Flooring for a 5×8 room by waste allowance
| Waste | Sq ft to buy | Boxes (20 sq ft) | Boxes (24 sq ft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | 42 sq ft | 3 | 2 |
| 10% | 44 sq ft | 3 | 2 |
| 15% | 46 sq ft | 3 | 2 |
| 20% | 48 sq ft | 3 | 2 |
A 40 sq ft room is typical of a bathroom, laundry room or entry. Box sizes vary a lot between products (roughly 15–30 sq ft), so enter your exact box coverage in the calculator above.
The math
5 ft × 8 ft = 40 sq ft
× 1.10 waste = 44 sq ft
÷ 20 sq ft/box = 3 boxes (rounded up)
Also plan 40 sq ft of underlayment if your planks don't have it attached, and about 26 linear feet of baseboard or quarter-round for the perimeter (less door openings).
Common questions
How many square feet is a 5x8 room?
40 square feet.
How many boxes of flooring for a 5x8 room?
3 boxes of 20 sq ft each with 10% waste, or 2 boxes of 24 sq ft.
Want the full method, tips and other sizes? See the flooring calculator guide.