Flooring and Cost Calculator
Use our flooring calculator to estimate the square footage and cost of new flooring. We’ll also show you how to manually calculate the square footage of your room and the price of a new floor.
Measure the length and width of your room in feet and inches, and enter those values into the calculator below. Add the price of your flooring per square foot for a cost estimate.
Flooring Calculator
Enter the dimensions of the room and the cost of material to calculate the flooring cost:
How to Figure the Square Footage of a Room For Flooring
The first step in figuring out how much flooring you need is to determine the square footage of your room.
- Use a tape measure to measure the length and width of the room in feet
- Multiply the length x width – the result is the square footage of the room
Once you know the square footage, multiply that by the flooring’s cost per square foot.
Cost = Total square footage x price per square foot
For example, if your room measures 12’ x 20’, you’ll multiply those numbers for a total square footage of 240. If the flooring you want costs $5.47 per square foot, multiply that value by 240 for a total cost of $1,312.80.
How to Figure the Square Footage of an Irregular Room for Flooring
To calculate the square footage of an irregular space, break the room down into sections, measuring each and then adding the totals together.
- Grab a piece of paper and pencil and draw a rough sketch of your room, breaking it down into easy-to-measure squares or rectangles.
- Measure the length and width of each section, and multiply those numbers by each other (or use our flooring calculator above for automatic calculations)
- Write down the square footage of each section on your drawing
- Once you’ve measured the entire room, add the square footage of each area together for a total
- Multiply the total room square footage by the cost of the flooring per square foot for an estimated price
How Much Waste Should You Account for When Purchasing Flooring
When purchasing flooring, you need to account for waste. During installation, you’ll cut many pieces of flooring, rendering sections of them unusable. There’s also a chance you’ll make a mistake. As a general rule of thumb, purchase 7-15% more flooring than you need.
- If your room is a perfect square, add a 7% waste factor. You can do this by multiplying your total square footage by 1.07.
- For rectangular rooms, add a 10% waste factor. Do this by multiplying your total square footage by 1.10.
- If your room is irregular or you’ll be laying the flooring in a herringbone or diagonal pattern, add a 15% waste factor. You can do this by multiplying your total square footage by 1.15.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)FAQ
How much flooring do I need for 1,000 square feet?
If you have a 1,000-square-foot open floor plan with no walls or obstructions, you need at least 1,000 square feet of flooring, plus 5-15% extra depending on the design and shape of the room. If your home is 1,000 square feet but divided into rooms, measure the square footage of each room and add them together to determine how much flooring you need.
How many boxes of flooring do I need?
To determine the number of boxes of flooring you need, calculate the room’s square footage. Then, look at how many square feet of flooring each box contains. Next, divide your room square footage by the box square footage – that’s the number of boxes you need. For example, if your room is 240 square feet, and there are 23.91 square feet of flooring per box, you’ll need 11 boxes.
How much flooring do I need for a 10’ x 10’ room?
A 10’ x 10’ room is 100 square feet. Add a 5% waste factor for a square room, and you need 105 square feet of flooring.
How much flooring do I need for a 12’ x 15’ room?
A 12’ x 15’ room is 180 square feet. Add a 10% waste factor for a rectangular room, and you need 198 square feet of flooring.