How flooring boxes are calculated
Floor area = length × width
Area to order = floor area × (1 + waste %)
Boxes = area to order ÷ coverage per box, rounded upThis works for laminate, vinyl plank, engineered wood and solid hardwood sold by the box.
Worked example: a 15 × 12 ft room
- Floor area: 15 × 12 = 180 sq ft.
- With 10% waste: 180 × 1.10 = 198 sq ft.
- At 20 sq ft per box: 198 ÷ 20 = 9.9, so order 10 boxes, which cover 200 sq ft.
Choosing a waste allowance
| Layout | Starting allowance |
|---|---|
| Straight planks in a plain room | 5–10% |
| Room with closets, angles or many doorways | 10–15% |
| Diagonal layout | 15% |
| Herringbone or chevron | 15–20% |
These are starting points. If the manufacturer's instructions give a figure, use that one.
Measuring rooms that aren't rectangles
Split the floor into rectangles and run each one separately, adding each result to your buy list. For an L-shaped room, that means two rectangles. Include closets and the space under a door if the floor will continue through it. Then add the box counts together, or use the combined area with one entry so that offcuts from one area can be used in another.
Before you order
- Buy all the boxes from one production lot where you can, as color can vary between lots.
- Keep an unopened box or some spare planks for future repairs. Discontinued flooring is hard to match.
- Underlayment is sold separately, and is ordered by floor area. Some planks have it attached.
- Ask about the return policy for unopened boxes before ordering extra.
Laying tile instead? The tile calculator accounts for tile size and grout joints.