MetraNestMeasure the piece to cut
The visible face is not always the final size of the piece. Add returns and the desired allowance around the edges. Check the film instructions for how to prepare this allowance: it varies by product and finish. A furniture edge that needs covering requires its own measurement.
Check width before length
A roll may provide enough square metres while being too narrow to cover a front panel in one piece. Compare the cutting width with the roll width. Rotating a piece also changes the direction of a wood grain or pattern.
Count full strips
The calculator divides the width into strips with your entered overlap, then counts the full strips in each roll. It keeps a fixed direction and does not reuse side offcuts. Measure edge returns and patterns that need aligning separately. It does not produce an optimised cutting plan for all the doors in a kitchen.
Strips per surface = (width to cover − overlap) ÷ (roll width − overlap), rounded up. Strip length = height + total height allowance. The number of full strips per roll determines the purchase.
Three small panels
For three 60 × 80 cm panels, with no side return and a total height allowance of 4 cm, each strip is 84 cm long. A roll 67.5 cm wide and 200 cm long fits two consecutive strips. Three panels therefore require two rolls in this orientation.
Details to check
- Keep the pattern direction consistent on neighbouring pieces.
- Use the actual roll width.
- For a joint or overlap, check the instructions before changing the dimensions.
Frequently asked questions
Why does an area-based calculation give fewer rolls?
It assumes all offcuts can be used. A front panel, however, needs a piece that is both wide and long enough.
Can I rotate a piece by 90 degrees?
Sometimes geometrically, but only if the pattern direction and product instructions allow it.
Method and references · Editorial review: 25 October 2026
The geometric formulas are explained here. For a product, its packaging dimensions and coverage rate remain the reference inputs.