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Interiors

Flooring Calculator

Enter each room in feet and inches, pick the layout, and enter the coverage from the box label to get boxes to buy and the square feet left over.

Rooms

Each room is a rectangle. Split L-shaped rooms into two.

Room 1

Feet plus inches, up to 100 ft.

Room 2

Feet plus inches, up to 100 ft.

Room 3

Feet plus inches, up to 100 ft.

Room 4

Feet plus inches, up to 100 ft.

Flooring

Straight and diagonal use Tarkett's ProGen LVP figures. For anything else, use your installer's or manufacturer's figure.

0 to 40%. We didn't find a published herringbone figure, so enter the one from your product's instructions or installer.

From the box label, 1 to 100 sq ft. Coverage differs by product, so check yours.

Advanced settings (optional)

spare boxes

Whole number, 0 to 10. Spare boxes from the same lot for future repairs.

Your results

Boxes to buy

– boxes

Floor area
– sq ft

Check the highlighted fields to see your results.

Totals

Area with waste
– sq ft
Waste allowance used
– %
Flooring in the boxes
– sq ft
Left over after waste
– sq ft

Rooms

Room 1
– sq ft
Room 2
– sq ft
Room 3
– sq ft
Room 4
– sq ft

Estimates only. Check quantities with your supplier and local codes before you buy or build. See our Disclaimer.

Flooring Calculator. Floor plan: 12 ft by 12 ft, 144 sq ft + 10% waste = 158.4 sq ft 12 ft12 ft144 sq ft + 10% waste = 158.4 sq ft
Plan of each room with its length and width. It redraws as you type.
Where the flooring you buy goes (sq ft)

Last updated: · By Drew Kessler

How it works, sources, and FAQ

What it calculates and who it’s for

What it estimates and who it is for

This calculator adds up the floor area of up to four rectangular rooms, adds a waste allowance for the layout you’re installing, and turns the total into whole boxes using the coverage printed on your flooring’s box. It’s for anyone buying vinyl plank, laminate, or engineered flooring who wants the box count and how much will be left over.

How to use

Step by step
  1. Choose how many rooms and enter each one’s length and width in feet plus inches.
  2. Pick the layout. Straight and diagonal set the waste for you; for herringbone or another pattern, enter your own percentage.
  3. Enter the square feet per box from the label.
  4. Add spare boxes under Advanced if you want stock for repairs.
  5. Read the boxes to buy and the square feet left over.

The formula

Every variable and unit
  • Room length or width (ft) = Feet + Inches ÷ 12
  • Floor area (sq ft) = Sum of Length × Width for each room
  • Area with waste (sq ft) = Floor area × (1 + Waste % ÷ 100)
  • Boxes to buy = Area with waste ÷ Coverage per box, rounded up, + Spare boxes
  • Left over (sq ft) = Boxes × Coverage per box − Area with waste

Waste % is 10% for a straight layout and 15% for a diagonal layout, the allowances in Tarkett’s ProGen installation instructions. For herringbone, chevron, or any other pattern, the calculator uses the percentage you enter.

Worked example

Real numbers, worked by hand

Two rooms with diagonal planks and 23.4 sq ft per box: a living room 12 ft 6 in × 10 ft and a hall 8 ft × 8 ft.

  1. Living room: 12.5 × 10 = 125 sq ft; hall: 8 × 8 = 64 sq ft
  2. Floor area: 125 + 64 = 189 sq ft
  3. Diagonal waste, 15%: 189 × 1.15 = 217.35 sq ft
  4. Boxes: 217.35 ÷ 23.4 = 9.29, rounded up to 10 boxes
  5. Left over: 10 × 23.4 = 234 sq ft − 217.35 = 16.65 sq ft

How to read your results

Rounding and buying tips
  • Boxes to buy is the headline number. It’s rounded up and includes any spare boxes.
  • Left over after waste is what should remain if the cuts use up the whole waste allowance. Keep leftover planks for repairs; boxes from a later lot can differ in color.
  • Rooms lists each room’s own area so you can check your measurements.

Assumptions and limits

What this estimate does not cover
  • Each room is treated as a rectangle. Split L-shaped rooms into two rectangles, and add closets as their own room.
  • The 10% and 15% allowances come from one manufacturer’s instructions (Tarkett ProGen LVP). Other products may call for different amounts; follow your product’s instructions.
  • It doesn’t estimate underlayment, transition strips, baseboard, or adhesive, and it doesn’t cover tile.
  • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for acclimation, expansion gaps, and subfloor preparation, and confirm quantities with your supplier.

FAQ

4 questions

How much extra flooring should I buy?

For a straight layout, Tarkett’s ProGen instructions say to add 10%; for diagonal, 15%. Rooms with many corners, closets, or angled walls can use more. Patterns like herringbone usually need more again; use the figure from your product’s instructions.

How many boxes of flooring do I need?

Divide the floor area plus waste by the square feet per box on the label and round up. A 12 × 12 ft room in a straight layout with 20 sq ft boxes needs 158.4 ÷ 20 = 7.92, so 8 boxes.

What is the waste factor for vinyl plank flooring?

For Tarkett’s ProGen LVP it’s 10% straight and 15% diagonal. Other brands publish their own figures, so check your product’s installation guide.

Should I keep extra flooring after installation?

Many people keep at least one spare box for repairs, because a later production run may not match. Add it under Advanced as an extra box.

How much flooring for common room sizes

Reference

All rows use 20 sq ft per box and no spare boxes. Straight adds 10% and diagonal adds 15%, per Tarkett’s ProGen instructions.

Room (ft) Floor area (sq ft) Straight: boxes Straight: left over (sq ft) Diagonal: boxes Diagonal: left over (sq ft)
10 × 10 100 6 10 6 5
10 × 12 120 7 8 7 2
12 × 12 144 8 1.6 9 14.4
12 × 14 168 10 15.2 10 6.8
14 × 16 224 13 13.6 13 2.4
16 × 20 320 18 8 19 12

Sources

1 dated source
  1. ProGen Installation Instructions (Tarkett): add 10% for straight installations and 15% for diagonal installations (accessed Oct 6, 2026)