Calculators/ Interior/Flooring Calculator
Flooring Calculator
Boxes of laminate, vinyl or hardwood for a room.
Flooring is sold by the box and boxes cannot be split, so the practical question is always how many boxes rather than how many square feet. Keep one spare box after the job: planks discontinue fast.
How this is calculated
- Room area = length × width. Measure the widest points and treat alcoves as separate rectangles.
- Add a waste allowance: 10% for a rectangular room laid square, 15% for diagonal layouts or rooms with many angles.
- Divide by the coverage printed on the box and round up.
Frequently asked questions
How much flooring waste should I allow?
Ten percent for a simple rectangular room, fifteen for diagonal installs or irregular shapes. Long planks in a small room waste more, because each row start needs a cut.
Do I need underlayment?
Most floating laminate and vinyl needs it for sound and moisture, unless the planks have it pre-attached. Glue-down and nail-down hardwood usually does not.
Should I buy an extra box?
Yes. Patterns and dye lots change between production runs, so a repair in two years will not match unless you kept material from the original batch.