Tile Calculator
Example: Area to tile: 120 sq ft · Area of one tile: 1 sq ft · Tiles per box: 10 tiles · Waste factor: 10 %
| Tiles needed | 132 |
| Boxes to buy | 14 |
| Area including waste | 132 |
Worked example
For a 120 square foot floor with 1 square foot tiles (12x12 inch) and a 10% waste factor, you cover 120 x 1.10 = 132 square feet, which is 132 tiles. With 10 tiles per box that rounds up to 14 boxes. Ordering the full 14 boxes from one dye lot means the few spare tiles are perfect matches for future repairs, not a coin flip on color.
Frequently asked questions
How much waste should I add for tile?
A 10% waste factor is standard for a simple grid on a square room. Add 15% for diagonal layouts, patterned installs, or rooms with many corners and obstacles, since angled cuts create more offcuts you cannot reuse. Larger-format tiles also tend to waste more.
Why buy tiles from the same dye lot?
Ceramic and porcelain tiles are fired in batches, and color and size can shift slightly between lots. Boxes from the same lot share a code on the label. Buying enough at once, plus a spare box, avoids a visible mismatch and gives you exact-match tiles for future repairs.
How do I handle mixed tile sizes in a pattern?
For a multi-size pattern, calculate each tile size separately using its own area and the fraction of the floor it covers, then add the boxes. This tool handles one size at a time, so run it once per tile format and sum the results.
Do I count the grout lines in the area?
No, base the calculation on the nominal tile size, and let the grout lines fall inside the waste factor. Grout joints slightly reduce the number of tiles per square foot, but that is small compared to the cut waste the waste factor already covers.