Enter the room’s length and width and the square feet printed on the box. You get the square feet to buy and the number of boxes, for a straight lay and for a diagonal or herringbone layout.
Straight lay with 10% extra, at 20 sq ft per box.
| Room | Area | Sq ft to buy | Boxes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft | 100 sq ft | 110 | 6 |
| 12 × 12 ft | 144 sq ft | 159 | 8 |
| 12 × 14 ft | 168 sq ft | 185 | 10 |
| 14 × 16 ft | 224 sq ft | 247 | 13 |
| 16 × 20 ft | 320 sq ft | 352 | 18 |
| 20 × 24 ft | 480 sq ft | 528 | 27 |
Room area is length × width. The tool adds 10% for a straight lay and 15% for diagonal or herringbone, the same allowances the flooring cost calculator uses.
Boxes are the square feet to buy divided by the coverage on the box, rounded up. For an L-shaped room, measure it as two rectangles and add the results.
Sources:
Quantities are for planning and ordering. Check the plan, the supplier’s product data and local code before you buy; for structural concrete, follow the drawings.
A 12 × 12 ft room is 144 sq ft. With 10% extra for a straight lay, buy 159 sq ft, which is 8 boxes at 20 sq ft per box. A diagonal layout needs 166 sq ft.
About 10% for a straight lay and 15% for diagonal or herringbone. The extra covers cuts at walls and doorways and the offcut at the end of each row. Small or irregular rooms waste more.
It depends on the product, so read the label. Vinyl plank boxes commonly hold about 20 to 24 sq ft; laminate and engineered hardwood range more widely. Enter the figure from the box you are buying.
Yes. Keep at least one unopened box. Colors and textures change between production runs, and a matching board years later can be hard to find.
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