HomeMaterialBaseHomeMaterialBase

Tile calculator

Tile math fails in the cuts. A room that is “120 square feet” is not 120 ÷ tile area when you have borders, patterns, and broken corners. This page starts from area and tile size, then adds waste so you leave the store with boxes, not a prayer. It does not set thinset type or layout diagonals for you. Box coverage on the carton beats our field if they disagree.

ft
ft
sq ft
Optional
in
in
pcs
10%
0510152025

+10% so you don't come up short

ORDER ESTIMATETILE
Pieces to buy44
Boxes5
Area40 sq ft
Waste10%
How it calculates
tile sq ft = (W × H) ÷ 144; pieces = ceil(area × (1 + 10% waste) ÷ tile sq ft); boxes = ceil(pieces ÷ pcs/box).

Estimate only — not a contractor bid. Confirm bag yields and local codes before you pour or order.

When to use

Bathroom floor or backsplash shopping; comparing box counts between 12×24 and 6×6; adding waste before a dye-lot runs out.

When not to

Herringbone / mosaic sheets sold by sheet coverage only — use sheet coverage, not individual chip size. Heated floors with complex borders — get a layout from the installer.

Assumptions

Waste default 10% (simple layouts) — bump for diagonals / small tiles. Box coverage entered by you from the carton. Grout volume is out of scope here.

Worked examples

Example 1

5×8 ft floor, 12×12 tile, waste 10%, 10 pcs/box
→ 40 × 1.1 = 44 sq ft → 44 tiles → 5 boxes

Buy same dye lot; leftover is cheaper than a mismatched repair box next year.

Example 2

30 sq ft backsplash, 3×6 subway, waste 15%
→ tile area 0.125 sq ft → pieces ≈ 276

Small tile + many cuts → higher waste.

How it calculates

Area ÷ tile face size with waste, then optional boxes from pieces per box.

  1. Enter room size or area and tile face width × height in inches.
  2. Set waste (raise it for diagonals or tiny tile).
  3. Enter pieces per box from the carton; read pieces and boxes.
area (sq ft) = L × W (or entered area)
tile area (sq ft) = (tile_w_in × tile_h_in) ÷ 144
pieces = ceil(area × (1 + waste%) ÷ tile_area)
boxes = ceil(pieces ÷ pieces_per_box)

Common traps

  1. Nominal vs actual size — a “12×12” may be 11-3/4; use face size.
  2. Diagonals and patterns often need 15%+ waste.
  3. Rectified vs pressed changes grout joint, not piece count much — still measure.
  4. Wall vs floor ratings are product choice; the calculator only counts pieces.

Next tool

Grout bags → a dedicated grout page later; underlayment / mud bed is separate.

Paint for adjacent walls → paint calculator.

Board behind the tile stack → drywall calculator.

FAQ

10% is a common start; diagonals and tiny tiles need more.

Related

Estimate only — not a contractor bid or engineered takeoff. Confirm bag yields and local codes before you pour or order.