of the seam being where it is.
Is the allowance really needed?
Choose it from measurements and your layout. The calculator does not prescribe 5% or account for pattern repeat, side allowance or irregular room shape.
Does this work for vinyl and carpet too?
Yes — any roll goods sold by running metre at a fixed width follow the same arithmetic.