PlankBuddy
Plan laminate and wood flooring, board by board
Get a laying plan with rows, cuts, offcuts to reuse and packs to buy – before you cut a single board.
Free, no account needed!
- Board length in every row: each board in mm
- Width of the last row
- Boards, cuts and waste
- Packs to buy
Board lengths for every row
See where full and cut boards go before you make the first cut.
Cutting plan
Take a clear, row-by-row list of cuts to the job.
Offcuts in the plan
See which offcuts are planned for later rows and which ones the plan does not use.
How it works
Three steps from room measurements to a plan you can work from
PlankBuddy shows more than the floor area in m². You get board lengths, row widths, cuts and a plan for reusing offcuts.
- 01
Measure the room
Enter a rectangular or L-shaped room, or build a more complex shape from several rectangles. Add the measurements and mark any areas without flooring.
- 02
Set the boards and rules
Enter the board size and laying direction. Take the expansion gap, minimum end piece, end-joint stagger and minimum row width from your installation instructions.
- 03
Lay the floor row by row
Use the cutting plan, room plan and offcut plan as your working guide.
Before the first cut
What to check before you lay the first board
PlankBuddy plans with the measurements you enter. The installation instructions for your product and the conditions on site always come first.
How many packs of flooring do I need?
Enter the number of boards per pack, as printed on the pack, and PlankBuddy works out how many packs to buy for the boards in your laying plan. That figure includes no extra allowance, so add the extra your flooring manufacturer recommends for colour sorting, damaged boards and spares. Check the pack details for your exact product, because the same board can come in different pack sizes by thickness.
Which way should I lay laminate or engineered wood flooring?
The light from windows and the shape of the room help you choose. Laying along the longest wall or towards the main light source are common starting points, but the subfloor and your product's installation instructions can set other requirements. In PlankBuddy you can compare both laying directions and see how rows, cuts and waste change.
How do I plan the floor with as little waste as possible?
Measure the room carefully and plan the row widths and first pieces before you cut. Keep offcuts that fit later rows and still meet your rules for end pieces and end-joint stagger. PlankBuddy works out a cutting plan and shows which offcuts the plan reuses.
How do I avoid a very narrow last row?
Work out the width of the last row before you lay the first one, and allow for the expansion gap. If the last row would be narrower than your installation instructions allow, adjust the width of the first row. Many manufacturers state a minimum of 50 mm (Quick-Step, EGGER) or 60 mm (Wickes), but your product's instructions come first. In PlankBuddy you set a minimum row width and can see the first and last row widths in the plan.
How far apart should the end joints be?
End joints in neighbouring rows must be staggered as your installation instructions describe. The minimum depends on the product; no single figure applies to every laminate or engineered wood floor. Check your instructions first: Quick-Step, for example, states at least 300 mm for its laminate, and EGGER at least 200 mm. Enter the stagger your instructions give in PlankBuddy so the calculation uses it.
Can I use the offcut to start the next row?
Yes, if it is long enough, its joint profile is still intact and the required end-joint stagger is kept. If it does not fit the next row, it may fit a later one. PlankBuddy shows which row an offcut comes from and where the plan uses it again. Check the piece against the plan before you lay it.
Ready to measure?