How many boxes of vinyl plank for a 15×20 room?

Data checked October 2026

Short answer

A 15 × 20 ft room (300 sq ft) needs 17 boxes of LifeProof vinyl plank — 330 sq ft with the standard 10% waste allowance.

Math: 300 sq ft × 1.1 = 330 sq ft ÷ 20.06 sq ft per box = 16.45 → 17 boxes covering 341 sq ft.
Other lines need 14 boxes of LifeProof 8.7 × 59 in (25 sq ft), 18 boxes of LifeProof 7 × 48 in (19 sq ft), 14 boxes of NuCore Cedar Point 7 × 48 in (23.66 sq ft) — always use the coverage printed on your carton.
Cost: about $1,019 for the flooring and $1,088 with 10 pieces of quarter round and 1 transition — roughly $2,138 installed at $3.50/sq ft labor.
No underlayment to buy: LifeProof has the pad attached. Leave a 1/4 in gap at the walls; no acclimation is required.
15×20 (300 sq ft) is a living room or open den.

Adjust it to your exact job

What are you installing?

Flooring

Product

Some 12 mil 8.7 × 48 in SKUs pack 20.02 sq ft — check the number on your carton.

Size

Measure by

Length

= 20' · 6.1 m

Width

= 15' · 4.57 m

Layout

Pattern

Planks run

Most installers run planks parallel to the longest wall or toward the main window.

Room shape

You need

17boxes · LifeProof 8.7 × 48 in

330 sq ft including 10% waste · the boxes cover 341 sq ft, leaving 11 sq ft spare · $1,019 at $59.97 a box

About 21 rows across the largest area, last row ≈ 5.5 in wide.

Floor area: 300sq ftbefore waste
Order incl. waste: 330sq ft10% extra
Per box: 20.06sq ft$59.97 a box
Real cost per sq ft: $3.40whole boxes ÷ floor area

Why 10% extra

10% for a straight layout — what LifeProof and Floor & Decor recommend.

Same floor, other vinyl plank lines

Boxes for 330 sq ft by product
Product	Sq ft/box	Boxes	Cost
LifeProof 8.7 × 48 in	20.06	17	$1,019
LifeProof 8.7 × 59 in	25	14	$1,043
LifeProof 7 × 48 in	19	18	$1,019
NuCore Cedar Point 7 × 48 in	23.66	14	$825
NuCore Everwood Falls 7 × 48 in	19.02	18	$852
NuCore Gunstock Oak 7.5 × 48 in	22.97	15	$1,030
NuCore Turner Road 7 × 60 in	23.96	14	$677
COREtec Originals 7 × 72 in	21.27	16	$3,978
COREtec Plus 7 × 48 in	38.03	9	$2,153
Shaw Paragon 7" Plus	18.91	18	$1,971
SMARTCORE Pro 7 × 48 in	16.54	20	$986*

* no verified price for that SKU; typical vinyl plank price used.

No separate underlayment

The pad is attached. LifeProof approves only its own Universal Underlayment as an extra layer — anything else needs the manufacturer's OK.

Before you install

Expansion gap at walls: 1/4 in · quarter round covers it
Acclimation: Not required if the cartons were stored properly — let them adjust after extreme heat or cold.
Subfloor flatness: 1/4 in in 10 ft; slope no more than 1 in per 6 ft

Source: LifeProof install guide (May 2023).

Shopping list

17 boxes LifeProof rigid-core vinyl plank 8.7 × 47.6 in (6/22/30 mil)20.06 sq ft per box · check that every carton has the same dye lot$1,019
1 pieces T-molding, 94 in1 doorway at 32 in$34.98
10 pieces Quarter round, 94 in matching67 linear ft + 10% for miters$33.50

Estimated total$1,088

Cost estimate

Tap a price to use your store's

LifeProof 8.7 × 48 in
17 boxes × $Home Depot, cached 2026 ($2.98/sq ft)
$1,019
T-molding 94 in
1 pieces × $
$34.98
Quarter round 94 in
10 pieces × $
$33.50

Materials total$1,088

Box prices: Floor & Decor live and Home Depot/dealer listings (some cached), October 2026. Tap any price to enter your store's.

