A DIY hardwood flooring project can be both easy and rewarding at the same time. Because there are a number of steps involved, many people choose to have an installer do the job for them — but that doesn’t have to be the case! Installing your own flooring isn’t the hardest thing in the world, but it does take a strong eye and some mathematical calculations. One of the important aspects is measuring to get the right amount of flooring. Here are a few pointers.
To determine how much wood you’re going to need for the job, you’re also going to need to figure out the square footage of the room the wood will be going into. To do this, grab your trusty tape measure and measure each side of the wall. Normally you can just measure two, but it doesn’t hurt to be safe! Multiply the length by the width, and you arrive at your square foot number! For example, if your length was 12 feet and the width was the same, your square feet hits 144.
Here’s where it gets a bit tricky. When you’re ordering flooring for the job, make sure you order a bit extra then you’ll need. This is used to clean up potential mistakes, and add to specific areas that need their own pieces. For cutting and waste, add an extra 10% to the number — if you’re thinking about adding an entryway into the room, or you’re using something with specific patterns, tack on an extra 20% to be safe. This way, you have everything you need at the ready, just in case you need a few extra planks.
Finally, order your wood! Make sure you’re ok with the style of the wood, width of the plank, and the design that it will have once laid down. It’s a great idea to head over to a local flooring supply company to get this done before you place an order — especially if you’re unsure of the look!
Hall Flooring is open year-round with top flooring brands available at many locations in the Tri-State area. Call us today at one of our large locations, or reach out to us here. For more tips, tricks, and flooring ideas, like us on Facebook!
