Tile Calculator

Tile Calculator

Use our tile calculator to estimate how many tiles you need for a floor, wall, backsplash, bathroom, kitchen, or other tiling project. Enter the area dimensions, choose your tile size, account for grout joints and installation waste, and the calculator estimates the number of tiles required and the number of boxes to purchase.

The calculator can also estimate tile, grout, adhesive, and total material costs when you enter your local prices. It is designed for homeowners, contractors, builders, remodelers, and anyone planning a tile installation.

Tile sizes can vary significantly, so using the actual dimensions of the tile you plan to install gives you a more useful quantity estimate. If you are comparing different tile dimensions, see our tile size guide for common tile sizes and their coverage.

How to use the tile calculator

Start by measuring the length and width of the area you want to cover. For wall projects, you can also account for doors, windows, cabinets, or other areas that will not receive tile.

1. Enter the length of the area.
2. Enter the width or height of the area.
3. Select whether you are calculating a floor or wall area.
4. Enter the tile length and width.
5. Enter the grout joint width.
6. Add a waste allowance for cuts, breakage, and layout changes.
7. Enter tiles per box or box coverage if available.
8. Enter local material prices if you want a cost estimate.

The calculator then determines the project area, tile coverage, estimated tile quantity, waste allowance, boxes required, and material costs based on the information you provide.

How many tiles do I need?

The number of tiles required depends primarily on the area being covered and the size of each tile. Larger tiles cover more area per piece, while smaller tiles require more individual pieces.

For a simple rectangular area, first calculate the total area:

For example, a room that is 12 feet long and 10 feet wide has:

A 12 × 12 inch tile covers approximately 1 square foot before accounting for grout joints and waste. The basic requirement would therefore be approximately 120 tiles.

The actual number you purchase should be higher because tiles may need to be cut around walls, corners, cabinets, fixtures, and other obstacles.

How to calculate tile quantity

Once you know the area and the coverage of one tile, you can estimate the base number of tiles using:

For example, if an area is 200 square feet and each tile covers 2 square feet:

This is the base quantity before adding extra tile for cuts and breakage. The calculator applies your selected waste allowance to the base quantity and rounds the final number up to whole tiles.

Tile coverage

Tile coverage is determined by the dimensions of the tile. To calculate the area of a rectangular tile, multiply its length by its width and convert the result into square feet.

For example, a 12 × 24 inch tile has:

Since one square foot contains 144 square inches:

Therefore, one 12 × 24 inch tile covers approximately 2 square feet before considering grout joints, cuts, and installation waste.

Different tile sizes can produce very different quantities for the same project area. The tile size guide explains common tile dimensions and how they affect coverage and the number of tiles required.

Tile calculator with waste

Buying exactly the calculated number of tiles is usually not recommended. Extra material allows for cutting, breakage, damaged pieces, mistakes, awkward corners, and future repairs.

For example, if the base calculation requires 200 tiles and you add 10% waste:

The appropriate waste allowance depends on the project. A simple rectangular room with a straightforward layout may require less extra tile than a room with many corners, angles, small cuts, or a complicated installation pattern.

For a more detailed explanation of how much extra tile to purchase, see our tile waste guide .

How many boxes of tile do I need?

Tile is commonly sold in boxes containing a fixed number of tiles or a stated square-foot coverage. After calculating the required tile quantity, divide the quantity by the number of tiles in each box and round up.

For example, if your project requires 220 tiles and each box contains 10 tiles:

If the result is not a whole number, round up because tile is normally purchased in complete boxes. When the manufacturer provides coverage per box, use the stated coverage from the product packaging instead of estimating it.

Tile cost calculator

Tile material cost can be estimated from the quantity required and the price of the tile. If you purchase individual tiles, the basic calculation is:

When tile is sold by the box, you can instead calculate:

The total cost of a tile project can also include grout, adhesive or thinset, trim, underlayment, waterproofing, surface preparation, delivery, labor, and taxes. Enter the available material prices in the calculator to build a more useful project estimate.

For more information about tile pricing and the different costs that can affect a tile installation, see our tile cost guide .

Tile grout and adhesive

Grout fills the joints between tiles, while tile adhesive or thinset is used to bond many tile types to an appropriate substrate. The amount required for either material depends on the tile dimensions, joint width, installation method, product, and surface conditions.

Because grout and adhesive products have different coverage rates, the manufacturer's coverage information should be used whenever possible. Enter the coverage provided by the product packaging when the calculator asks for it rather than relying on a universal coverage value.

Actual material usage can vary because of substrate condition, trowel size, tile thickness, joint depth, workmanship, and installation technique.

Floor tile calculation

For a rectangular floor, multiply the floor length by the floor width to determine the gross area.

For example, a 15-foot by 12-foot room has:

After calculating the floor area, determine the tile coverage and add an appropriate waste allowance. Rooms with many corners, columns, alcoves, or complicated patterns may require additional material.

Wall tile calculation

Wall tile is calculated from the length and height of the wall. Areas that will not receive tile, such as doors and windows, can be subtracted from the gross wall area.

For example, a wall measuring 20 feet long by 8 feet high has 160 square feet of gross area. If a 3-foot by 7-foot door occupies 21 square feet, the net tile area is:

For multiple walls, calculate each wall separately and add the areas together before determining the total tile requirement.

Tile installation example

Suppose you are tiling a 12-foot by 10-foot room using 12 × 12 inch tiles.

First calculate the room area:

A 12 × 12 inch tile covers approximately 1 square foot, giving a base requirement of about 120 tiles.

With a 10% waste allowance:

If each box contains 10 tiles:

You would therefore purchase 14 boxes, assuming the boxes contain 10 tiles each.

What affects the number of tiles needed?

The final tile quantity can change depending on several project conditions, including:

• Tile length and width
• Total floor or wall area
• Grout joint width
• Tile layout and installation pattern
• Number of corners and edges
• Doors, windows, and other openings
• Cutting requirements
• Tile breakage and damaged pieces
• Waste allowance
• Manufacturer packaging and box coverage

Tile calculator guides

If you need more information about a specific part of planning a tile project, use these supporting guides. The calculator above is designed for the actual quantity and cost estimate, while the guides provide additional information about tile sizes, waste, and project costs.

Learn more with our tile size guide , tile waste guide , and tile cost guide .

Frequently asked questions