Flooring calculator
For one rectangular room. Enter the box coverage printed on the carton; the cost uses the price per square foot you pay, times the full boxes you buy.
Materials takeoff
Flooring Calculator · https://estimahome.com/flooring-calculator/
Room length: 15 ftRoom width: 12 ftFlooring type: Laminate
- Floor area
- 180 sq ft
- With waste
- 198 sq ft
- Boxes
- 9
- Bought
- 198 sq ft
| No. | Item | Qty | Unit | Unit cost | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laminate flooring, 9 boxes | 198 | sq ft | $3.00 | $594.00 |
| 2 | Underlayment, 100 sq ft roll | 2 | roll | $30.00 | $60.00 |
| 3 | Quarter round, 8 ft | 8 | ea | $8.00 | $64.00 |
- Subtotal
- $718.00
- Likely range
- $610.30 – $825.70
- Measure closets and alcoves as separate rectangles and add them up.
- Not included: transitions, stair nosing, moisture barrier for concrete subfloors.
Buy these materials
- 9 boxes of laminate flooringAmazon search for boxes of laminate flooring (opens in new tab)
- 2 rolls of underlaymentAmazon search for rolls of underlayment (opens in new tab)
- 8 pieces of quarter round (8 ft)Amazon search for pieces of quarter round (8 ft) (opens in new tab)
Links open a store search for each item. Check sizes and grades against your plan.
Quick reference
- A 15 × 12 ft room with 10% waste needs 9 boxes of flooring at 22 sq ft per box.
- Waste allowance: about 10% for a straight lay, 15% for diagonal, 20% for herringbone.
- Boxes = area × (1 + waste) ÷ coverage per box, rounded up.
How it's calculated
⌈x⌉ means round up to the next whole unit; ⌊x⌋ means round down. Every quantity you buy is rounded up.
Floor area = length × widthBoxes = ⌈ area × (1 + waste ÷ 100) ÷ coverage per box ⌉Flooring bought = boxes × coverage per box (priced per sq ft)Underlayment rolls = ⌈ area ÷ roll coverage ⌉Quarter round = ⌈ 2 × (length + width) × 1.1 ÷ 8 ⌉ piecesCost = Σ (quantity × unit price); range = cost × (1 ± range % ÷ 100)
Worked example
A 15 × 12 ft room is 180 sq ft. With 10% waste that is 198 sq ft. At 22 sq ft per box that rounds up to 9 boxes, 198 sq ft. Underlayment at 100 sq ft per roll is 2 rolls. The 54 ft perimeter plus 10% takes 8 pieces of 8 ft quarter round. At the default prices: $718.00.
Questions
How much extra flooring should I buy?
10% for a straight layout in a regular room, 15% for diagonal or rooms with many angles, 20% for herringbone. Keep a spare box for repairs.
Do I need underlayment?
Laminate and most floating floors need a foam or felt underlayment unless the planks have a pad attached. Over concrete, use one with a vapor barrier.
How do I measure an L-shaped room?
Split it into rectangles and add the areas. Enter the total area as the length and 1 as the width.
Cite: “Flooring Calculator.” EstimaHome, https://estimahome.com/flooring-calculator/. Updated 2026-10-20. Formulas in machine-readable form: /api/calculators.json.