Flooring Estimator
Enter your room size and box coverage to find out how many boxes to buy — with cutting waste included.
Runs entirely in your browser — your numbers never leave this page.
How it works
Flooring comes in boxes of fixed coverage — divide your waste-adjusted area by the box coverage and round up:
Boxes = Room area × (1 + Waste) ÷ Box coverage
- Box coverage is printed on the box: laminate ~18–22 sq ft, vinyl plank ~20–28, engineered hardwood varies by width.
- Waste: 5% for straight runs in square rooms, 10% standard, 15% for diagonal layouts, hallways, and closets.
- Acclimate: stack boxes in the room 48 hours before install — wood and laminate expand/contract with humidity.
- Underlayment: required under laminate and most floating floors for sound and moisture — order the same square footage.
- Direction: run planks parallel to the longest wall (or toward the main light source) — it makes rooms look bigger.
Frequently asked questions
How many boxes of flooring do I need?
Room area × (1 + waste) ÷ box coverage, rounded up. A 16×12 room (192 sq ft) + 10% = 211 sq ft ÷ 20 sq ft/box = 10.6 → 11 boxes.
How much waste should I add?
5% for simple square rooms with straight runs, 10% standard, 15% for diagonal patterns, L-shapes, or lots of doorways.
What does "coverage per box" mean?
The square footage one box covers — printed on the packaging. It varies by product: check the actual box, not a generic chart.
Do I need underlayment?
For laminate and floating floors, yes — it handles sound, minor subfloor unevenness, and moisture. Glue-down and some click vinyls skip it.
Should I remove the baseboards?
Best practice: yes — flooring slides underneath for a clean edge. The shortcut (quarter-round over baseboards) works but looks it.
Which direction should planks run?
Parallel to the longest wall, or toward the main window — both make the room feel larger. Avoid running across a narrow hallway.
How do I handle doorways?
Undercut the door jambs with a jamb saw so flooring slides underneath — cleaner than caulk lines and lets the floor float.
Why let flooring acclimate?
Wood-based flooring absorbs room humidity and changes size. Installing cold-from-the-garage planks guarantees gapping or buckling later.
Can I install over old flooring?
Over one layer of flat vinyl or tile, often yes. Never over carpet, and never over two layers — check manufacturer specs and floor height at doors.
Why keep a spare box?
Repairs. A damaged plank replaced from a different dye lot will not match. One spare box in storage is cheap insurance.