A 16 × 12 ft living room
room length 16 ft, room width 12 ft, area not being floored 0 ft², coverage per box 20 ft².
Boxes to buy
11 boxes
- Area incl. 10% waste: 211.2 ft²
- Boxes needed: 11
Flooring Calculator
This flooring calculator works out how much flooring to buy for a room, including a waste allowance, and how many boxes that is at the coverage printed on the pack.
Last updated
How many boxes of flooring do I need for a 16 × 12 ft room?
The room is 192 ft². With 10% waste you need 211.2 ft², which is 11 boxes at 20 sq ft per box.
Boxes to buy
11 boxes
- Room area
- 192 ft²
- Area to floor
- 192 ft²
- Area incl. 10% waste
- 211.2 ft²
- Boxes needed
- 11
- Total coverage purchasedSpare material is useful for future repairs.
- 220 ft²
Inputs
- How do you want to measure?: Length × width
- Room length: 16 ft
- Room width: 12 ft
- Area not being floored: 0 ft²
- Coverage per box: 20 ft²
- Waste / overage: 10 %
- • Buy all boxes from the same batch so colour and finish match.
Results are estimates for planning only. Supplier specifications, product yields, site conditions and local codes vary. Confirm quantities with your supplier or a qualified professional before you buy or build.
How this is calculated
Formulas
- Room area = length × width.
- Area to floor = room area − area not being floored.
- Area with waste = area to floor × (1 + waste %).
- Boxes = area with waste ÷ coverage per box, rounded up.
Assumptions
- The room is a rectangle. Add rooms separately if there are several.
- Waste covers cuts, offcuts and damaged pieces. Diagonal and patterned layouts waste more than straight lays.
- Underlay, trim and transition strips are not included.
Worked examples: common projects
A 5 × 4 m room with a 1.5 m² island
room length 5 m, room width 4 m, area not being floored 1.5 m², coverage per box 2 m².
Boxes to buy
11 boxes
- Area incl. 10% waste: 20.4 m²
- Boxes needed: 11
A 12 × 10 ft kitchen with a 15 sq ft island
room length 12 ft, room width 10 ft, area not being floored 15 ft², coverage per box 20 ft².
Boxes to buy
6 boxes
- Area incl. 10% waste: 115.5 ft²
- Boxes needed: 6
A 25 × 18 ft open-plan room laid on the diagonal
room length 25 ft, room width 18 ft, area not being floored 0 ft², coverage per box 24 ft².
Boxes to buy
22 boxes
- Area incl. 15% waste: 517.5 ft²
- Boxes needed: 22
Quick reference
Boxes of flooring by room size
At 20 sq ft per box with 10% waste.
| Room size | Area | Area with waste | Boxes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft | 100 ft² | 110 ft² | 6 |
| 12 × 12 ft | 144 ft² | 158.4 ft² | 8 |
| 12 × 15 ft | 180 ft² | 198 ft² | 10 |
| 15 × 20 ft | 300 ft² | 330 ft² | 17 |
| 20 × 25 ft | 500 ft² | 550 ft² | 28 |
Boxes of flooring by room size (metric)
At 2 square metres per box with 10% waste.
| Room size | Area | Area with waste | Boxes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 × 3 m | 9 m² | 9.9 m² | 5 |
| 3 × 4 m | 12 m² | 13.2 m² | 7 |
| 4 × 5 m | 20 m² | 22 m² | 11 |
| 5 × 6 m | 30 m² | 33 m² | 17 |
| 6 × 8 m | 48 m² | 52.8 m² | 27 |
Typical waste by layout
Rules of thumb. Your installer or the manufacturer may recommend more.
| Layout | Waste allowance |
|---|---|
| Straight lay, simple room | 5–10% |
| Diagonal | 10–15% |
| Herringbone or complex pattern | 15–20% |
Before you buy flooring
Measure the room at its longest and widest points. For L-shaped or irregular rooms, split the space into rectangles, calculate each one and add them together.
Boxes are sold whole, so the number you buy always covers slightly more than you need. Keep the spare planks or tiles for future repairs. Discontinued lines can be hard to match later. Tiling a bathroom or kitchen instead? Try the tile calculator, and use the paint calculator for the walls.
Layout, subfloor and acclimation
The pattern you choose changes waste. Straight planks across a plain room waste the least. Diagonal and herringbone layouts need more cuts, so raise the waste percentage. Rooms with many corners, doorways or built-ins also use more.
Check the subfloor is flat, dry and clean before you start, and follow the manufacturer's advice on letting the flooring acclimate. Some products need to sit in the room for a period before installation, and skipping that can lead to gaps or buckling later.
Flooring calculator in square feet or square metres
If you have already measured the floor area, choose I know the area and enter square feet or square metres. This is useful for several rooms added together. Enter the coverage per box and waste to get the number of boxes.
Frequently asked questions
How much extra flooring should I buy?
5–10% for a straight layout in a simple room, and 10–15% for diagonal layouts or rooms with many cuts. The default is 10%.
Do I need to count closets?
Only if you are flooring them. Include them by adding their area to the room, or leave them out.
Why does the box count look high?
Boxes are whole units, so the count is rounded up. The result also shows how much total coverage you are buying.
Should I wait before installing?
Some products, like hardwood and laminate, need to acclimate to the room before installation. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
How many boxes of flooring for 200 square feet?
With a 10% waste allowance you need 220 square feet. At 20 square feet per box that is 11 boxes.
Should I buy extra flooring for future repairs?
It is a good idea to keep a box or part of one. Flooring lines are discontinued or change shade between batches, so a spare from the same lot is easier than matching later.
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Results are estimates for planning only. Supplier specifications, product yields, site conditions and local codes vary. Confirm quantities with your supplier or a qualified professional before you buy or build.