How many boxes of laminate for a 20×20 room?

Data checked October 2026

Short answer

A 20 × 20 ft room (400 sq ft) needs 23 boxes of Pergo laminate — 440 sq ft with the standard 10% waste allowance.

Math: 400 sq ft × 1.1 = 440 sq ft ÷ 19.63 sq ft per box = 22.41 → 23 boxes covering 451.5 sq ft.
Other lines need 28 boxes of Pergo Outlast+ 6.14 in (16.12 sq ft), 33 boxes of Pergo Outlast+ 5.23 in (13.74 sq ft), 26 boxes of Pergo Outlast+ 54 in long (16.93 sq ft) — always use the coverage printed on your carton.
Cost: about $1,214 for the flooring and $1,286 with 11 pieces of quarter round and 1 transition — roughly $2,686 installed at $3.50/sq ft labor.
Pergo Outlast+ 7.48 in has a pad attached, but over concrete Pergo requires 6 mil poly with 8 in overlaps. Leave a 3/8 in gap and acclimate 48 hours unless the cartons were stored at room conditions.
20×20 (400 sq ft) is a large living area or a basement rec room.

Adjust it to your exact job

What are you installing?

Flooring

Product

19.63 sq ft per box (8 planks) · pad attached · Home Depot, cached 2026 ($2.69/sq ft)

Size

Measure by

Length

= 20' · 6.1 m

Width

= 20' · 6.1 m

Layout

Pattern

Planks run

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

Room shape

You need

23boxes · Pergo Outlast+ 7.48 in

440 sq ft including 10% waste · the boxes cover 451.5 sq ft, leaving 11.5 sq ft spare · $1,214 at $52.80 a box

About 32 rows across the largest area, last row ≈ 7.4 in wide.

Floor area: 400sq ftbefore waste
Order incl. waste: 440sq ft10% extra
Per box: 19.63sq ft$52.80 a box
Real cost per sq ft: $3.04whole boxes ÷ floor area

Why 10% extra

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

Same floor, other laminate lines

Boxes for 440 sq ft by product
Product	Sq ft/box	Boxes	Cost
Pergo Outlast+ 7.48 in	19.63	23	$1,214
Pergo Outlast+ 6.14 in	16.12	28	$1,214
Pergo Outlast+ 5.23 in	13.74	33	$1,265
Pergo Outlast+ 54 in long	16.93	26	$1,228
RevWood Plus Elderwood	16.93	26	$1,800
RevWood Plus Hampton Villa	22.09	20	$1,321
TrafficMaster 7 mm	23.91	19	$450
TrafficMaster 12 mm	15.94	28	$576

No separate underlayment

The pad is attached. Pergo allows only its FloorMate/Gold underlayment on top, and then no separate vapor barrier.

Before you install

Expansion gap at walls: 3/8 in · quarter round covers it
Acclimation: 48 hours at 60–85°F and 35–65% RH — skip only if the cartons were stored at the room's conditions.
Subfloor flatness: 3/16 in in 10 ft

Source: Pergo Outlast+ instructions (Aug 2024).

Shopping list

23 boxes Pergo Outlast+ 7.48 × 47.24 in, 10 mm + 2 mm pad19.63 sq ft per box · check that every carton has the same dye lot$1,214
1 pieces T-molding, 94 in1 doorway at 32 in$34.98
11 pieces Quarter round, 94 in matching77 linear ft + 10% for miters$36.85

Estimated total$1,286

Cost estimate

Tap a price to use your store's

Pergo Outlast+ 7.48 in
23 boxes × $Home Depot, cached 2026 ($2.69/sq ft)
$1,214
T-molding 94 in
1 pieces × $
$34.98
Quarter round 94 in
11 pieces × $
$36.85

Materials total$1,286

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
400 sq ft × $3.50
$1,400

Materials: $1,286
Labor & extras: $1,400
Installed total: $2,686

Labor: $1–$8 (RealCostIQ & This Old House, 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 laminate for a 20×20 room by product and layout

Product	Sq ft per box	Straight (10%)	Diagonal (15%)	Cost, straight
Pergo Outlast+ 7.48 in	19.63	23	24	$1,214
Pergo Outlast+ 6.14 in	16.12	28	29	$1,214
Pergo Outlast+ 5.23 in	13.74	33	34	$1,265
Pergo Outlast+ 54 in long	16.93	26	28	$1,228
RevWood Plus Elderwood	16.93	26	28	$1,800
RevWood Plus Hampton Villa	22.09	20	21	$1,321
TrafficMaster 7 mm	23.91	19	20	$450
TrafficMaster 12 mm	15.94	28	29	$576

How this was worked out

23 boxes of Pergo Outlast+ 7.48 in cover 451.5 sq ft, so 11.5 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 460 sq ft (15%), or 24 boxes — 1 more box.

