What’s an “overage”?

When you purchase construction materials, especially flooring for gyms, fitness centers, or any large-scale project, you often need to buy more than your calculated square footage. This additional amount is known as overage. While it might seem like an unnecessary expense at first, overage is essential for several reasons:

1) Standard Packaging: Flooring materials, whether they’re rubber gym tiles or commercial wood flooring, are sold in standard package sizes. Just like you can’t buy just eight eggs when the smallest available pack is a dozen, flooring materials have similar packaging constraints. Purchasing a little extra ensures you have enough material to meet the needs of your specific layout.

2) Necessary Cuts: Installation often requires precise cuts to fit the flooring perfectly against walls or around corners. For example, if you’re installing 2’ X 2’ tiles and need a row that measures 2’ X 1 ½”, you’ll end up with unused half-foot sections. Planning for overage ensures you have enough material to accommodate these modifications without compromising your project.

3) Potential Mistakes: Measurement and cutting errors are inevitable in any substantial flooring installation. Mistakes can occur due to incorrect measurements or improper cuts, leading to wasted materials. Allocating overage accommodates these errors, ensuring that minor miscalculations don’t derail your entire project.

4) Transit Damage: It’s not uncommon for flooring materials to sustain damage during shipping. Despite diligent quality checks, the extensive handling through various logistics stages can lead to damaged pieces. Including overage in your order accounts for such unforeseen issues, ensuring you have enough undamaged materials to complete your installation.

5) Complex Layouts: Rooms with non-standard shapes, such as curved walls or multiple columns, typically require more intricate cutting, increasing material waste. In these cases, professional flooring installers often recommend a higher percentage of overage to ensure that there are enough materials to handle the unique architectural features of the space.

Even professional installers figure a factor for waste and this typically is at least 15% of the actual square footage. Since most fitness rooms and gymnasiums are larger and typically have pretty straight walls, we try to keep that figure lower.

Overage may seem like you’re paying for something you’re not getting to use, but the alternative is that you run short and have to buy more material from us. This means that you’re not only losing time, but also spending more on the additional freight.

While you may end up with a few extra tiles or planks, keeping spare flooring materials on hand is beneficial. They can be used for repairs or replacements if any section of your flooring is damaged in the future, ensuring your installation remains pristine and functional for years to come.

Remember, calculating for overage in your flooring project isn’t just about buying extra materials—it’s about ensuring a smooth, successful installation and maintaining your flooring’s durability and aesthetic appeal long-term.