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Home & Garden

Tile calculator

Estimate how many tiles and boxes you need for a floor, bathroom wall, backsplash, shower area, or other tiled surface.

  • Counts tiles from real tile dimensions
  • Adds layout and waste assumptions
  • Rounds up boxes and estimates tile material cost
Calculate tile

Inputs

Tile Calculator

Inputs

Use the finished floor or wall area. Add niches, returns, or borders separately when needed.

Use the nominal tile size from the box or product page.

Use the nominal tile size from the box or product page.

Joint width slightly changes tile count and helps estimate grout-line length.

Diagonal and herringbone layouts usually need more cuts than a straight grid.

%

10-15% is common for straight layouts; complex patterns or small rooms may need more.

Use the count printed on the box. Some suppliers list coverage instead; convert it to tiles per box when possible.

Optional material cost for tile boxes only. Adhesive, grout, trim, and labor are not included.

Formula and method

Tile quantity method

tiles = area ÷ ((tile length + grout) × (tile width + grout)) × layout factor × waste

The calculator converts your area and tile dimensions to meters, estimates the tile modules that fit the surface, then applies the layout factor and waste buffer.

Tiles and boxes are rounded up because you normally buy whole tiles and whole boxes. The purchased area shows how much tile coverage those boxes represent.

Assumptions

  • The area is treated as a single flat surface.
  • Tile dimensions are nominal product dimensions.
  • Diagonal and herringbone layouts add a cut complexity factor before the waste buffer.
  • The cost estimate covers tile boxes only, not adhesive, grout, trim, delivery, or labor.

Practical examples

Bathroom floor

18 m², 60 × 30 cm tile, 3 mm joint, 12% waste, 8 tiles/box

About 15 boxes and 120 tiles

Diagonal kitchen tile

150 ft², 12 × 24 in tile, diagonal layout

Higher tile count because the layout needs more cuts

FAQ

How much waste should I add for tile?

10-15% is common for a straight layout. Diagonal, herringbone, borders, niches, small rooms, or fragile tile can need more.

Does grout width change the result?

Yes, slightly. Wider joints increase the module size, which can lower the tile count a bit, but the result is still rounded up with waste.

Should I use room area or tile area?

Use the actual finished surface that will receive tile. For walls, subtract large openings only when they are not tiled.

Does the cost include adhesive and labor?

No. The cost estimate is only boxes of tile. Add adhesive, grout, leveling clips, trim, delivery, and labor separately.

What if my supplier lists square meters per box?

You can divide the listed box coverage by one tile area to estimate tiles per box, then enter that number.

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