With planks running along the 20 ft wall you get about 32 rows across the 20 ft width, the last one about 7.4 in wide, wide enough that the room needs no balancing cut.

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 20 × 20 ft room (400 sq ft) needs 23 boxes of Pergo laminate — 440 sq ft with the standard 10% waste allowance.

Math: 400 sq ft × 1.1 = 440 sq ft ÷ 19.63 sq ft per box = 22.41 → 23 boxes covering 451.5 sq ft.

Other lines need 28 boxes of Pergo Outlast+ 6.14 in (16.12 sq ft), 33 boxes of Pergo Outlast+ 5.23 in (13.74 sq ft), 26 boxes of Pergo Outlast+ 54 in long (16.93 sq ft) — always use the coverage printed on your carton.

Cost: about $1,214 for the flooring and $1,286 with 11 pieces of quarter round and 1 transition — roughly $2,686 installed at $3.50/sq ft labor.

Pergo Outlast+ 7.48 in has a pad attached, but over concrete Pergo requires 6 mil poly with 8 in overlaps. Leave a 3/8 in gap and acclimate 48 hours unless the cartons were stored at room conditions.

20×20 (400 sq ft) is a large living area or a basement rec room.

Adjust it to your exact job

What are you installing?

Flooring

Product

19.63 sq ft per box (8 planks) · pad attached · Home Depot, cached 2026 ($2.69/sq ft)

Size

Measure by

Length

= 20' · 6.1 m

Width

= 20' · 6.1 m

Layout

Pattern

Planks run

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

Room shape

You need

23boxes · Pergo Outlast+ 7.48 in

440 sq ft including 10% waste · the boxes cover 451.5 sq ft, leaving 11.5 sq ft spare · $1,214 at $52.80 a box

About 32 rows across the largest area, last row ≈ 7.4 in wide.

Floor area: 400sq ftbefore waste
Order incl. waste: 440sq ft10% extra
Per box: 19.63sq ft$52.80 a box
Real cost per sq ft: $3.04whole boxes ÷ floor area

Why 10% extra

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

Same floor, other laminate lines

Boxes for 440 sq ft by product
Product	Sq ft/box	Boxes	Cost
Pergo Outlast+ 7.48 in	19.63	23	$1,214
Pergo Outlast+ 6.14 in	16.12	28	$1,214
Pergo Outlast+ 5.23 in	13.74	33	$1,265
Pergo Outlast+ 54 in long	16.93	26	$1,228
RevWood Plus Elderwood	16.93	26	$1,800
RevWood Plus Hampton Villa	22.09	20	$1,321
TrafficMaster 7 mm	23.91	19	$450
TrafficMaster 12 mm	15.94	28	$576

No separate underlayment

The pad is attached. Pergo allows only its FloorMate/Gold underlayment on top, and then no separate vapor barrier.

Before you install

Expansion gap at walls: 3/8 in · quarter round covers it
Acclimation: 48 hours at 60–85°F and 35–65% RH — skip only if the cartons were stored at the room's conditions.
Subfloor flatness: 3/16 in in 10 ft

Source: Pergo Outlast+ instructions (Aug 2024).

Shopping list

23 boxes Pergo Outlast+ 7.48 × 47.24 in, 10 mm + 2 mm pad19.63 sq ft per box · check that every carton has the same dye lot$1,214
1 pieces T-molding, 94 in1 doorway at 32 in$34.98
11 pieces Quarter round, 94 in matching77 linear ft + 10% for miters$36.85

Estimated total$1,286

Cost estimate

Tap a price to use your store's

Pergo Outlast+ 7.48 in
23 boxes × $Home Depot, cached 2026 ($2.69/sq ft)
$1,214
T-molding 94 in
1 pieces × $
$34.98
Quarter round 94 in
11 pieces × $
$36.85

Materials total$1,286

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
400 sq ft × $3.50
$1,400

Materials: $1,286
Labor & extras: $1,400
Installed total: $2,686

Labor: $1–$8 (RealCostIQ & This Old House, 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

Pergo Outlast+ 7.48 in

19.63

$1,214

Pergo Outlast+ 6.14 in

16.12

$1,214

Pergo Outlast+ 5.23 in

13.74

$1,265

Pergo Outlast+ 54 in long

16.93

$1,228

RevWood Plus Elderwood

16.93

$1,800

RevWood Plus Hampton Villa

22.09

$1,321

TrafficMaster 7 mm

23.91

$450

TrafficMaster 12 mm

15.94

$576

How this was worked out

23 boxes of Pergo Outlast+ 7.48 in cover 451.5 sq ft, so 11.5 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 460 sq ft (15%), or 24 boxes — 1 more box.

With planks running along the 20 ft wall you get about 32 rows across the 20 ft width, the last one about 7.4 in wide, wide enough that the room needs no balancing cut.

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