Flooring Calculator
You need your room's square footage, plus 10% for waste, divided by the coverage of one box. Enter your room size and the coverage printed on the carton to get the exact boxes and cost.
How to measure a room for flooring
Multiply the room’s length by its width in feet to get the square footage. For irregular rooms, break the space into rectangles and total them with the square footage calculator. Measure into closets and doorways where the floor continues.
How much waste to add
Planks get trimmed at every wall, and boards occasionally arrive damaged. Add 10% for a straight layout and 15% for diagonal or herringbone patterns. The extra also gives you matching spares if a board is damaged later.
Flooring cost
Multiply the boxes needed by the price per box. Laminate runs $1–$5 per square foot, luxury vinyl plank $2–$7, and hardwood $4–$12 before installation. For a hard-surface top layer, compare the tile calculator.
Frequently asked
How many boxes of flooring do I need?
Multiply room length by width for the area, add 10% for waste, then divide by the square footage each box covers and round up. A 120 sq ft room with 20 sq ft boxes needs 7 boxes.
How much extra flooring should I buy?
Add 10% for straight-lay planks and 15% for diagonal or herringbone layouts. Keep one unopened box for future repairs.
How is flooring sold?
Laminate, vinyl, and hardwood are sold by the box, with each box covering a fixed square footage printed on the carton. You buy whole boxes only.