Calculate how much hardwood, laminate, LVP, or engineered flooring you need for any room. Get results in square feet, number of boxes, and estimated cost with waste factor included.
Check your product packaging
Use 10% for straight lay, 15% for diagonal or complex rooms
Estimates only — box coverage varies by product. Always check manufacturer packaging for exact square footage per box.
Installing LVP in a 14×20 foot living room with 10% waste factor and 20 sqft per box? The room is 280 square feet, plus 10% waste brings it to 308 sqft. That's 16 boxes of flooring and 4 rolls of underlayment. At $3–$5 per square foot for mid-range LVP, materials run $924–$1,540.
| Room Size | Square Feet | Boxes (20 sqft/box, 10% waste) |
|---|---|---|
| 10×10 | 100 | 6 |
| 10×12 | 120 | 7 |
| 12×14 | 168 | 10 |
| 14×20 | 280 | 16 |
| 16×24 | 384 | 22 |
| 20×30 | 600 | 33 |
Divide your total square footage (with waste) by the coverage per box listed on the packaging. Most boxes cover 18–25 sqft. A 200 sqft room at 10% waste needs about 220 sqft of flooring, or 11 boxes at 20 sqft per box.
10% for standard straight installations. 15% for diagonal, herringbone, or rooms with lots of angles and closets. Narrow rooms and hallways also waste more due to frequent end cuts.
For laminate and LVP floating floors, yes — unless the planks have underlayment pre-attached (check the packaging). Hardwood nailed to subfloor does not need underlayment. Engineered hardwood depends on the installation method.
Laminate runs $1–$3/sqft. LVP runs $2–$5/sqft. Engineered hardwood runs $4–$8/sqft. Solid hardwood runs $5–$12/sqft. Installation adds $2–$5/sqft for professional labor.
Laminate and LVP can often float over existing hard flooring if it's flat and in good condition. Hardwood usually requires removal of old flooring. Never install over carpet.
Typical Results
💡 Buy one extra carton. Color matching from a different production run is often impossible.