How Much Flooring for a 12x12 Room?
Boxes to order
8 boxes
144 square feet of floor, ten percent waste, boxes of 22.5 square feet.
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How that number is worked out
These are the figures this page was built with and every line the calculator produces from them. Change anything above and all of it moves.
- Floor area144 sq ft
- Coverage per box or carton22.5 sq ft
- Waste allowance10 %
Boxes to order8 boxes
| Floor area | 144 sq ft |
|---|---|
| With 10% waste | 158.4 sq ft |
| Boxes at 22.5 sq ft | 8 |
| Coverage bought | 180 sq ft |
| Left over | 36 sq ftkeep it for repairs |
The material list this produces
| Flooring, boxes | 8 |
|---|---|
| Underlayment, sq ft | 144 |
| Transition strips, each | 2 |
Waste allowance compared
Waste is set by how you lay it, not by how careful you are. Straight lay to herringbone, same room.
| Waste allowance | Boxes to order | With 10% waste | Left over |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | 7 boxes | 151.2 sq ft | 13.5 sq ft |
| 10% | 8 boxes | 158.4 sq ft | 36 sq ft |
| 15% | 8 boxes | 165.6 sq ft | 36 sq ft |
| 20% | 8 boxes | 172.8 sq ft | 36 sq ft |
What else matters here
A hundred and forty four square feet needs 158 with waste, which rounds up to eight boxes and 180 square feet bought. Thirty six square feet left over feels like a lot, and it is the unavoidable result of buying a continuous product in fixed cartons.
You can shave that by checking the actual carton size before ordering. At 30 square feet a box this room is six boxes and 180 square feet, the same total. At 18 square feet a box it is nine boxes and 162, which is less waste. The carton size is worth a look when you are choosing between two products you otherwise like equally.
Plank direction is the other decision. In a square room it is a pure aesthetic call, so run the planks with the main light source or along the direction you walk in, both of which hide the seams better than running across them.
What this calculator assumes
- 10 percent waste covers a straight lay in a simple rectangle. Go to 15 for a diagonal or herringbone lay, and 20 if the room is cut up with closets and angles.
- Buy the whole job in one delivery. Dye lot and batch shade move between production runs, and a single replacement box six months later will not match.
Questions people ask
How many boxes of flooring for a 12x12 room?
About 8 boxes at 22.5 square feet each, covering 144 square feet with a ten percent waste allowance.
How many 12x12 tiles for a 12x12 room?
144 tiles for the bare floor plus waste, so buy about 160. A twelve inch tile covers exactly one square foot.
Which direction should planks run in a square room?
There is no structural answer in a square room, so run them toward the main window or along the line of the doorway. Both make the seams less obvious.
The flooring calculator takes any dimensions you like and hands back the same list.