Flooring Calculator
Free flooring calculator. Enter room size to get square feet with waste, boxes of LVP, laminate or hardwood, underlayment, baseboard and cost.
Printed on the box; LVP is often 20–24 sq ft
- Boxes
- 10
- 200 sq ft
- Floor area
- 180 sq ft
- With waste
- 198 sq ft
- +10%
- Flooring cost
- $700
Other materials
| Underlayment100 sq ft rolls; skip if the planks have a pad attached | 2 rolls |
| Baseboard or quarter roundAbout 8 pieces 8 ft long, incl. 10% extra | 51 ft |
| Transition stripsOne per doorway into a different floor | 1 |
Price
$700
Flooring only (full boxes), before installation and tax
Default prices are typical U.S. retail figures, reviewed November 2026. Enter your supplier's prices for an exact total.
Plank flooring is sold by the box, and every box lists the square feet it covers. You always buy more than the room's area, because planks are cut at walls and doorways and the offcuts can't always be reused.
Enter the room size, choose a layout and the box coverage. The calculator gives the square feet to buy, the number of boxes and rough quantities of underlayment, baseboard and transitions.
How to use the flooring calculator
- Measure each room's length × width, including closets.
- Add 7 to 10% for a straight layout, or 15% for diagonal or herringbone.
- Divide by the square feet per box and round up.
- Measure the room perimeter for baseboard or quarter round.
Square feet to buy = area × (1 + waste). Boxes = square feet to buy ÷ sq ft per box, rounded up.
Boxes needed by room size
20 sq ft per box, straight layout with 10% waste.
| Room | Area | Boxes |
|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft | 100 sq ft | 6 |
| 12 × 12 ft | 144 sq ft | 8 |
| 12 × 15 ft | 180 sq ft | 10 |
| 15 × 20 ft | 300 sq ft | 17 |
| Open plan | 500 sq ft | 28 |
| Whole floor | 1,000 sq ft | 55 |
Tips before you buy
- Let laminate and engineered wood acclimate in the room for 48 hours before installing; check the instructions for LVP.
- Buy all boxes from the same lot number so the color matches.
- Keep one or two spare boxes for future repairs.
- Leave the expansion gap the manufacturer specifies at walls, usually 1/4 to 3/8 inch.
Frequently asked questions
How many boxes of flooring do I need for 500 square feet?
With 10% waste you need 550 square feet. At 20 square feet per box that's 28 boxes.
How much extra flooring should I buy?
Add 7 to 10% for straight installations in normal rooms and 15% or more for diagonal or herringbone layouts or rooms with many angles.
Do I need underlayment for vinyl plank flooring?
Many LVP products have a pad attached and don't need separate underlayment. Laminate usually does. Over concrete, a vapor barrier is often required; check the product's instructions.
How do I measure a room for flooring?
Measure the length and width at the widest points and multiply. For L-shaped rooms, split them into rectangles and add them up. Include closets that will get the same floor.