Flooring Calculator
A flooring calculator works out how much flooring you need by calculating your room's square footage and dividing by the coverage of one box, then adding waste for cuts. It works for laminate, vinyl plank, hardwood and tile. Enter your room dimensions and box coverage below for square footage and boxes.
box_coverage user-set from product; waste default 10 percent (more for diagonal).
- Area
- 0 sq ft
- Box coverage
- Enter box coverage
Enter your room dimensions and the coverage per box from your product carton.
Estimate only. Material yields vary by product and brand; check your product label and add a margin.
How Do You Calculate How Much Flooring You Need?
To calculate flooring, multiply room length by width to get the square footage, add a waste allowance, then divide by the coverage per box. A 12 by 15 foot room is 180 square feet; with 10 percent waste that is 198, and at 20 square feet per box that is 10 boxes. The calculator works for any flooring type, since coverage per box is printed on the carton.
How Much Waste Should You Add for Flooring?
Add 10 percent waste for a standard straight installation, and 15 percent for diagonal layouts or rooms with many corners and angles, which create more cut pieces. Patterned floors and large planks in small rooms waste more. Keeping a spare plank or two also helps with future repairs, since matching a discontinued style later is hard. The calculator lets you set the waste percentage.
How Do You Convert Square Footage to Boxes?
To convert square footage to boxes, divide your area plus waste by the coverage per box, then round up, since you buy whole boxes. A box that covers 22 square feet means a 200 square foot job (with waste) needs 10 boxes. Because rounding up leaves a partial box spare, you get a small reserve for repairs. Enter your box coverage for an exact count.
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Frequently asked questions
- How much flooring do I need for a 12x15 room?
- A 12 by 15 foot room is 180 square feet. With 10 percent waste that is about 198 square feet, which is 10 boxes at 20 square feet per box.
- How much extra flooring should I buy?
- Add 10 percent for straight installations and 15 percent for diagonal layouts or rooms with many angles, plus a spare plank or two for future repairs.
- How do I convert square feet to boxes of flooring?
- Divide your area plus waste by the coverage per box and round up. A 200 square foot job at 22 square feet per box needs 10 boxes.