Laminate Flooring Calculator
Count laminate or vinyl planks for any room.
Enter your room dimensions and plank size to get the number of laminate or vinyl planks needed, including a waste allowance for cuts at the walls and the start of each row.
How it works
Divide the room area by the area of one plank, then add a waste allowance. Plank flooring usually needs 5–10% waste; the first and last plank of each row are cut to fit, and offcuts longer than about 8 inches can start the next row.
Worked example
A 12 ft × 15 ft room is 180 sq ft. Laminate is sold by the box, each covering a set area — say 20 sq ft per box. 180 ÷ 20 = 9 boxes; add 10% for cuts and a few spare planks (9 × 1.10 ≈ 9.9) and buy 10 boxes. Keep at least one spare plank after the job for future repairs, since dye lots change between production runs.
What changes your estimate
- Box coverage varies. Always check the square-footage printed on the box you're buying — it differs by plank size and brand.
- Plank direction and pattern. Diagonal layouts and rooms with many jogs waste more; a simple rectangular room run parallel to the long wall wastes the least.
- Dye lots. Buy all your flooring in one order so the color matches, and keep spares from the same lot.
- Underlayment. Most laminate needs a foam or cork underlayment underneath — estimate that to the same square footage separately.