Flooring Calculator
Calculate flooring area, add a cutting and waste allowance, estimate how many boxes of flooring to buy and compare an optional material cost. Designed for rectangular rooms and identical room layouts.
Your flooring area will appear here.
How to calculate flooring needed
Measure the length and width of each rectangular room. For identical rooms, enter the number of rooms. Add any additional measured area for closets or hallways, then include a waste allowance for cuts, pattern matching and damaged pieces.
Flooring formula
Room area = length × width
Total area = room area × room count + additional area
Order area = total area × (1 + waste percentage ÷ 100)
Boxes needed = round up (order area ÷ coverage per box)
Worked example
A 16 ft × 12 ft room has 192 square feet of floor area. With a 10% allowance, plan for 211.2 square feet. If each box covers 20 square feet, divide 211.2 by 20 and round up: 11 boxes.
Measure before you order
- Measure wall-to-wall at more than one point if the room is not perfectly square.
- Check the coverage per carton on the exact product specification; plank sizes and carton quantities differ.
- For diagonal installation, herringbone, patterned tile or many small alcoves, the cut allowance may need to be higher.
- Check whether the product is sold by full box only and whether returns of unopened boxes are allowed.
Frequently asked questions
How much extra flooring should I buy?
Waste varies with room shape, installation direction, plank length and pattern. The 10% default is a planning starting point, not a fixed rule.
Does this include stairs?
No. Stairs require separate tread, riser and nosing measurements.
Can I combine several rooms?
Enter the number of identical rooms and add the measured square footage of other areas in the additional-area field.
Related estimators: Tile Calculator · Paint Coverage Calculator · Roofing Calculator.
This tool provides a preliminary product quantity estimate. Follow the flooring manufacturer’s acclimation, subfloor and installation requirements.