Vinyl plank is sold by the box, and boxes can't be split. The calculator adds the waste allowance for your layout and rounds up to whole boxes.
It also gives the underlayment area (if your planks don't have it attached) and the perimeter for the baseboard or quarter round.
How to use
- Enter the room, several rooms or the total area.
- Choose the layout: straight adds 10%, diagonal 15%, herringbone 20%.
- Type the square feet per box from the label.
- Read the boxes, the square feet you'll get and the underlayment.
How much extra vinyl plank to buy
LifeProof and Pergo installation guides both say to order 10% more than the floor area. Diagonal and herringbone layouts waste more, and so do small rooms with many doorways.
Underlayment and transitions
Many rigid-core planks have attached underlayment; don't add another unless the maker allows it. Count transition strips at each doorway separately.
Where the numbers come from
Coverage and consumption figures come from manufacturer data sheets and published standards: