Flooring Calculator
Calculate how many boxes of flooring you need - planks, tiles, hardwood or vinyl - including waste.
The flooring calculator gives you the square footage and box count for hardwood, laminate, vinyl plank or tile flooring. Enter the room dimensions plus the coverage per box (printed on every flooring carton) and the calculator returns the boxes you need including waste. Use 10% waste for straight-lay in a simple rectangular room, 15% for diagonal lay or rooms with many cuts, and 20% for herringbone or chevron patterns where every plank is cut on an angle.
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Frequently asked questions
10% is the standard recommendation for straight-lay flooring in a simple rectangular room. Bump up to 15% for diagonal lays, rooms with closets and cutouts, or if you are an inexperienced installer. Herringbone and chevron patterns need 20% because every piece is cut on an angle.
A 12 ft x 15 ft room is 180 sq ft. With 10% waste that is 198 sq ft. If each box covers 20 sq ft, you need 10 boxes (Math.ceil(198/20) = 10). Always round up - you cannot return a partial box and you want extra for future repairs.
Save 2-3 extra planks after installation for repairs from water damage, dents or scratches. Manufacturers change dye lots, so a perfect match years later is almost impossible to find. The waste factor already covers this if you keep the cut-offs and unused planks.
Yes - tile sold by the box uses the same math as plank flooring. Just enter the coverage per box and pieces per box from the label. For grout calculations on ceramic or porcelain tile, use the tile calculator instead, which includes grout joint width.
Yes. Flooring is produced in batches and the dye/grain lot can change between production runs. Even small color differences between lots are noticeable across a finished floor. Always buy all the boxes for one job from the same lot if possible.