Flooring Calculator
Enter your room dimensions to calculate total square footage, how much to buy with waste, and number of boxes or rolls needed. Add multiple rooms for a whole-house estimate.
Rooms to floor
Update if your product label shows a different coverage
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ft² with waste
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Actual ft²
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Boxes needed
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Square yards
How to Calculate Flooring
Measure the length and width of each room in feet. Multiply to get square footage, then add the appropriate waste factor for your flooring type before ordering. Always buy a little extra — you want material from the same lot for repairs.
Waste Factor Guide
| Flooring type | Waste to add | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Laminate (straight) | 7–10% | End cuts, breakage |
| Vinyl plank / LVP | 10% | End cuts, pattern matching |
| Hardwood | 10–15% | Grading loss, end cuts |
| Tile (straight layout) | 10% | Cuts, breakage |
| Tile (diagonal / herringbone) | 15–20% | More cuts per row |
| Carpet | 10–15% | Seams, room shape |
For irregular rooms (L-shapes, angled walls), add an extra 5% to account for additional cuts.
Flooring Types Comparison
| Type | Typical lifespan | Water resistance | DIY-friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carpet | 10–15 years | Poor | Moderate |
| Laminate | 15–25 years | Limited | Yes — click-lock |
| Vinyl plank (LVP) | 15–25 years | Excellent | Yes — click-lock |
| Engineered hardwood | 20–30 years | Moderate | Moderate |
| Solid hardwood | 25–100 years (refinishable) | Poor | No — nail/glue |
| Porcelain tile | 50+ years | Excellent | Moderate |
Acclimation and Subfloor Prep
Before installing most hard flooring:
- Acclimate the flooring in the room for 24–72 hours (48–72 hours for hardwood) — planks expand and contract with humidity
- Check subfloor flatness — most flooring tolerates no more than 3/16" variance over 10 feet; grind or fill high/low spots
- Check moisture — use a moisture meter on concrete subfloors; elevated moisture causes buckling, warping, and mould under flooring
- Remove baseboards before installation and reinstall after; do not nail through the flooring
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate flooring for an L-shaped room? Divide the L-shape into two rectangles. Measure each rectangle separately, add the square footages together, then apply the waste factor. Our multi-room feature works well for this — add the two rectangles as separate "rooms."
Can I mix different box lots? Avoid it if possible. Dye lots can vary between production runs, causing subtle colour differences. Order all material at once, ideally from the same batch number printed on the box end. If you run short, matching an exact lot later is difficult.
What is the difference between LVP and laminate? Both are click-lock floating floors, but the core material differs. LVP (luxury vinyl plank) has a waterproof PVC core — it can be installed in bathrooms, kitchens, and basements. Laminate has an HDF (wood-fibre) core that swells when wet and is not suitable for wet areas. Once your flooring is down, don't forget that freshly laid floors often reveal how much the walls need refreshing — use the paint calculator to estimate how much paint you'll need.
