Hardwood Flooring Calculator
Square footage, boxes and cost for solid or engineered wood.
Enter your values
ⓘ Live results
Results
- Boxes to buy
- 11
- Room area
- 192 sq ft
- With waste
- 207.36 sq ft
- Material cost
- $1,430.00
- Installation
- $768.00
- Total project
- $2,198.00
Working
- 1192 ft2 x 1.08 = 207.36 ft2 / 20 = 11 boxes
Quick answer
Flooring = room area plus waste, divided by the coverage per box. Diagonal or herringbone layouts need more waste.
boxes = area x (1 + waste) / coverage per box
How to use the Hardwood Flooring Calculator
- 1Measure length and width at the widest points, including closets you plan to floor.
- 2Choose the waste percentage that matches your layout.
- 3Buy all boxes from the same batch so the colour and grade match.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Room length16 ft
- Room width12 ft
- Layout wasteStraight, mixed widths (8%)
- Coverage per box20 sq ft
- Price per sq ft6.50 $
- Install cost per sq ft4 $
Results
- Boxes to buy11
- Room area192 sq ft
- With waste207.36 sq ft
- Material cost$1,430.00
- Installation$768.00
- Total project$2,198.00
- 192 ft2 x 1.08 = 207.36 ft2 / 20 = 11 boxes
Frequently asked questions
How much waste should I allow for hardwood?
7 to 10% for a straight layout in a simple room, 15% for diagonal and up to 20% for herringbone or a room full of angles.
Should I keep leftovers?
Yes - keep at least one box. Boards from the same run are the only reliable match for future repairs.
About this calculator
- Built and reviewed by James Whitfield · How we build and test calculators
- Report an error
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.