Flooring for a 12×16 room by waste allowance
| Waste | Sq ft to buy | Boxes (20 sq ft) | Boxes (24 sq ft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | 201.6 sq ft | 11 | 9 |
| 10% | 211.2 sq ft | 11 | 9 |
| 15% | 220.8 sq ft | 12 | 10 |
| 20% | 230.4 sq ft | 12 | 10 |
A 192 sq ft room is typical of a primary bedroom or living room. Box sizes vary a lot between products (roughly 15–30 sq ft), so enter your exact box coverage in the calculator above.
The math
12 ft × 16 ft = 192 sq ft
× 1.10 waste = 211.2 sq ft
÷ 20 sq ft/box = 11 boxes (rounded up)
Also plan 192 sq ft of underlayment if your planks don't have it attached, and about 56 linear feet of baseboard or quarter-round for the perimeter (less door openings).
Common questions
How many square feet is a 12x16 room?
192 square feet.
How many boxes of flooring for a 12x16 room?
11 boxes of 20 sq ft each with 10% waste, or 9 boxes of 24 sq ft.
Want the full method, tips and other sizes? See the flooring calculator guide.