Hiring a pro? Installed cost

Labor per sq ft

Tear out old floor

Installation labor
300 sq ft × $3.50
$1,050

Materials: $1,088
Labor & extras: $1,050
Installed total: $2,138

Labor: $3–$10 (This Old House, June 2026). Removal: about $1–$2 per sq ft (This Old House, 2026). Stairs, furniture moving and leveling are quoted separately.

Did this answer your question?

Compare

Boxes of vinyl plank for a 15×20 room by product and layout

Product	Sq ft per box	Straight (10%)	Diagonal (15%)	Cost, straight
LifeProof 8.7 × 48 in	20.06	17	18	$1,019
LifeProof 8.7 × 59 in	25	14	14	$1,043
LifeProof 7 × 48 in	19	18	19	$1,019
NuCore Cedar Point 7 × 48 in	23.66	14	15	$825
NuCore Everwood Falls 7 × 48 in	19.02	18	19	$852
NuCore Gunstock Oak 7.5 × 48 in	22.97	15	16	$1,030
NuCore Turner Road 7 × 60 in	23.96	14	15	$677
COREtec Originals 7 × 72 in	21.27	16	17	$3,978
COREtec Plus 7 × 48 in	38.03	9	10	$2,153
Shaw Paragon 7" Plus	18.91	18	19	$1,971
SMARTCORE Pro 7 × 48 in	16.54	20	21	$986*

How this was worked out

17 boxes of LifeProof 8.7 × 48 in cover 341 sq ft, so 11 sq ft is left after the 10% allowance. That's half a box or more — enough to keep for repairs without buying a spare.

Laid on a 45° diagonal the order rises to 345 sq ft (15%), or 18 boxes — 1 more box.

With planks running along the 20 ft wall you get about 21 rows across the 15 ft width, the last one about 5.5 in wide, wide enough that the room needs no balancing cut.

* No verified price for that SKU; the typical price for this flooring type is used.

The full method, material data and tips are on the main flooring calculator page.

