400 Sq Ft Laminate Floor Installation Cost in 2026
Installing 400 sq ft of laminate costs $1,632 to $2,516 with mid-range 12mm planks, professionally installed: about $832 to $1,316 in planks and $800 to $1,200 in labour. Budget planks start at $1,356; premium AC5 planks reach $2,956. Home Depot and Floor & Decor shelf prices and Home Depot's last published labour rate, checked 13 October 2026. 400 sq ft is a 20x20 room, or two 12x16 bedrooms.
Updated 15 November 2026. How we priced this.
Installed Cost by Plank Grade on 400 Sq Ft
Each line is the same sum: planks for 400 sq ft plus 10% waste, underlayment where the plank has no attached pad, and Home Depot's last published $2.00 to $3.00 per sq ft labour.
| Grade | Planks (440 sq ft) | Underlayment | Labour | Installed total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget FairOaks, Hampstead (Floor & Decor) | $436 to $612 | $120 to $160 | $800 to $1,200 | $1,356 to $1,972 |
| Mid-Range Home Decorators Collection, Pergo Outlast+ XL (Home Depot); HydroShield Plus (Floor & Decor) | $832 to $1,316 | Pad attached | $800 to $1,200 | $1,632 to $2,516 |
| Premium AquaGuard Performance (Floor & Decor), Bruce (Home Depot) | $1,316 to $1,756 | Pad attached | $800 to $1,200 | $2,116 to $2,956 |
No volume discount is applied: we found no retailer or installer that publishes one. If a quote for 400 sq ft comes in under the labour line above, ask what it leaves out.
Which Grade to Choose
| Choice | What the shelf sells | 400 sq ft installed | Pick it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | 7mm, AC3, no attached pad, so underlayment goes down first | $1,356 to $1,972 | Bedrooms, offices and rentals where price matters more than feel underfoot |
| Mid-range | 10 to 12mm, AC4, pad attached | $1,632 to $2,516 | Living areas and hallways; the pad saves a separate underlayment line |
| Premium | 12mm, AC5, attached IXPE pad, sold as waterproof | $2,116 to $2,956 | Kitchens, entries and homes with pets, where spills and wear are the risk |
| DIY, mid-range | Same planks, no labour | $832 to $1,316 | A straight click-lock layout and the time to do it; see DIY vs professional |
Costs Outside the Installed Price
| Line | Rate | On 400 sq ft | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove the old floor | $1.95/sq ft average | $780 | Home Depot cost guide; varies by floor type (removal cost) |
| Move furniture | $35 up to six pieces | $35+ | Home Depot cost guide |
| Moisture film over concrete | $0.23/sq ft | $92 | Floor & Decor 120 sq ft roll; needed under a floating floor on a slab |
| Subfloor repair, stairs, trim | Quoted per job | Not priced | No retailer publishes a rate; see stairs and cost factors |
400 Sq Ft by Region
Labour is scaled by the BLS May 2025 mean wage for floor layers in each region against the national mean; plank prices are national. Mid-range planks throughout.
| Region | Labour per sq ft | Labour on 400 sq ft | Mid-range installed |
|---|---|---|---|
| US national average | $2.00 to $3.00 | $800 to $1,200 | $1,632 to $2,516 |
| Northeast (CT, ME, MA, NJ, NY, PA, VT) | $2.41 to $3.61 | $964 to $1,444 | $1,796 to $2,760 |
| Midwest (IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, OH, SD, WI) | $1.95 to $2.93 | $780 to $1,172 | $1,612 to $2,488 |
| South (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV) | $1.66 to $2.48 | $664 to $992 | $1,496 to $2,308 |
| West (AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA) | $2.11 to $3.17 | $844 to $1,268 | $1,676 to $2,584 |
Highest state wage: Massachusetts ($41.97/hr, $1,964 to $3,012). Lowest: Arkansas ($19.60/hr, $1,360 to $2,108). Your state, with removal and stairs: laminate flooring cost calculator.
Labour on a 400 Sq Ft Floor
Labour is the line that moves most between quotes. On 400 sq ft, Home Depot's last published rate gives the labour range in the table above; the basic click-lock rate sits inside it. Removing carpet or old laminate, pulling tack strip, levelling a dip in the subfloor and moving furniture are each quoted on top.
When two quotes differ a lot, put them side by side line by line: planks (and which plank), underlayment, labour, removal, trim and transitions. Most of the gap is usually in what each one includes.
Common Questions on a 400 Sq Ft Job
How much does it cost to install 400 square feet of laminate flooring?
$1,632 to $2,516 for mid-range 12mm planks with an attached pad, professionally installed at national labour rates. Budget 7mm planks bring it down to $1,356 to $1,972 including underlayment; premium AC5 planks run $2,116 to $2,956. Prices are Home Depot and Floor & Decor shelf prices and Home Depot's last published labour rate, checked 13 October 2026.
What is the labor cost to install 400 square feet of laminate?
$800 to $1,200. Home Depot last published installation at $2.00 to $3.00 per sq ft, and $2.49 per sq ft for basic click-lock installation ($996 on 400 sq ft). Removing the old floor, moving furniture and subfloor repair are extra.
How many boxes of laminate do I need for 400 square feet?
About 22 boxes: 400 sq ft plus 10% for waste is 440 sq ft, and the six planks we priced come in cartons of 15.9 to 26.8 sq ft. Divide by the carton size printed on the box you buy.
How much do I save installing 400 sq ft of laminate myself?
The labour: about $800 to $1,200 on mid-range planks. Doing it yourself, the planks and any underlayment cost $832 to $1,316 for mid-range or $556 to $772 for budget planks with foam underlayment, before tools.
How much does it cost to remove the old floor first?
Home Depot puts old-floor removal at $1.95 per sq ft on average, about $780 on 400 sq ft, and says the rate depends on the floor type. Furniture moving is $35 for up to six large pieces.
Does 400 sq ft of laminate cost more in some states?
Yes, through labour. If installation prices follow the BLS mean wage for floor layers (our assumption), the same mid-range job costs about $1,964 to $3,012 in Massachusetts and $1,360 to $2,108 in Arkansas, against $1,632 to $2,516 at national rates.