Flooring & tile calculator
Enter your room size, flooring type, and layout pattern to get the boxes you need — with the correct waste factor for straight, diagonal, or herringbone — plus the cost. Free, no signup.
Short answer
Add a waste factor for your layout: about 10% for a straight lay, 15% diagonal, 20%+ herringbone. A 12×16 room (192 sq ft) needs about 9 boxes of LVP straight, or 10 boxes herringbone. Box coverage varies — LVP ~24 sq ft, laminate ~20, tile ~15 — so check your product and buy a spare box.
Straight
+10%
waste
Diagonal
+15%
waste
Herringbone
+20%
waste
LVP box
~24 sqft
per box
Waste factor is set by the layout pattern. Box coverage defaults to 24 sq ft — override it to match your product.
Flooring cost by type (installed, 2026)
| Type | Installed cost per sq ft | Boxes for 200 sq ft | 200 sq ft installed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) | $3–$8 | 10 boxes | $600–$1,600 |
| Laminate | $3–$7 | 12 boxes | $600–$1,400 |
| Engineered wood | $6–$14 | 11 boxes | $1,200–$2,800 |
| Solid hardwood | $8–$18 | 12 boxes | $1,600–$3,600 |
| Tile | $7–$20 | 15 boxes | $1,400–$4,000 |
Installed cost (materials + labor), 2026 national ranges, straight-lay pattern with 10% waste. Subfloor repair, furniture moving, and old-floor removal are extra.
How we calculate this
Every number on this page comes from the same formulas the calculator runs — including the pattern-aware waste factor generic calculators skip:
- Area with waste. floor area × (1 + the pattern's waste factor): 10% for straight / grid, 15% for diagonal (45°), 20% for herringbone / chevron. Herringbone wastes twice what a straight lay does.
- Boxes. area with waste ÷ the flooring type's square feet per box (15–24 sq ft depending on type), rounded up to whole boxes.
- Installed cost. floor area × the type's installed cost range per square foot — waste is offcuts, so cost is based on the actual floor area.
Assumptions
- Rectangular room; L-shapes and many doorways push waste toward the high end.
- Box coverage varies by product — check the carton and override it in the calculator.
- Cost ranges are national mid-range figures — high-cost metros can exceed the top of the range.
Sources
Last reviewed: July 13, 2026
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Frequently asked questions
How much flooring do I need?
Measure the room area (length × width), add a waste factor for your layout — about 10% for a straight lay, 15% diagonal, 20%+ herringbone — then divide by the square feet per box. A 12×16 room (192 sq ft) needs about 9 boxes of LVP. Enter your room above for an exact count.
How much waste should I add for flooring?
Add roughly 10% for a straight or grid layout, 15% for a diagonal (45°) lay, and 20% or more for herringbone or chevron. Irregular room shapes and lots of doorways add more. This calculator applies the right factor automatically when you pick a pattern.
How many square feet are in a box of flooring?
It varies by product: luxury vinyl plank is often around 24 sq ft per box, laminate about 20, hardwood about 20, and tile about 15. Always check your specific product and enter its coverage in the calculator for an accurate box count.
How much does new flooring cost?
Installed costs run about $3–$8 per square foot for LVP and laminate, $6–$14 for engineered wood, $8–$18 for solid hardwood, and $7–$20 for tile. A 200 sq ft LVP floor is roughly $600–$1,600 installed.