Flooring Calculator
Room size in, square footage out — with the extra you need to actually order.
Order it all in one go. Flooring is made in batches, and a second order weeks later can arrive a shade off — visible in daylight across a finished floor.
How to Use the Flooring Calculator
- Measure the length and width of the room in feet, at the widest points, and enter both.
- Pick a waste factor. 10% covers a normal straight-lay room; go to 15–20% for tile, diagonal patterns or an awkward layout.
- Read both numbers: net is the floor itself, with waste is what to order.
- Divide the order figure by the square feet per box on the packaging and round up to whole boxes.
How It's Calculated
Floor area is length times width. The waste factor is a straight percentage added on top.
With waste = square feet × (1 + waste ÷ 100)
Worked example: a 12 ft × 14 ft room is 168 sq ft. At a 10% waste factor that is 168 × 1.10 = 184.8, so you order 185 sq ft.
The order figure rounds up to the next whole square foot, and boxes round up again — flooring is sold in fixed box sizes, so real orders almost always land slightly above the calculated number.
Carpet is priced by the square yard in some markets. Divide square feet by 9 to convert: 185 sq ft is about 20.6 sq yd.
Material Buying Guide
Typical waste allowances and how each material is sold. Add 5% on top of these for diagonal or herringbone layouts.
| Material | Waste | Sold as | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood | +10% | Boxes, 20–25 sq ft | Cull boards with defects as you go — that's what the 10% is for. |
| Engineered wood | +10% | Boxes, 20–30 sq ft | Same as hardwood. Acclimatise in the room before laying. |
| Tile | +15% | Boxes, 10–15 sq ft | Breakage plus cuts. Go 20% for large format or diagonal. |
| LVP / vinyl plank | +10% | Boxes, 20–30 sq ft | Offcuts over 6 in can usually start the next row. |
| Laminate | +10% | Boxes, 20–25 sq ft | Click-lock, so damaged ends can't be reused. |
| Carpet | +10–20% | Rolls, by sq yd | Sold in 12 ft widths — room width drives waste more than area does. |
| Sheet vinyl | +10–15% | Rolls, 6 or 12 ft wide | Seam placement decides the real waste. Template first. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a waste factor?
The extra material you buy beyond the size of the floor — for offcuts at the walls, damaged or defective planks, mis-cuts, and a few spare pieces kept for future repairs. 10% is standard for a simple rectangular room laid straight. Push it to 15–20% for diagonal or herringbone patterns, large-format tile, angled walls, or a room full of doorways and obstacles.
How much does flooring installation cost?
Labour typically runs $3–10 per square foot on top of the material. Carpet and floating vinyl or laminate sit at the low end; glue-down and nail-down hardwood in the middle; tile at the top, because of substrate prep and layout time. Tear-out and disposal of the old floor, subfloor levelling and furniture moving are usually billed separately — ask what's included before comparing quotes.
How do I measure an irregular room?
Break it into rectangles. Sketch the floor plan, split it into rectangular sections, measure each one, work out the square footage of each, then add them up. Closets, bay windows and hallway extensions each count as their own rectangle. Apply the waste factor once, to the combined total.
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