Flooring Calculator
Work out how many boxes of laminate, engineered timber or vinyl planks a room needs from its dimensions, the box coverage and a waste allowance.
Boxes of flooring for the room, waste included.
How the flooring calculator works
Floor area is length × width. Add a waste allowance — 8–10% for straight-laid planks, more for herringbone or rooms with many angles — and divide by the coverage printed on the box (typically 2–2.5 m² or 20–25 sq ft). Round up to whole boxes.
Buy all the boxes from one batch: colour and gloss can differ between production runs.
Formula: boxes = area × (1 + waste) ÷ coverage per box
Worked examples
| Inputs | Boxes to buy | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 5 × 4 m room, 2.2 m² boxes | 10 | 10 boxes |
| 5 × 4 m, 15% waste (herringbone) | 11 | 11 boxes |
| 16 × 13 ft room, 20 sq ft boxes | 12 | 12 boxes |
FAQFrequently asked questions
How much waste should I allow for flooring?
8–10% for straight planks in a rectangular room, 12–15% for diagonal or herringbone, and more for rooms with many doorways and alcoves.
Should I keep a spare box?
Yes — one box from the same batch for future repairs. Later batches may not match.
Does the calculator include underlay?
No. Underlay is sold by area too — use the room area row plus 5%.
Which way should the planks run?
Usually along the longest wall or toward the main light source. Direction does not change the box count much, but it changes where the cuts fall.
Where these figures come from
- The Engineering ToolBox — material densities, coverage and unit data — bulk densities, concrete at 2,400 kg/m³, board and sheet sizes
- Brick Development Association — brick sizes and quantities — 215 × 102.5 × 65 mm, 60 bricks per m²
- UK Government — Approved Documents (Building Regulations) — Building Regulations guidance
Last checked: September 2026. Coverage rates and material sizes are typical manufacturer figures — check the product you buy.