Similar jobs

Other sizes people check

Sources

Data behind this answer

LifeProof Plank & Tile Installation Instructions (May 1, 2023) — order ~10% extra; 1/4 in gap; no acclimation; T-molding past 100 ft; stairs void the warranty; only LifeProof underlayment · checked October 2026
LifeProof Chevron & Herringbone Installation Instructions (Sept 25, 2023) — order 15–20% extra; only the dedicated herringbone planks may be laid in herringbone · checked October 2026
Pergo Outlast+ installation instructions (Aug 2024) and Pergo Pro (Jan 2026) — 3/8 in gap; T-molding in rooms ≥ 50 ft and doorways < 32 in; 6 mil poly with 8 in overlaps on concrete; 48 h acclimation · checked October 2026
Pergo Outlast+ Installation Essentials (rev. 2018, legacy) — 10% standard and 15% diagonal overage (not repeated in the 2024 sheet) · checked October 2026
COREtec WPC 5G installation guidelines (Shaw, rev. Sept 30, 2026) — 1/4 in gap under 2,500 sq ft, 1/2 in above; no acclimation; 8 lb / 90% RH; no plastic over wood subfloors · checked October 2026
Bruce 3/4 in Solid Hardwood Installation Instructions (AHF, 2021) — 5% cutting and grading allowance (10% diagonal); 3/4 in expansion; moisture-content acclimation · checked October 2026
Bruce Engineered Hardwood Installation Instructions (AHF, 2023) — 5% / 10% diagonal; 1/4 in gap fastened, 1/2 in floating; acclimation not necessary · checked October 2026
Floor & Decor NuCore product pages (live) — box prices and plank sizes, e.g. Cedar Point $58.91 per 23.66 sq ft box · checked October 2026
Home Depot product titles via the Arbor (superarbor.io) mirror — carton sizes: LifeProof 20.06 / 25.0 / 19.0, Pergo 19.63 / 16.12, TrafficMaster 23.91 / 15.94, Bruce 20 / 22 / 23.5; trim medians · checked October 2026
COREtec Originals product page — 21.27 sq ft per carton; $11.69/sq ft manufacturer estimate · checked October 2026
Dealer listings: Floorzz (COREtec Plus), Floor City (Shaw Paragon), Flooring Inc (RevWood Plus) — Shaw Paragon 7" Plus 18.91 sq ft, attached pad, $109.49; COREtec Plus 38.03 sq ft, $239.21; RevWood Elderwood 16.93 sq ft, $69.24 · checked October 2026
Floor & Decor underlayment and molding pages (live) — EZ Foam 100 sq ft $40.49; 15 lb felt 432 sq ft $32.97; 94 in quarter round $3.35 · checked October 2026
Home Depot trim listings (cached 2026) and Lowe's hardwood T-moulding sheet — vinyl/laminate trims 94 in (T-molding ~$34.98, reducer ~$42.78, stair nose ~$59.98); hardwood T-moulding 78 in · checked October 2026
This Old House — cost to install vinyl plank flooring (June 2026) — labor $3–$10 per sq ft; removal about $1–$2 per sq ft · checked October 2026
This Old House — hardwood flooring cost (June 2026) — hardwood labor $3–$8 per sq ft · checked October 2026
This Old House — laminate installation cost (Apr 2026); RealCostIQ (Sep 2026) — laminate labor $4–$8 per sq ft (This Old House); $1–$2 floating (RealCostIQ) · checked October 2026
Fixr — hardwood floor installation cost (Jan 2025) — new hardwood stair treads $100–$200 per step installed · checked October 2026

Short answer

A 15 × 20 ft room (300 sq ft) needs 17 boxes of LifeProof vinyl plank — 330 sq ft with the standard 10% waste allowance.

Math: 300 sq ft × 1.1 = 330 sq ft ÷ 20.06 sq ft per box = 16.45 → 17 boxes covering 341 sq ft.

Other lines need 14 boxes of LifeProof 8.7 × 59 in (25 sq ft), 18 boxes of LifeProof 7 × 48 in (19 sq ft), 14 boxes of NuCore Cedar Point 7 × 48 in (23.66 sq ft) — always use the coverage printed on your carton.

Cost: about $1,019 for the flooring and $1,088 with 10 pieces of quarter round and 1 transition — roughly $2,138 installed at $3.50/sq ft labor.

No underlayment to buy: LifeProof has the pad attached. Leave a 1/4 in gap at the walls; no acclimation is required.

15×20 (300 sq ft) is a living room or open den.

Adjust it to your exact job

What are you installing?

Flooring

Product

Some 12 mil 8.7 × 48 in SKUs pack 20.02 sq ft — check the number on your carton.

Size

Measure by

Length

= 20' · 6.1 m

Width

= 15' · 4.57 m

Layout

Pattern

Planks run

Most installers run planks parallel to the longest wall or toward the main window.

Room shape

You need

17boxes · LifeProof 8.7 × 48 in

330 sq ft including 10% waste · the boxes cover 341 sq ft, leaving 11 sq ft spare · $1,019 at $59.97 a box

About 21 rows across the largest area, last row ≈ 5.5 in wide.

Floor area: 300sq ftbefore waste
Order incl. waste: 330sq ft10% extra
Per box: 20.06sq ft$59.97 a box
Real cost per sq ft: $3.40whole boxes ÷ floor area

Why 10% extra

10% for a straight layout — what LifeProof and Floor & Decor recommend.

