Flooring calculators and cost guides
Flooring is sold in boxes that cover an odd number of square feet, which is why most people come home with either four spare boxes or one box too few. Start with the room measurement and let the math handle the rest.
Start with the calculator
- Tile calculator Enter room size, tile size and waste allowance to get tiles, boxes and an estimated tile bill.
- Plank flooring calculator For vinyl plank, laminate and engineered wood sold by the box. Converts square footage into boxes and planks.
Cost guides
- How much does it cost to tile a floor? Installed cost per square foot by tile type and room size, with material and labour broken out separately.
- Vinyl plank flooring cost What LVP actually costs per square foot in 2026, how wear layer thickness changes the price, and where DIY stops paying off.
- How much tile waste should you allow for? The 10% rule, when it is not enough, and how much extra to keep for future repairs.
- How many tiles are in a box? Coverage per box for common tile sizes, and how to turn square footage into boxes without guessing.
Quick numbers before you start
| Item | Typical figure |
|---|---|
| Waste allowance, straight lay | 10% |
| Waste allowance, diagonal lay | 15% |
| Waste allowance, herringbone | 20% |
| Vanity or cabinet footprint | Subtract it, then add 5% back |
| Tile, material only | $1–$15 per sq ft |
| Tile, installed by a pro | $8–$25 per sq ft |
| Vinyl plank, material only | $1.50–$8 per sq ft |
| Vinyl plank, installed | $4–$12 per sq ft |
Measure the room, not the house. Two rooms with the same total square footage can need very different amounts of material once doorways, closets and awkward corners enter the picture.
How flooring quantities work
Every flooring material is sold in a unit that covers a fixed area — a box of tile, a box of planks, a bundle of hardwood. The area printed on that box is the nominal coverage. What you actually get is slightly less once you account for cuts, and slightly more once you account for grout lines. The calculators on this page start from your room area, apply a waste factor, and round up to a whole box, because that is the only unit the store will sell you.
Two rules keep the numbers honest. First, add the waste factor before dividing by box coverage, never after — rounding twice is how people end up a box short. Second, buy one extra box and keep it unopened in the garage; it is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy against a chipped tile two years from now.