Baseboard calculator: linear feet and pieces
Baseboard length is the room's perimeter minus doorways, plus about 10% for cuts. A 12 × 14 ft room has a 52 ft perimeter; minus one 3 ft doorway that is 49 ft, or 53.9 ft with waste: 5 pieces at 12 ft. Installed, Homewyse puts baseboard at $8.96-$13.71 per linear foot.
Updated · By the Interior Redesign AI editorial team · Sources cited on the page
Assumptions: a 3 ft doorway (door plus casing) and 10% waste for cuts; change them to match your room.
Baseboard to buy
5 × 12 ft
53.9 ft with waste, for a 49 ft run.
| Perimeter | 52 ft |
|---|---|
| Net run (minus openings) | 49 ft |
| With waste | 53.9 ft |
| Baseboard, 12 ft sticks | 5 |
| Shoe molding, 12 ft sticks | 5 |
| Installed by a pro (Homewyse, May 2026) | $440-$670 |
Installed range is $8.96-$13.71 per linear foot on the net run, before tax, permits or contractor markup. Not every profile comes in every length.
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Key numbers
- Net run
- 2 × (length + width) − doorway widths − other gaps
- Waste allowance
- 10% by default (our assumption; trim guides commonly add 10-20%)
- Stick lengths
- Metrie lists primed MDF baseboard in 16 ft lengths; 8, 10, 12 and 14 ft sticks are common at stores (our assumption), so all five are offered
- Installed cost
- $8.96-$13.71 per linear foot, national, May 2026 (Homewyse)
- Shoe or quarter-round
- same run as the baseboard
Worked example
A 12 × 14 ft bedroom with one doorway
3 ft doorway, 12 ft sticks, 10% waste, with shoe molding.
- Perimeter: 2 × (14 + 12) = 52 ft; minus 3 ft = 49 ft net.
- With 10% waste: 49 × 1.10 = 53.9 ft.
- Sticks: 53.9 ÷ 12 → 5 pieces of baseboard, plus 5 of shoe molding.
- Installed: 49 ft × $8.96-$13.71 = $439-$672.
Buy 5 sticks of 12 ft baseboard (and 5 of shoe); a pro install runs about $440-$670.
How we calculate
We add up the perimeter, 2 × (length + width), and subtract each doorway (3 ft by default, an assumption for a door plus its casing; measure yours) and any other gaps such as cabinet runs, a fireplace or built-ins. That is the net run.
Mitered corners and offcuts waste material, so we add an allowance (10% by default, our assumption) and divide by the stick length you pick, rounded up. A wall longer than one stick needs a joint; plan to land joints on studs. Shoe molding or quarter-round follows the same run, so it takes the same number of sticks.
Installed cost is the net run times Homewyse's national $8.96-$13.71 per linear foot (May 2026), which covers basic material, labor and supplies; Homewyse notes it excludes tax, permits and a general contractor's markup. Paint-grade MDF sits at the low end; stain-grade hardwood and tall profiles cost more.
Estimates, sources
Planning estimates and published guidelines, not quotes, designs or code rulings. Figures were checked on each source on the date shown. Local prices, your home and your jurisdiction's adopted code decide the real answer.
- Cost to Install Baseboard (May 2026 national figures) (Homewyse, as of Oct 26, 2026): installed cost starts at $8.96-$13.71 per linear foot (132 linear ft example); purchase quantity includes overage for waste; excludes tax, permits and 13-22% general-contractor markup
- Primed MDF baseboard mouldings (product listings) (Metrie, as of Oct 26, 2026): primed MDF baseboard listed at 16 ft (15/32 × 2-1/4 in × 16 ft); shorter stock lengths were not confirmed on this page
Baseboard by room size
One 3 ft doorway, 10% waste, 12 ft sticks, installed at $8.96-$13.71 per linear foot.
| Room | Net run | 12 ft sticks | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft | 37 ft | 4 | $330-$510 |
| 10 × 12 ft | 41 ft | 4 | $370-$560 |
| 12 × 14 ft | 49 ft | 5 | $440-$670 |
| 14 × 16 ft | 57 ft | 6 | $510-$780 |
| 16 × 20 ft | 69 ft | 7 | $620-$950 |
Which stick length to buy
Longer sticks mean fewer joints on long walls but are harder to carry and cut, and not every profile comes in every length. Pick a length a little longer than your most common wall so most walls take one piece. Buy a stick or two more if you are new to coping inside corners.
How to use this tool
Measure the room
Length and width, or add each wall you are trimming.
Subtract the openings
Number of doorways and their width, plus cabinets or built-ins with no baseboard.
Pick the stick and waste
Stick length sold for your profile and a waste allowance.
Read the order
Linear feet, sticks of baseboard and shoe molding, and an installed range.
Questions
How do I calculate how much baseboard I need?
Add the length of every wall that gets baseboard, subtract doorways, then add about 10% for cuts. Divide by the stick length and round up.
How much baseboard for a 12 × 12 room?
About 45 ft with one 3 ft doorway, or 5 sticks of 12 ft with 10% waste.
How much does baseboard installation cost?
Homewyse's national figure for May 2026 is $8.96-$13.71 per linear foot installed, before tax, permits and any contractor markup.
Do I need shoe molding or quarter-round?
It hides the expansion gap a floating floor needs at the wall and covers uneven edges. You need the same length as the baseboard.
How much extra baseboard should I buy?
We default to 10%, a common allowance for miters and mistakes; go higher for many short walls or outside corners.
Should baseboard run behind cabinets?
No. Subtract cabinet runs, a fireplace hearth or built-ins in the other-gaps box.
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