Flooring Calculator
Add your rooms, set a waste allowance and see how much laminate, vinyl, hardwood or carpet to buy — in area, boxes and cost.
- Laminate, vinyl, wood
- Several rooms
- Boxes needed
- Private
Split an L-shaped room into two rectangles and add them as separate rows.
5–10 % for straight laying, 15 % for diagonal or herringbone.
Printed on the pack. 0 = skip the box count.
Cost (optional)
Leave at 0 to skip the cost.
Details
How to calculate flooring
Rooms, waste, boxes.
- 1
Add your rooms
Enter the length and width of each room. Split L-shaped rooms into two rectangles.
- 2
Set the waste allowance
10 % is a safe default for straight laying; use 15 % for diagonal or herringbone patterns.
- 3
Enter the box coverage
Type the area one box covers and, if you like, the price per box. You get the boxes to buy and the cost.
Buy enough — once
Running out mid-project often means a different batch.
Whole home or one room
Add up to 30 rooms, name them and see each area and the total.
Waste allowance
Cuts at walls, doorways and pattern matching are covered by a percentage you choose.
Boxes rounded up
Flooring is sold in full boxes; the calculator rounds up and shows what the boxes cover.
Cost
Enter the price per box to budget the material.
Room-by-room table
A clear list of every room, ready to copy or download as CSV for the shop.
Link to your calculation
Copy a link that reopens the calculator with your numbers filled in — handy for sharing or saving a scenario.
Made for phones
Large fields, the right keyboard for numbers and a layout that fits small screens.
Private by design
Everything is calculated in your browser. Your numbers are not sent to a server.
How much flooring do I need?
Flooring is bought by area: length × width for each room, added together. A 16 × 13 ft living room is 208 ft² and a 12 × 10 ft bedroom 120 ft², 328 ft² in total. Measure wall to wall at the widest points and include closets and alcoves that will get the same floor.
Then add a waste allowance. Boards and planks are cut at every wall and around door frames, and offcuts cannot always be reused. Plan 5–10 % for straight laying in rectangular rooms, about 10 % as a general default and 15 % or more for diagonal laying, herringbone and rooms with many corners. With 10 % the example needs about 361 ft².
Divide by the coverage per box printed on the pack and round up: at 20 ft² per box, 361 ft² means 19 boxes. Keep at least one unopened box for future repairs — the same product may not be available later, and colours vary between production batches. Underlay, trims and thresholds are bought separately.
Typical waste allowances
| Layout | Waste | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Straight, simple rectangular room | 5–7 % | Few cuts, offcuts reusable |
| Straight, several rooms or hallways | 10 % | More doorways and edges |
| Diagonal (45°) | 15 % | Every row ends in angled cuts |
| Herringbone or chevron | 15–20 % | Many short, angled pieces |
| Large-format tile-effect planks | 10–15 % | Pattern alignment increases cuts |
Tips
- Tiling instead? The Tile Calculator counts individual tiles including the grout joint.
- Painting first? Work out walls and ceiling with the Paint Calculator.
- Levelling the subfloor with screed or concrete? Use the Concrete Calculator.
- Let laminate and wood acclimatise in the room for at least 48 hours before laying, as the manufacturer instructs.
Frequently asked questions
Can’t find your answer? Contact us — we reply quickly.
How do I calculate square footage for flooring?
Multiply the length of the room by its width in feet. Add the areas of all rooms, then add your waste allowance.
How much extra flooring should I buy?
About 10 % for standard straight laying, 5–7 % in a simple rectangular room and 15 % or more for diagonal or herringbone patterns.
How many boxes of flooring do I need?
Divide the area including waste by the coverage of one box and round up to the next whole box. 360.8 ft² ÷ 20 ft² per box = 18.04, so 19 boxes.
How do I measure an L-shaped room?
Split it into two rectangles, measure each and add them as two rows. The calculator adds the areas.
Does the waste allowance depend on the material?
The layout matters more than the material. Narrow planks waste less than wide ones, and patterned layouts waste the most.
Are my numbers stored or sent anywhere?
No. The calculation runs in your browser. Your last inputs are remembered on your own device only, so the form is still filled in when you come back; use Reset to clear them.
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