How much flooring do you actually need?
Enter your room's dimensions and get a precise answer in square footage and boxes — waste allowance included, no sign-up, no guessing.
Quick reference: common room sizes
Rough estimates at 10% waste allowance, 20 sq ft per box, plus one extra box for repairs. Use the calculator above for your exact numbers.
| Room size | Floor area | With waste | Boxes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small bedroom (10 × 10 ft) | 100 sq ft | 110 sq ft | 7 |
| Standard bedroom (12 × 12 ft) | 144 sq ft | 158 sq ft | 9 |
| Living room (12 × 15 ft) | 180 sq ft | 198 sq ft | 11 |
| Large living room (14 × 16 ft) | 224 sq ft | 246 sq ft | 14 |
| Master bedroom (16 × 18 ft) | 288 sq ft | 317 sq ft | 17 |
Common questions
How much flooring do I need for a 12x12 room?
A 12×12 ft room has 144 sq ft of floor area. Adding the standard 10% waste allowance for cuts brings that to about 158 sq ft. At 20 sq ft per box, that's 8 boxes. Use the calculator above with your exact numbers for a precise figure.
How much extra flooring should I buy for waste?
10% is the standard allowance for a simple rectangular room with a standard straight layout. Bump that up to 15–20% for diagonal layouts, herringbone patterns, or rooms with lots of angles and cuts, since more material gets trimmed away and wasted.
How many boxes of flooring do I need?
Divide your total area — including the waste allowance — by the coverage per box listed on the product, then round up to the next full box. Box coverage varies a lot by product, commonly 15–30 sq ft per box, so check your specific flooring's packaging and adjust the "box coverage" field above.
Should I order extra flooring for future repairs?
Yes — it's common practice to keep at least one full extra box after installation. Flooring runs and colors get discontinued over time, so matching a repair years later can be difficult or impossible without a leftover box from the original run.