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Flooring Calculator: Square Feet, Boxes and Cost
Work out how much laminate, vinyl plank, hardwood or engineered flooring to buy, including waste, how many boxes that is and what it will cost installed.
How to measure a room for flooring
Measure the length and width of the room in feet at the widest points, wall to wall, and multiply them. For an L-shaped room, split it into two rectangles and add them, or use our square footage calculator. Add closets and doorways the floor will run into using the extra area box.
Example: a 15 × 12 ft living room is 180 sq ft. With 10% waste you need 198 sq ft. At 20 sq ft per box that is 10 boxes (200 sq ft), which costs $700 at $3.50 per sq ft.
How much extra flooring should I buy?
Every floor loses some material to cuts at walls, around door frames and at the end of each row. The usual allowances are:
- 5% for a simple square room with planks laid straight.
- 10% for most rooms, and the standard advice from most flooring makers.
- 15% for diagonal layouts, herringbone or rooms with many corners.
Keep one unopened box after the job. If a plank is damaged years later, the same color and batch may no longer be sold.
Typical flooring costs
Material prices vary widely by brand and quality. As a rough guide, laminate and luxury vinyl plank often cost $2 to $5 per sq ft, engineered hardwood $4 to $9 and solid hardwood $5 to $12. Professional installation commonly adds $2 to $6 per sq ft, more if the old floor must be removed or the subfloor leveled.
Frequently asked questions
How much extra flooring should I buy?
Buy 10% extra for most rooms, 5% for simple square rooms, and 15% or more for diagonal or herringbone layouts.
How do I calculate square footage for flooring?
Multiply the room's length by its width in feet. For an L-shaped room, split it into two rectangles and add them together.