Boneyard Tools

Tile Calculator: How Many Tiles Do I Need

Estimate tiles for a floor or wall. Enter the area size and the tile dimensions in inches, add a waste allowance for cuts, and see the tiles and boxes.

How to estimate tiles

  1. Enter the area length and width in feet.
  2. Enter the tile width and height in inches and a waste percent.
  3. Read off the tiles per square foot, total tiles and boxes to buy.

Examples

10 by 10 ft area, 12 by 12 inch tiles, 10 percent waste

area 10 x 10 ft, tile 12 x 12 in, waste 10%
100 sq ft, 1 tile per sq ft, 110 tiles

Frequently asked questions

How many tiles are in a square foot?

It depends on tile size. The calculator finds it from your tile dimensions: a 12 by 12 inch tile is exactly one per square foot, while a 6 by 6 inch tile is four per square foot.

How much waste should I add for tiling?

Plan about 10 percent for straight grids. Use 15 percent or more for diagonal patterns, herringbone or rooms with many cuts, since trimmed tiles often cannot be reused.

Why round tiles and boxes up?

You cannot buy a fraction of a tile or a partial box, so both are rounded up. The extra also gives you spares for breakage during installation and future repairs.

Does this work for wall tiles too?

Yes. Enter the wall area in place of the floor area. The math is identical because it is based on surface area and individual tile size.

Should I account for grout lines?

Grout lines are small and the waste allowance already absorbs them. For very wide grout joints, nudge the waste percent up slightly to stay safe.

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