Enter your room size and how much a box covers, and get how many boxes of laminate, vinyl plank or hardwood to buy — including waste.
Measure the room's length and width in feet and multiply them for the square footage. Add waste for cuts and damage — 10 percent for a standard straight layout, more for diagonal patterns. Then divide by how much one box covers and round up, since flooring is sold in full boxes only.
Coverage varies by product — most boxes of laminate, vinyl plank or hardwood cover somewhere between 15 and 30 square feet. The exact number is printed on the box, so use that figure in the box coverage field above for the most accurate count. Different plank widths and thicknesses change how much fits in a box.
You'll lose material to cuts at the walls and doorways and around obstacles, and a few planks are usually unusable. The waste percentage above covers that. It's also worth keeping one spare box after the job — dye lots change, so a matching box bought later may not blend in for a repair.
This is a planning aid. Box coverage varies by product — always confirm the coverage on the actual box and round up. Buy a little extra and keep a spare box for repairs.