How much flooring do I need?
Working out how much flooring to buy starts with the floor area of each room. Measure the length and width, multiply them for the area in square feet, then divide by the coverage on the box and round up to whole boxes — plus a little extra for cuts and offcuts.
Most boxes tell you the square footage they cover — around 20 sq ft is common for laminate and hardwood. The calculator above does the division and rounding the instant you type, in whichever units and shape you pick.
Boxes or square feet
Laminate, vinyl plank, hardwood, engineered wood and tile are almost always sold by the box, each covering a set area. Carpet and some sheet vinyl are sold by the area instead. Switch Sold by between Box and Sq ft to match how your supplier prices the floor.
Worked example
A rectangular living room 15 ft long and 12 ft wide, in laminate with boxes covering 20 sq ft:
15 × 12 = 180 sq ft. 180 ÷ 20 = 9 boxes, and with ~10% waste you'd order 10 boxes.
How much extra for waste?
- 5–10% — standard straight or plank lay in a simple rectangular room
- 10–15% — rooms with lots of corners, closets or angles
- 15%+ — diagonal, herringbone or chevron patterns
Tap a percentage into the “+ Add waste calc” buffer in the project total and it's added on top of your order.
Typical box coverage
These are common figures the calculator starts from; your box may differ, so check the label and type the exact coverage into Box covers.
| Flooring | Sq ft / box |
|---|---|
| Laminate | 20 |
| Vinyl plank (LVP) | 24 |
| Hardwood | 20 |
| Engineered wood | 22 |
| Tile | 15 |
Buying carpet or sheet vinyl by the area? Switch Sold by to Sq ft and price it per square foot instead.
Common questions
How much flooring do I need?
Measure each room's length and width and multiply them for the floor area in square feet. To get boxes, divide the area by the square footage each box covers and round up to a whole box, then add about 10% for cuts and offcuts. The calculator above does all of this instantly and totals several rooms at once.
How many boxes of flooring do I need?
Divide your total floor area by the coverage printed on the box, then round up. For example, a 180 sq ft room with boxes that cover 20 sq ft each needs 9 boxes before waste, or 10 boxes with a 10% buffer. Enter your box coverage in the calculator and it rounds up for you.
How much extra flooring should I buy for waste?
For a standard straight lay, add about 5–10% for cuts, offcuts and future repairs. For diagonal or herringbone patterns, or rooms with lots of angles, add about 15%. Tap “+ Add waste calc” in the project total to add a percentage buffer.
Is flooring sold by the box or by the square foot?
Laminate, vinyl plank, hardwood, engineered wood and tile are usually sold by the box, with each box covering a set number of square feet. Carpet and some vinyl are sold by the area. Switch Sold by between Box and Sq ft to match how your supplier prices it.
Does this flooring calculator work in metric?
Yes. Switch to "Metric" to enter your room in metres and box coverage in square metres. The result is shown in boxes or square metres, so you can order in whichever unit your supplier uses.