How Much Flooring Do I Need?
Square footage is only half the answer. This guide shows how to turn it into boxes using the coverage printed on the carton.
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- Time to estimate
- About 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- You need
- Room area, carton coverage
To find out how much flooring to buy, measure the room area in square feet, add a waste allowance, then divide by the coverage per box printed on the carton. Round up to the next whole box.
Step by step
- Measure the room and calculate the total square footage, splitting irregular spaces into rectangles.
- Add a waste allowance, typically 10%.
- Find the coverage per box on the flooring carton, often listed in square feet.
- Divide the area including waste by the coverage per box.
- Round up to the next whole box and buy at least that many.
Worked example
A 15 ft by 12 ft room with a box that covers 24.36 sq ft:
room area = 15 × 12 = 180 sq ft
with 10% waste = 180 × 1.10 = 198 sq ft
boxes = 198 ÷ 24.36 = 8.13
buy = 9 boxesThe flooring calculator performs this conversion, and the square footage measuring guide covers irregular rooms.
Why the box coverage matters
Flooring is sold by the box, and coverage per box changes with plank size and thickness. Always use the number on the carton you are buying rather than a generic figure.
Keep a spare box
Hold on to at least one unopened box from the same batch. If a plank is damaged later, a matching replacement from a different production run may not blend in.
Sources and assumptions
This guide uses standard area math and the coverage printed by flooring manufacturers. Waste percentages are rules of thumb.
Frequently asked questions
- How many boxes of flooring do I need for 200 square feet?
- Divide the square footage including waste by the coverage printed on the carton, then round up. For 200 sq ft with 10% waste, you need about 220 sq ft. If each box covers 24 sq ft, 220 ÷ 24 = 9.17, so buy 10 boxes.
- How much extra flooring should I buy?
- At least 10% extra is common, and 15% or more is wise for diagonal or patterned layouts. Keeping one unopened box for future repairs is a good idea.
- Should I buy all the flooring at once?
- Yes when possible. One order reduces the chance of color or batch differences and avoids a product being out of stock mid-project.