Same floor, other vinyl plank lines

Boxes for 330 sq ft by product
Product	Sq ft/box	Boxes	Cost
LifeProof 8.7 × 48 in	20.06	17	$1,019
LifeProof 8.7 × 59 in	25	14	$1,043
LifeProof 7 × 48 in	19	18	$1,019
NuCore Cedar Point 7 × 48 in	23.66	14	$825
NuCore Everwood Falls 7 × 48 in	19.02	18	$852
NuCore Gunstock Oak 7.5 × 48 in	22.97	15	$1,030
NuCore Turner Road 7 × 60 in	23.96	14	$677
COREtec Originals 7 × 72 in	21.27	16	$3,978
COREtec Plus 7 × 48 in	38.03	9	$2,153
Shaw Paragon 7" Plus	18.91	18	$1,971
SMARTCORE Pro 7 × 48 in	16.54	20	$986*

* no verified price for that SKU; typical vinyl plank price used.

No separate underlayment

The pad is attached. LifeProof approves only its own Universal Underlayment as an extra layer — anything else needs the manufacturer's OK.

Before you install

Expansion gap at walls: 1/4 in · quarter round covers it
Acclimation: Not required if the cartons were stored properly — let them adjust after extreme heat or cold.
Subfloor flatness: 1/4 in in 10 ft; slope no more than 1 in per 6 ft

Source: LifeProof install guide (May 2023).

Shopping list

17 boxes LifeProof rigid-core vinyl plank 8.7 × 47.6 in (6/22/30 mil)20.06 sq ft per box · check that every carton has the same dye lot$1,019
1 pieces T-molding, 94 in1 doorway at 32 in$34.98
10 pieces Quarter round, 94 in matching67 linear ft + 10% for miters$33.50

Estimated total$1,088

Cost estimate

Tap a price to use your store's

LifeProof 8.7 × 48 in
17 boxes × $Home Depot, cached 2026 ($2.98/sq ft)
$1,019
T-molding 94 in
1 pieces × $
$34.98
Quarter round 94 in
10 pieces × $
$33.50

Materials total$1,088

Box prices: Floor & Decor live and Home Depot/dealer listings (some cached), October 2026. Tap any price to enter your store's.

Hiring a pro? Installed cost

Labor per sq ft

Tear out old floor

Installation labor
300 sq ft × $3.50
$1,050

Materials: $1,088
Labor & extras: $1,050
Installed total: $2,138

Labor: $3–$10 (This Old House, June 2026). Removal: about $1–$2 per sq ft (This Old House, 2026). Stairs, furniture moving and leveling are quoted separately.

Product

Sq ft per box

Straight (10%)

Diagonal (15%)

Cost, straight

LifeProof 8.7 × 48 in

20.06

$1,019

LifeProof 8.7 × 59 in

$1,043

LifeProof 7 × 48 in

$1,019

NuCore Cedar Point 7 × 48 in

23.66

$825

NuCore Everwood Falls 7 × 48 in

19.02

$852

NuCore Gunstock Oak 7.5 × 48 in

22.97

$1,030

NuCore Turner Road 7 × 60 in

23.96

$677

COREtec Originals 7 × 72 in

21.27

$3,978

COREtec Plus 7 × 48 in

38.03

$2,153

Shaw Paragon 7" Plus

18.91

$1,971

SMARTCORE Pro 7 × 48 in

16.54

$986*

How this was worked out

17 boxes of LifeProof 8.7 × 48 in cover 341 sq ft, so 11 sq ft is left after the 10% allowance. That's half a box or more — enough to keep for repairs without buying a spare.

Laid on a 45° diagonal the order rises to 345 sq ft (15%), or 18 boxes — 1 more box.

With planks running along the 20 ft wall you get about 21 rows across the 15 ft width, the last one about 5.5 in wide, wide enough that the room needs no balancing cut.

* No verified price for that SKU; the typical price for this flooring type is used.

The full method, material data and tips are on the main flooring calculator page.