Boxes are what you carry to the register, and the number on the side of each one decides how many you need. Two products can cover the same room and need quite different counts.
Area required = room area × (1 + waste allowance)
Boxes = area required ÷ coverage per box
Round up to a whole box
Reading the carton
Look for the coverage in square feet per box, and use that rather than the number of planks. Coverage depends on the plank size and how many are in the box, so it can differ between two colors of the same collection.
One room, five different boxes
A 285 sq ft floor with a 10% allowance needs 313.5 sq ft of flooring. Here is how many boxes that takes at five different coverages:
| Coverage per box | Calculated | Buy | Supplied area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17.5 sq ft | 17.91 boxes | 18 boxes | 315 sq ft |
| 20 sq ft | 15.68 boxes | 16 boxes | 320 sq ft |
| 22.4 sq ft | 14 boxes | 14 boxes | 313.6 sq ft |
| 25 sq ft | 12.54 boxes | 13 boxes | 325 sq ft |
| 30 sq ft | 10.45 boxes | 11 boxes | 330 sq ft |
The calculation can land on a fraction. At 20 sq ft per box it shows 15.68 boxes, which you cannot buy, so the list says 16 boxes. That rounding is why supplied area is always at least the required area, and usually a little more.
When a box count leaves almost no spare
At 22.4 sq ft per box the calculation shows 14 boxes: the 313.5 sq ft needed is just under that many boxes’ worth, so 14 boxes supply barely more than required. That is the unusual case. Most coverages leave some floor over, and the planner shows the supplied area so you can see how much.
What changes the estimate?
- The coverage printed on the specific product you picked
- The allowance for your layout
- Whether you want a spare box for repairs or a later batch
- A change of product, which changes coverage and therefore the count
If you do not know the coverage yet, leave it blank in the planner and it returns the area to buy so you can divide at the store.