Flooring Calculator

Square feet, boxes and underlayment for laminate, vinyl plank, engineered or solid hardwood, with waste based on the layout.

Laminate flooring being installed row by row A room under renovation: rows of laminate planks with staggered end joints run from the back wall, spacers hold the expansion gap at the walls, and a tapping block and rubber mallet close the end joint of each new plank. Foam underlayment is rolled out ahead over the plywood subfloor, boxes of flooring are stacked to the side and light falls through a window. LAMINATE · 20.06 SQ FT LAMINATE · 20.06 SQ FT

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Install reference

⅜″ GAP BASEBOARD, NAILED TO WALL ONLYQUARTER ROUND, NAILED TO BASE8–12 MM PLANK, CLICK JOINTFOAM UNDERLAYMENT, 2–3 MM6-MIL POLY, 8″ LAPS, ON CONCRETECONCRETE SLAB OR WOOD SUBFLOOR
Typical floating floor at the wall. Gap, underlayment and vapour barrier vary by product: follow the installation sheet in the box.

Expansion gap

Laminate
¼–⅜ in
Rigid-core vinyl
¼ in typical
Engineered, floating
½ in
Solid hardwood
½–¾ in
Long runs
T-mold ≈ 40 ft+

Acclimation and subfloor

Laminate
48 h in the room
Engineered
24–72 h
Solid hardwood
3–7 days, to MC
Rigid-core vinyl
often none: check
Room
60–80 °F, 35–55% RH
Flatness
³⁄₁₆ in in 10 ft

Layout and stagger

End-joint offset
6–12 in minimum
End pieces
≥ 8–12 in long
Plank direction
along longest wall
Or
toward main light
Last row
≥ 2 in, ideally ≥ ⅓
Balance
rip first and last row

Waste by layout

Straight, simple room
7%
Standard room
10%
Diagonal
15%
Herringbone
15–20%
Spare for repairs
1 box

Tip A floating floor must move freely. Never nail or screw through it, and do not pin it under cabinets, door jambs or tight baseboard; undercut jambs and leave the gap everywhere.

Full notes
  • Waste: 5-7% for straight installs, 10-15% for diagonal or herringbone.
  • Let planks acclimate in the room for 48 hours before installing (check the manufacturer's rules).
  • Leave a 1/4 to 1/2 inch expansion gap around the edges, covered by baseboard or quarter-round.
  • Add closets, alcoves and hallways using the extra-area field.

Planning a bigger project?

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Common room sizes

Drag to change the size
12 × 14 ft168 ft²
12 × 14 ft room185 ft²
5 × 8 ft15 × 20 ft

Drag the corner of the shape or the slider. Grid squares are 2 ft. Tap a result to load it into the calculator.