Ordering the right amount the first time keeps your project on schedule and your floor matched. Here is the simple method installers use.
1. Measure each room
Measure the length and width of each room in feet, wall to wall, and multiply them to get square feet. For L-shaped or irregular rooms, split the space into rectangles, measure each one, and add them together. Include closets and any area under appliances that will get flooring.
2. Add extra for cuts and waste
Every installation loses some material to cuts at walls, doorways and the ends of rows. Add 10% for a standard straight layout. Add 15% or more for diagonal installs, herringbone, or rooms with many angles.
3. Round up to whole boxes
Flooring is sold by the box, and each floor lists the square feet per box. Divide your total (with waste) by the square feet per box and always round up.
| Step | Example |
|---|---|
| Room size | 12 ft x 15 ft = 180 sq ft |
| Add 10% waste | 180 x 1.10 = 198 sq ft |
| Square feet per box | 20 sq ft |
| Boxes to order | 198 / 20 = 9.9, round up to 10 boxes |
4. Order everything together
- One order, one production lot. Ordering all of your flooring at once helps keep color and grain consistent from box to box.
- Keep a spare box. It makes future repairs simple and invisible.
- Remember trim. Stair nose, transitions, baseboard and underlayment are easy to forget. Add them to the same order so everything arrives together.
Skip the math
Our flooring calculator does all of this for every floor we carry, then sends your measurements to us for a written quote with delivery confirmed before you pay. Each product page also has a box calculator built in.