Inputs
White theme
ft
ft
Custom
ft
in
Deducted from roll width on each side.
in
Added to length of each strip.
in
Set to 0 for plain goods.
ft
Min seamsMin waste
Results
Shows both orientations for each roll width. Best option is highlighted.
| # | Roll width | Orientation | Effective width | Strips | Seams | Cut length/strip | Total length | Roll area used | Room area | Waste | Waste % | Rolls needed | Score |
|---|
Imperial calculations performed internally in feet
Pattern matching rounds cut length up to the next repeat
Formula used
Let L = room length, W = room width, R = roll width, s = side trim per edge, e = end trim per strip, P = pattern repeat, all in feet.
- Effective roll width: Reff = R − 2·s.
- Orientation A (strips run along L): strips n = ⌈ W / Reff ⌉, seams = n − 1.
- Orientation B (strips run along W): strips n = ⌈ L / Reff ⌉, seams = n − 1.
- Strip cut length: C = Lorient + 2·e, then if P > 0 round C up to the next multiple of P.
- Total length required: T = n · C.
- Area used: Aroll = T · R; Room area: Aroom = L · W.
- Waste: Awaste = max(Aroll − Aroom, 0), and waste% = Awaste / Aroll · 100.
- Roll count: rolls = ⌈ T / MaxRoll ⌉.
- Score (for ranking): A weighted index combining waste% and seams based on the slider. Lower is better.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the room dimensions and choose your unit system. For metric, values are converted internally to feet.
- Select which standard roll widths to test and optionally add a custom width.
- Set allowances for trimming and any pattern repeat along the roll. For plain goods, use zero repeat.
- Pick a maximum roll length if your supplier has a limit. The tool will compute how many rolls are needed.
- Use the optimization slider. Left favors fewer seams; right favors lower waste. Balanced mixes both.
- Click Calculate. Review the table. The best option is highlighted and marked best.
- Export the results using the CSV or PDF buttons to attach to takeoffs, bids, or work orders.
Example data table
Sample rooms to try. Click a row to load the values.
| Name | Units | L | W | Side trim | End trim | Repeat | Max roll | Std widths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living room | Imperial | 18 ft | 12 ft | 2 in | 2 in | 0 in | 100 ft | 12, 13′2″, 15 |
| Patterned hall | Imperial | 22 ft | 13 ft | 1.5 in | 2 in | 9 in | 120 ft | 12, 15 |
| Metric suite | Metric | 6.5 m | 4.2 m | 5 cm | 4 cm | 30 cm | 30 m | 4.0 m |
FAQs
Try both. Running strips along the long dimension often reduces seams, while rotating can cut waste on near‑square rooms. The tool ranks both using your chosen priority.
When a repeat is entered, each strip is rounded up to the next repeat multiple to preserve match across seams. This increases total length and usually increases waste.
Enter the maximum. The calculator will show how many rolls you need. This is useful for logistics and avoiding mid‑room roll joins.
For borders, increase end trim and side trim to reflect extra allowance. Stairs and landings usually need separate layouts, but the tool helps estimate primary field area quickly.
Waste is area purchased minus room area. With generous trimming or perfect fit, the computed difference can be close to zero due to rounding. Real‑world cuts usually create some offcuts.
All strips are assumed to run with the same pile direction as the roll. If your spec enforces a specific direction, lock the orientation accordingly before ordering.
Metric entries are converted to feet using exact factors. Outputs are shown in feet‑based values inside the table for consistency. You can still input and review in metric.