How to Calculate Square Footage for Flooring (and How Much Extra to Buy)
Flooring is sold by the box, and boxes from a later production lot may not match. That's why it pays to measure once, carefully, and buy the right amount up front.
Measure each room
Measure length and width at the widest points, in feet (or meters). Square footage = length × width. A 12 × 14 ft room is 168 sq ft.
For an L-shaped room, split it into two rectangles and add them. For closets, include them if the floor continues inside.
Add a waste factor
| Layout | Extra |
|---|---|
| Straight lay (planks, tile) | about 10% |
| Diagonal | about 15% |
| Herringbone or complex patterns | 15–20% |
Small rooms and many doorways mean more cuts and more waste.
Worked example
Living room 12 × 14 ft (168 sq ft) plus bedroom 10 × 11 ft (110 sq ft) = 278 sq ft. Add 10% → 305.8 sq ft. With boxes covering 20 sq ft, that's 15.3 → 16 boxes. The square footage calculator adds the rooms, applies the waste and gives boxes and cost.
Square feet and square meters
1 m² = 10.764 sq ft. The calculator works in either unit and converts the list when you switch.
Before you order
- Buy all boxes from the same lot number.
- Keep one spare box for future repairs.
- Underlayment, transition strips, baseboards and adhesive are bought separately — check coverage on their labels.
- Pouring a new slab first? Use the concrete calculator.