How to Figure Square Footage for Flooring

Measure the room, subtract what stays bare, add wastage, then count your boxes.

Flooring is one of the few home projects where a small measuring mistake becomes a big cost. Buy too little and you may not find the same batch again. Buy too much and the extra boxes sit in a corner. A careful square footage calculation avoids both problems.

This guide takes you through the process from the tape measure to the final order.

The Four-Step Flooring Formula

1. Measure each room and find its area.
2. Add all areas, then subtract what will not be covered.
3. Add the wastage percentage for your flooring type.
4. Divide by the coverage of one box and round up.

Step 1: Measure Each Room

Measure wall to wall at floor level, in feet. Take the longest length and the widest width, because flooring has to reach every corner. Multiply the two to get the area.

For L-shaped rooms, closets, alcoves and bay windows, measure each section as its own rectangle. If you want more help with awkward shapes, see our guide on how to measure square feet of a room.

Step 2: Add and Subtract

Add these

• Closets, if the flooring will continue inside
• Hallways and entryways on the same floor type
• Doorway thresholds between rooms

Subtract these

• Fixed kitchen cabinets and islands
• Built-in wardrobes and shelving
• Fireplace hearths and large pillars

Do not subtract anything you might remove later, such as a freestanding wardrobe or a movable appliance. Flooring under those spots is worth the small extra cost.

Step 3: Add Wastage

Wastage covers cut pieces, damaged material and pattern matching. The right percentage depends on the flooring type and the layout. These are typical ranges, so check what your installer or manufacturer recommends.

Rooms with many corners, doors and angles need more wastage than a simple rectangle.

Step 4: Count Boxes or Tiles

Every box states how many square feet it covers. Divide your total by that number and round up to the next whole box.

For tiles sold individually, divide by the area of one tile. A 2 ft × 2 ft tile covers 4 sq ft, so 100 sq ft needs 25 tiles before wastage.

Full Worked Example

A homeowner wants laminate flooring in a living room and its hallway.

Notice that you pay for the full 15 boxes, so use the real box coverage in your cost, not the 297 sq ft figure.

Flooring-Specific Tips

• Buy from one batch. Colour and shade can vary between production lots. Order everything at once and check the lot number on each box.
• Keep a few spare pieces. They are handy for future repairs because the same design may not be available later.
• Plan for underlayment. It is usually needed over the same area as the flooring, but without wastage in most cases.
• Let wood and laminate settle. Many products need to rest in the room for around 48 to 72 hours before installation. Follow the maker’s instructions.
• Mind roll widths for carpet. Carpet comes in fixed widths, so a room slightly wider than the roll can require much more material.
• Handle stairs separately. Measure each step and riser instead of treating stairs as floor area.
• Re-measure before ordering. A second check costs nothing.

If you are still not sure how to turn dimensions into area, our guide on how to calculate square feet of a room explains the basics, and how do you figure out square footage covers price per square foot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

To figure square footage for flooring, measure each room, add or subtract the right areas, include wastage and round up to full boxes. A few extra minutes of planning can save you a second trip to the store and a lot of money.