Skirting Board Calculator
Skirting is bought in fixed lengths, so the real question is how many boards, not how many metres. This calculator works out the perimeter, deducts door openings, adds a mitre allowance and tells you how many lengths to put in the trolley.
Your measurements
Check your order
Your flooring order
- Confirm the layout, cuts, pack coverage and allowance before rounding to whole packs.
- Check whether the flooring needs separate underlay and which moisture-control system is specified.
- List edge trims and doorway transitions separately; check the permitted installation tools.
Tools for this job
Measure each wall run and doorway separately. An angled brush is useful if your chosen skirting needs painting after installation.
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- Check room dimensions and cuts
Short tape measure
STANLEY 25-foot tape measure
For checking lengths, widths and short runs before ordering. This is a 25-foot tape; use matching units in the calculator and check the scale on the selected model.
View on Amazon.com May open your local Amazon store · opens a new tab Find alternatives on Amazon.nl Netherlands · search by tool type · opens a new tab - Cut in around edges and trim
Angled brush
Wooster Shortcut 2-inch angled brush
An angled brush for the edges and trim a roller cannot reach. Check brush compatibility with the coating you plan to use.
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Already have suitable tools? Reuse them. These are optional product suggestions, not a complete equipment list or a hands-on comparison. Amazon may redirect Amazon.com links to local products or search results. Amazon.nl links search for alternatives, which may differ in brand, size and specification. Check suitability, seller, delivery and any import costs on your chosen store before ordering.
How to measure for skirting board
- Measure each wall along the floor, at the wall, not across the middle of the room.
- Add them together for the perimeter. For a plain rectangle it is simply 2 × (length + width).
- Deduct every door opening at its full width including the architrave: about 0.9 m for a standard internal door, 1.8 m for French doors.
- Deduct runs hidden behind fitted furniture only if you are certain the units are staying.
- Add 10% for mitres and cutting, then divide by the board length and round up.
The formula
Worked example
A 5 m x 4 m bedroom with one standard door. Perimeter = 2 × (5 + 4) = 18 m. Deduct 0.9 m for the door = 17.1 m. Add 10% for mitres = 18.8 m. With 2.4 m boards, 18.8 ÷ 2.4 = 7.84 → 8 lengths, or 19.2 m in total.
Note what happens with 3 m boards: 18.8 ÷ 3 = 6.27 → 7 lengths = 21 m. Longer boards give fewer joints but often more waste, so it is worth checking both in the calculator.
Why 10% and not exact
- Every internal corner is either mitred or scribed, and both waste the end of a board.
- External corners need two mitres cut from two different boards.
- Long walls need a scarf joint, which costs you a cut at 45 degrees.
- Boards arrive with damaged ends more often than you would like, and a bowed board has to be cut short.
- A profiled or patterned skirting has to be matched across a joint, which wastes more.
Common skirting heights
A useful proportion rule: skirting height is roughly 1/18 of the ceiling height. Under a 2.4 m ceiling that is about 135 mm.
| Height | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 70 to 95 mm | Modern flats, low ceilings | Cheapest, minimal look |
| 120 mm | Most modern homes | The default in new build |
| 145 to 170 mm | Period rooms, ceilings over 2.6 m | Balances the room proportions |
| 200 mm + | Victorian and Georgian restoration | Usually MDF, often two-part |
Sources and assumptions
The model deducts openings from the perimeter, adds a cutting allowance and divides total length by the selected stock length. It assumes offcuts can be shared between suitable wall runs.
- Skirting World: choosing board lengths: The manufacturer explains choosing longer stock for fewer joins and documents that available lengths depend on the material and supplier.
Before using this estimate
- A total-length estimate is not a cutting schedule. Several long walls can require more boards when short offcuts cannot be reused.
- Measure each wall and doorway, then plan mitres, scribes and joins. Select a length your supplier actually stocks.
Source notes reviewed . See how we check calculations and handle corrections.
Planning your order
Check the inputs before buying: measure the surfaces you need, then apply an allowance and round to whole packs. The guides include worked examples you can follow alongside this calculator.
Published by OrderEnough. This is a planning estimate: check the product specification and the assumptions above before ordering. Last updated . Read how we source our figures on the methodology page.