Surfaces & finishes · free tool
Flooring Calculator
How much flooring do you need? Enter your room, pick your flooring, and get the boxes to buy — with waste built in, plus underlayment and cost.
Flooring Calculator
How many boxes of flooring you need — with waste.
1 Your floor
2 Flooring to buy
Estimates only — box coverage and waste vary by product and layout; always read the label and buy a spare box. See how we calculate · Updated monthly
Method · how it works
How to calculate how much flooring you need
Floor area, plus a little waste, divided by what a box covers — rounded up to whole boxes. Here is exactly what the calculator does.
Measure the floor
Multiply length × width in feet. Split L-shaped rooms into rectangles and add them.
Add waste
Add 10% for cuts and offcuts — 15% for diagonal, 20% for herringbone.
Divide by box coverage
Divide by the square feet per box printed on the label (laminate is often ~20).
Round up to boxes
Round up to whole boxes, and keep a spare box from the same batch for repairs.
A 12 × 15 ft room, laminate
180 × 1.10 = 198 ft²
198 ÷ 20 per box = 9.9 boxes
straight lay, 10% waste in
Sources: manufacturer box-coverage labels · flooring waste-factor references · square footage method
Verified against product coverage data · Updated monthly
Estimates only. Box coverage varies by product, so always read the label — and order a little extra so every plank comes from the same dye lot.
Boxes · by room size
How many boxes for a room?
A quick guide at 20 sq ft per box and 10% waste. For your exact room and product, use the calculator above.
100 sq ft — a small bedroom or office.
100 ft²120 sq ft — a compact bedroom.
120 ft²144 sq ft — a standard bedroom.
144 ft²180 sq ft — a large bedroom or den.
180 ft²300 sq ft — a living or family room.
300 ft²500 sq ft — an open-plan main floor.
500 ft²Boxes change with coverage — a 24 sq ft box needs fewer, a diagonal or herringbone layout needs more.
The two variables
Square feet per box & how much extra
Two numbers set your box count: how much a box covers, and how much waste your layout needs. Both are in the calculator.
Typical coverage per box
| Flooring | Sq ft / box |
|---|---|
| Laminate | ~20 ft² |
| LVP / vinyl plank | ~24 ft² |
| Hardwood | ~20 ft² |
| Engineered wood | ~25 ft² |
These are typical — coverage runs anywhere from 18 to 30 sq ft by brand and plank size. Always use the number on your box.
Waste by layout
Order this much extra
LVP click-lock often needs only 7-10%. Whatever the layout, keep one full spare box from the same dye lot for future repairs.
Pick your floor
Laminate, vinyl, hardwood & engineered
They all estimate the same way — area, waste, box coverage — but differ in coverage, install method and where they belong.
Click-lock, floating
Budget-friendly wood look. Great over most subfloors with an underlayment; keep it out of wet rooms.
Click or glue-down
Waterproof and tough — the go-to for kitchens, baths and basements. Often needs the least waste.
Nail or staple down
Solid wood that can be refinished for decades. Best over wood subfloors, above grade; add more for waste.
Float, glue or nail
Real wood veneer on a stable core — more forgiving than solid wood and fine over concrete.
Whatever you choose, the box tells you its coverage — set that number in the calculator and the boxes update instantly.
Don't forget
Underlayment, transitions & cost
The flooring itself is the big number, but a complete job needs a few extras — here's how to figure each.
Underlayment
~100 ft² / rollA foam or cork pad under floating floors for cushioning, sound and moisture. Toggle it on and the calculator estimates rolls from your area — some products already include it.
Transitions & trim
linear ftThresholds, T-moldings, stair nose and quarter-round are sold by the linear foot — measure doorways and room edges separately and round up.
Cost
$ / sq ftMaterial runs roughly $0.75-5 for laminate/vinyl and $4-30 for hardwood per sq ft. Enter your rate in the Cost tab; add install if you're hiring out.
Not sure of your area, or measuring an odd-shaped room? Work it out first with the square footage calculator, then bring the total back here.
Answers
Flooring calculator FAQs
How many boxes of flooring do I need?
Take your floor area, add 10% waste, and divide by the box coverage, then round up. A 180 sq ft room in 20 sq ft boxes needs 10 boxes.
How much does a box of flooring cover?
It varies by product — commonly 18 to 30 sq ft. Laminate and hardwood are often ~20, vinyl plank ~24. Always read the label.
How much waste should I add for flooring?
10% for a straight lay, 15% for diagonal or lots of angles, and 20% for herringbone. Click-lock LVP can be as low as 7-10%.
Laminate vs vinyl vs hardwood — which do I pick?
Vinyl/LVP for wet areas, laminate for budget wood looks, hardwood to refinish for decades, engineered for real wood over concrete.
Do I need underlayment?
Usually yes for floating floors (laminate, some LVP) — a pad for cushioning, sound and moisture. Some planks have it attached; nail-down hardwood uses a paper felt instead.
Why buy extra flooring?
For cuts and offcuts now, and a spare box for future repairs — matching a dye lot years later is nearly impossible, so keep some from the same run.
How do I measure an odd-shaped room?
Split it into rectangles, find each area and add them — our square footage calculator does it, then enter the total here.
How much does flooring cost per square foot?
Roughly $0.75-5 for laminate and vinyl and $4-30 for hardwood, before underlayment, trim and labour. Enter your rate in the Cost tab.