How much waste should I add for flooring?

Plank flooring: 5 to 10 percent laid straight, 15 percent or more on a diagonal or herringbone. Tile: 10 percent straight, 15 percent diagonal, 15 to 20 percent herringbone or chevron. The calculator sets the top of each range when you pick a layout.

How do I convert square feet to square yards?

Divide by 9, because a square yard is 3 x 3 ft. 495 sq ft is 55 sq yd. Flooring dealers often price carpet by the square yard.

How many boxes do I need?

Divide the area to order by the square feet per box printed on the carton, then round up to a full box. Enter the box coverage and the calculator does it.

Does it work for carpet?

It gives square feet and square yards. Carpet also depends on the roll width (12 ft is standard) and where the seams go, so add your standard waste, more for long narrow rooms, hallways and stairs.

Is this number a quote?

No. It is an estimate to help you plan and build your bid. Confirm the final quantity with your supplier before you order.

Free calculator

Flooring calculator (sq ft and sq yd)

Multiply the floor area by (1 plus your waste). 450 sq ft at 10 percent is 495 sq ft, which is 55 sq yd (divide by 9). Divide by the coverage on the box and round up for boxes.

Your job

Rooms

Room 1 length

Room 1 width

Material and layout

Waste factor10%

Plank: 5 to 10 percent straight, 15 percent or more diagonal or herringbone. Tile: 10 straight, 15 diagonal, 15 to 20 herringbone.

Boxes (optional)

Square feet per box

Your rooms to one scale, patterned in the layout you picked.

Flooring to order

495sq ft

450 sq ft plus 10 percent

Square yards

55.0sq yd

Area to order / 9

Floor area

450sq ft

1 room

The working, with your numbers

1. Floor area25.00 x 18.00= 450.0 sq ft
2. With waste450.0 x 1.10= 495.0 sq ft
3. Square yards495.0 / 9= 55.0 sq yd

Typed those measurements in by hand?MetreMate measures them straight off your PDF plans. Free to start.

The formula, in plain words

1Floor area = length times width in feet for each room, added together.
2Area to order = floor area times (1 plus your waste allowance).
3Square yards = square feet divided by 9.
4Boxes = area to order divided by the square feet printed on the box, rounded up.

Worked example

One 25 x 18 ft room in plank flooring laid straight, with 10 percent waste.

1.Area: 25 x 18 = 450 sq ft.
2.With 10 percent waste: 450 x 1.10 = 495 sq ft.
3.Square yards: 495 / 9 = 55 sq yd.

Answer: 495 sq ft of flooring, or 55 sq yd.

Measured this off a plan? Do it in MetreMate

Upload the PDF, set the scale and measure on screen. MetreMate gives you the square feet, linear feet and counts off the plan; then you apply the thickness, pitch, waste or sheet size here. Runs in your browser, free to start, no credit card.

Try MetreMate free

How to measure it

Measure each room's length and width in feet at the widest points. Split L-shaped rooms into rectangles.
Closets and hallways that get the same floor are separate rows.
Check the square feet per box on the carton (or the product page) and type it in to get a box count.

Where the numbers come from

Every default in the calculator comes from a published source. We list the source next to it so you can check.

What	Value	Source
Plank flooring waste laid straight, 5 to 10 percent (top of the range)	10 percent	20/20 Flooring, flooring waste calculator (checked 2026-09-20)
Plank flooring waste laid diagonal or herringbone (15 percent or more)	15 percent	20/20 Flooring, flooring waste calculator (checked 2026-09-20)
Tile waste, straight lay	10 percent	MakeCalcs, tile waste factor guide (checked 2026-09-20)
Tile waste, diagonal lay	15 percent	MakeCalcs, tile waste factor guide (checked 2026-09-20)
Tile waste, herringbone or chevron, 15 to 20 percent (top of the range)	20 percent	SupplyCalc, tile waste factor (checked 2026-09-20)
One square yard (3 x 3 ft); dealers often price by the square yard	9 sq ft per sq yd	Flooring Clarity, standard carpet widths (checked 2026-09-20)

Manufacturers named here are the source of the number, not a recommendation. Confirm quantities with your supplier.

Frequently asked questions

Stop typing measurements in by hand

MetreMate measures every wall, floor and roof straight off your PDF plan. Then it hands you the same numbers this calculator asks for.

Try MetreMate free