Estimate tiles to buy from room size or known area, with waste allowance, optional box counts, and US Customary / Metric units. Switching units converts your current project.
Project area
Use for multiple identical rooms, walls, or sections
Tile size
Use actual manufactured dimensions when available, not only nominal size
1/8 in — planning aid for straight-grid layout estimate
Layout & waste
Layout suggests a waste percentage you can override. Actual waste depends on room shape, cuts, pattern, tile size, breakage, and spare pieces for repairs.
Default 10% for simple straight layouts — enter the exact percent you want applied
Boxes & cost (optional)
Used when box price is blank
Material cost only — excludes labor, thinset, grout, underlayment, tools, and tax.
Results
Purchase quantity uses tile face area × waste, always rounded up. Grout joint affects only the optional straight-grid layout estimate, not the primary coverage math. Grout bag quantity is not estimated here.
Formula
How to Calculate
Examples
About this calculator
The Tile Calculator estimates how many tiles (and optional boxes) to buy from room length × width or a known project area, tile face size, waste allowance, and optional grout-joint layout planning. It supports US Customary and Metric units, layout waste suggestions, quantity for identical spaces, and optional material cost. Purchase counts use tile face area—not face-plus-grout area—and always round up.
Room size or known area
Enter length and width for rectangles, or switch to Known area for L-shapes, multi-wall jobs, and summed square footage or square meters.
Waste, layout & boxes
Set waste yourself or use layout suggestions (straight, diagonal, herringbone). Add tiles per box for rounded-up box counts and optional cost.
Transparent assumptions
Prefer actual manufactured tile dimensions over nominal packaging sizes. Grout joint width informs optional straight-grid layout estimates—not grout bag yield. This is a purchasing planner, not an installation design.
- Bathroom floors
- Kitchen floors
- Backsplashes
- Shower walls
- Entryways
- Patios
- Wall tile
- DIY tile projects
- Contractor estimates
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about this calculator—how it works, accuracy, and everyday use.
Divide project area by one tile’s face area, then multiply by (1 + waste% ÷ 100) and round up. Example: 168 sq ft with 12 × 12 in tiles (1 sq ft each) and 10% waste → 168 × 1.10 = 184.8 → 185 tiles. Use Length & width or Known area mode in this calculator.
For a rectangular floor or wall section, project area (sq ft) = length(ft) × width(ft). In Metric, area (m²) = length(m) × width(m). For L-shapes, split into rectangles or enter the summed known area directly.
It depends on tile size and waste. At 12 × 12 in (≈1 sq ft each) with 10% waste you need about 110 tiles. At 12 × 24 in (≈2 sq ft) with 10% waste you need about 55 tiles. Enter 100 in Known area mode for your exact tile size.
A 12 × 12 in face covers about 1 sq ft, so 100 sq ft needs about 100 tiles before waste. With 10% waste, plan for about 110 tiles. Prefer actual manufactured dimensions when they differ from the nominal size.
A 12 × 24 in face covers about 2 sq ft, so 100 sq ft needs about 50 tiles before waste. With 10% waste, the estimate is 55 tiles.
An 18 × 18 in face covers 2.25 sq ft, so 100 ÷ 2.25 ≈ 44.44 tiles before waste. With 10% waste ≈ 48.89 → buy 49 tiles.
About 10% extra is common for simple straight layouts; diagonal or herringbone work often needs more. Choose waste based on room shape, pattern, cuts, breakage, and keeping spares for repairs—then enter that exact percent in Waste allowance.
Many projects start around 10% for simple rectangular grids. Irregular rooms, many cuts, or fragile tile may need more. This calculator’s Straight / grid layout suggests 10%, which you can override.
Diagonal layouts often use around 15% because of more cuts. That is a planning starting point, not a guarantee—adjust for your room and tile size.
Herringbone and other intricate patterns often need about 15–20% extra. Use the Herringbone layout suggestion or enter a custom waste percent that matches your installer and floor plan.
Purchase quantity here uses tile face area and waste—not face+grout area. Grout joint width feeds an optional straight-grid layout estimate for row/column planning near boundaries. It does not change the physical face area of each tile.
Check the product packaging or manufacturer sheet—box counts vary by size and brand. Enter Tiles per box in this calculator to convert your waste-adjusted tile count into boxes (always rounded up).
Boxes = ceil(tiles to buy ÷ tiles per box). Example: 55 tiles with 8 per box → ceil(55 ÷ 8) = 7 boxes (56 tiles purchased). Prefer box coverage on the label when dimensions are listed that way.
Start from project area (sq ft or m²), convert each tile’s face to the same unit, then convert to piece count and round up after waste. Buying by the box still starts from that piece estimate.
Packaging may list a nominal size such as 12 × 24 in while the manufactured face is slightly smaller. For the most precise count, enter the actual face dimensions when available.
Split the L into rectangles, add the areas, then enter the total in Known area mode—or calculate each rectangle separately and add the tile counts. Use Quantity only when sections are identical.
Measure the floor length and width (or known area), enter tile size and waste, and round up. Account for niches and offsets with Known area if the shape is irregular. Confirm slope and waterproofing details with your installer—this tool estimates quantity, not installation design.
Treat the backsplash as a wall rectangle (or sum multiple sections). Enter height × width as room length/width in the matching unit system, or enter known area. Smaller tiles and more cuts may justify a higher waste percent.
Measure each wall face, subtract large openings if you will not tile them, sum the net area, and enter Known area—or run each wall with Quantity when walls match. Niche and curb faces often need extra pieces; keep spare tiles for repairs.
Add each wall’s area, then use Known area once, or set Quantity for identical walls. The calculator multiplies one section by Quantity when spaces match.
Switch to Metric: room size in metres, tile size in millimetres, area in m². Tile area (m²) = length(mm) × width(mm) ÷ 1,000,000. Switching units converts your current project instead of replacing it with unrelated defaults.
Yes. Enter each wall’s height and width (or known wall area). The math is the same as flooring—area ÷ tile face area × waste, then ceil. Orientation and layout still affect cuts and waste.
No. Grout joint width is for layout planning only. Grout material quantity also needs tile thickness and the manufacturer’s coverage yield. Follow the grout product label or a dedicated grout estimator.
It applies geometric area formulas with full internal precision and rounds purchase counts up. Real jobs still vary with cuts, breakage, actual tile size, and layout. Verify packaging dimensions and box counts before you buy.
Yes when possible. Spares help with future repairs because dye lots and finishes change. Many homeowners keep at least a partial box from the same batch.