THE BASICS
1. Measuring the room
Multiply length by width per room and sum them: a 12 × 12 ft bedroom is 144 sq ft. For spaces with bays or angles, measure the bounding rectangle — the plank gets cut and the leftover feeds the waste factor.
Unlike paint, don't subtract much from the floor: it gets fully covered, and you only skip islands that stay uncarpeted (fixed kitchen islands, for example).
FIGURES
2. What each box of laminate covers
Every brand packs a different plank count: a common 47.6 × 7.5 in plank ships about 12 planks per box covering ≈ 19.6 sq ft; wider planks cover up to 24 sq ft per box. The exact figure is printed on the box label next to thickness and AC rating.
| Plank (typical) | Coverage per box | Boxes for 200 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 47.6 × 7.5 in | ≈ 19.6 sq ft | 12 |
| 48 × 8 in | ≈ 23.8 sq ft | 10 |
| 50.7 × 6.1 in | ≈ 15.9 sq ft | 14 |
Reference planks common in the US market; your box coverage is printed on the label.
CRITERIA
3. The waste factor: 10% is the standard
Laminate loses plank at every row start (the cut tail is reused on the next row), at the perimeter, and at doorways. The standard margin is 10% of the area.
For narrow hallways, diagonal layouts, or herringbone patterns, raise the margin to 15%: diagonal cuts eat considerably more plank.
SHOPPING
4. How many boxes to buy: the formula
Area with waste divided by box coverage, rounded up: (area × 1.1) ÷ sq ft per box. A 200 sq ft project with 19.6 sq ft boxes is (200 × 1.1) ÷ 19.6 = 11.2 → 12 boxes.
Before installing, let the laminate sit in the room for 48 hours (acclimation): it's a wood product and moves with humidity.
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