Flooring Calculator

1. Measure each room. Length x width at the widest points, into closets and under the toe-kick of cabinets if the floor runs there. Round up to the next inch.
2. Split odd shapes. Break an L-shaped room into two rectangles and add them. Subtract islands and hearths that will not be floored.
3. Add the rooms. Total every room that gets the same flooring before adding waste, so offcuts from one room can finish another.
4. Add waste. 10% for a straight lay, 12 to 15% for hardwood or diagonal, 20% for herringbone.
5. Divide by box coverage. Divide by the square feet on the box label and round up. Keep one spare box from the same lot for repairs.

Measure into closets and doorways to the middle of the door, where the transition sits. Skip areas under built-in cabinets and tubs. For stair treads use the stairs calculator; for tile, with grout, thinset and pattern waste, use the tile calculator.

Free flooring estimates from installers bundle material, labor, removal and trim. Running your own numbers here first tells you what the floor itself should cost, so you can compare quotes line by line. Installing it yourself? Read the laminate and vinyl plank guide or the hardwood installation guide, and paint before the new floor goes down with the paint calculator.