Tile calculator
Turn square footage into tile boxes.
Plan tile pieces, boxes, waste allowance, and a simple material budget before ordering.
Tile inputs
Tip: use 10% waste for simple layouts, 15% for diagonal layouts or many corners, and more when matching patterns.
How this tile estimate is calculated
The calculator converts your project area into tile pieces, then adds a waste allowance for cuts, breakage, pattern matching, and future repairs. Because tile is usually sold by the box, the piece count is rounded up to full boxes before the budget is calculated.
Formula: adjusted area = project area x (1 + waste rate). Single tile area = tile width x tile height / 144. Pieces needed = adjusted area / single tile area. Boxes needed = pieces needed / pieces per box, rounded up.
| Input | Why it matters | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Project area | Sets the base square footage before waste. | Measure floors and walls separately if they use different tile. |
| Tile size | Changes how many pieces are needed for the same area. | Use the actual nominal size printed on the box. |
| Waste rate | Covers cuts around corners, fixtures, thresholds, and mistakes. | Simple rooms may use 10%; bathrooms and diagonal layouts often need 15% or more. |
| Pieces per box | Determines the final box count. | Always round up because partial boxes may not be available. |
Example: 120 sq ft floor
For a 120 sq ft floor using 12 in by 24 in tile, each tile covers 2 sq ft. With a 10% waste allowance, the adjusted area is 132 sq ft. That means about 66 tiles before rounding to boxes.
If each box contains 8 tiles, the project needs 9 boxes. At $36 per box, the material budget is $324 before thinset, grout, spacers, trim, delivery, and tools.
When to increase waste
- Diagonal, herringbone, checkerboard, or other patterned layouts.
- Small bathrooms with many corners, drains, niches, and fixtures.
- Natural stone, handmade tile, or fragile material with more breakage.
- Discontinued tile where matching replacements may be impossible later.
- Rooms where the installer needs extra pieces for layout balancing.