Plank flooring — laminate, hardwood or vinyl plank (LVP) — is sold by the box, and each box covers a set area. So the whole job is one division: room area divided by the box coverage, plus waste, rounded up to whole boxes. Here is the method, and the numbers to plug in for each type.
How many boxes
Boxes = room area × (1 + waste) ÷ box coverage, rounded up. A 12 × 15 ft room (180 sq ft / 16.7 m²) with boxes covering 20 sq ft (1.86 m²), at 10% waste, needs 180 × 1.10 ÷ 20 ≈ 9.9 → 10 boxes. The box coverage is the number that matters, and it is printed on the label.
Typical box coverage
| Flooring | Box coverage | Waste |
|---|---|---|
| Laminate | ~20–24 sq ft (1.9–2.2 m²) | 10% |
| Vinyl plank (LVP) | ~20–24 sq ft (1.9–2.2 m²) | 10% |
| Solid hardwood | ~18–20 sq ft (1.7–1.9 m²) | 10–15% |
These are typical — always use the coverage on your actual box, as it varies a lot by product.
Flooring Calculator
Pick laminate, hardwood or vinyl plank, enter your room size and box coverage for the boxes to buy.
How much waste to allow
About 10% for a straight-laid floor in a simple rectangular room — it covers cutting to the walls, the offcut at the end of each row (which often starts the next), and a few damaged planks. Go to 15% for a diagonal or herringbone layout, lots of doorways and jogs, or long random-length hardwood where you cull boards for color and grain.
Laminate vs hardwood vs vinyl plank
The method is identical; only the typical coverage and waste differ. Laminate and vinyl plank click together over an underlayment, come in bigger boxes and waste less. Solid hardwood tends to have smaller boxes and a bit more waste — you cull for color and grain, and it is usually nailed down. Pick the type in the calculator for sensible defaults, then confirm the coverage on your product.
Don’t forget underlayment
Floating floors — most laminate and click vinyl plank — need an underlayment for cushioning, sound and moisture, unless the planks have it pre-attached. Glue-down and nail-down floors usually don’t. It is priced separately per square foot of floor, so it is its own line in the estimate.
Priced per box or per square foot?
Both — retailers quote a per-square-foot price but sell whole boxes, so you pay for the boxes, a little more than the floor area. To compare a per-box price with a per-sq-ft one, divide the box price by the box coverage. Buy all the flooring in one go from the same batch, and keep a spare unopened box for repairs.