Measure the room, check how much floor one box covers, and this calculator tells you how many boxes of laminate, luxury vinyl plank, engineered or solid hardwood flooring to buy — with an allowance for cuts and mistakes.
For L-shaped or irregular rooms, split the floor into rectangles, add up their areas and enter the total as one long rectangle (for example, length = total area, width = 1).
Formula
Boxes = ⌈ Length × Width × (1 + Waste) ÷ Coverage per box ⌉
10% waste is typical for straight installs; use 15% for diagonal layouts or rooms with many corners.
Worked example
A 15 × 12 ft room is 180 ft². Adding 10% gives 198 ft²; with boxes covering 20 ft² each you need 10 boxes.
Frequently asked questions
How much extra flooring should I buy?
About 10% for a standard straight layout and 15% or more for diagonal or herringbone patterns. Keep a spare box for future repairs.
Do I include closets?
Yes — measure every area that will get the new floor, including closets and under appliances you will move.
Last updated · Calculations checked by automated tests· Editorial policy