Flooring calculator
Area plus waste. Diagonal and herringbone layouts cost you five points more in offcuts.
Flooring
Area plus waste. Diagonal and herringbone layouts cost you five points more in offcuts.
Carpet is sold by the square yard on a 12 ft roll; the yardage here is converted for you.
$1,267
528.0 sq ft of carpet + pad at $2.40 / sq ft
Free. No signup. The quantities carry over as line items.
How this flooring calculator works
Floor material is area plus waste, and waste is entirely about how you lay it. Straight runs waste little; diagonals and herringbone eat offcuts at every wall.
The formula
area to order = length × width × (1 + waste + layout allowance)
Assumptions and defaults
| Default waste | 10% |
| Diagonal or pattern | +5 points |
| Carton coverage | 22.5 sq ft |
| Carpet conversion | 9 sq ft per sq yd |
Pro tips
Buy the extra box now, not later. Dye lots and production runs change, and a repair three years on with a box from the same run is the difference between invisible and obvious.
Measure each room separately and add them up. One big rectangle over a whole floor plan hides closets, bays and hallways that all need material.
Acclimate wood and LVP in the room for 48 hours before you lay it. Skipping that is what causes gapping in January.
Common questions
How much flooring waste should I order?
Ten per cent on straight runs in square rooms. Fifteen for diagonal, herringbone or a floor with a lot of small rooms and closets — this calculator adds five points automatically when you pick a pattern layout.
How do I convert square feet to square yards?
Divide by nine. Carpet is still sold by the yard on a 12 ft roll, so the calculator shows both.
Do I include closets in the square footage?
Yes, if you are flooring them. It is a common miss and it is always the cut you need one more board for.
How many boxes of flooring is that?
At a typical 22.5 sq ft carton, divide the order by 22.5 and round up — shown in the results. Check the carton coverage on your actual product; it varies from 18 to 30.