Free calculator

Tile Calculator

Calculate tile count, breakage allowance and material cost from room and tile dimensions.

Your estimate

Enter measurements, then calculate.

Planning estimate only. Confirm packaging, coverage, site conditions, and local building requirements before purchasing.

How to measure

Measure the finished area length and width after deciding where the tile will actually stop.
For L-shaped rooms, split the floor into rectangles, calculate each rectangle and add the areas before entering the total as an equivalent rectangle.
Measure one tile face, not the box, and use the actual installed size if the tile has a strong bevel or unusual edge.
Decide whether the layout is straight, diagonal or patterned before selecting waste because layout complexity changes off-cut loss.

Input guide

Room length and width describe the surface being tiled. For walls, use wall width and tile height or convert the total wall area into equivalent dimensions.
Tile length and tile width are entered in centimetres for metric or inches for imperial.
Waste should cover broken pieces, cuts around edges, future repairs and pattern matching. Large-format tiles usually deserve a higher allowance.
Price should be the price per individual tile if you want the cost result to match the tile count.

Formula

Tiles = surface area × (1 + waste) ÷ area of one tile

The calculator divides the adjusted project area by the area of one tile, then rounds up because partial tiles cannot be purchased as usable pieces.

Waste is applied to the total surface area before division. This better reflects off-cuts and breakage across the whole project.

Grout, spacers, adhesive and trim are not included because their coverage depends on joint width and product type.

Worked example: Bathroom floor with 60 × 60 cm tiles

A 3.2 m by 2.4 m bathroom floor has 7.68 m² of area.
A 60 cm by 60 cm tile covers 0.36 m².
With 12% waste, the adjusted area is 8.60 m².
8.60 ÷ 0.36 = 23.9, so the calculator recommends 24 tiles.

If each tile costs 9 USD, the tile-only material estimate is 216 USD before adhesive, grout, trims or delivery.

Buying advice

Check how many tiles are inside each box and round the tile count to whole boxes at the store.
Buy extra from the same batch for repairs because tile shades can vary between production runs.
For patterned, diagonal or herringbone layouts, confirm the installer’s preferred waste allowance before ordering.

Common mistakes

Entering tile size in metres when the field expects centimetres
Ignoring tile cuts around toilets, drains, columns or door thresholds
Forgetting that boxes are sold as whole packs even when the calculator shows tile count
Using wall dimensions but forgetting to subtract a large untiled mirror or cabinet area
Buying no spare tiles for future repairs

Let the layout determine the waste allowance

A simple rectangular room with a straight grid usually creates less waste than a diagonal pattern, herringbone layout, border, niche, or room with many corners. Large-format tiles can also produce unusable offcuts when a narrow strip is needed at an edge.

Sketch the starting line and the main visible edges before ordering. Increase the waste percentage when the pattern creates repeated cuts, the tile is fragile, or replacement stock may be difficult to obtain later.

Check the carton, not only the tile size

Use the manufacturer’s stated carton coverage when it differs from multiplying nominal tile dimensions.
Confirm the number of pieces per carton and whether trim, mosaics, or decorative pieces are sold separately.
Keep shade, caliber, finish, and production-lot codes consistent across all cartons.
Inspect several cartons before installation and set aside damaged pieces for cuts where practical.
Retain spare full tiles for repairs because the same shade may not be available later.

Substrate and movement joints are separate decisions

This calculator estimates tile pieces and purchase cost. It does not calculate adhesive, grout, leveling compound, membranes, backer board, trims, or movement joints. Those quantities depend on product choice, joint width, trowel size, substrate flatness, and local installation requirements.

Cracked, flexible, wet, or uneven substrates can cause failure even when the tile count is perfect. Review the tile and setting-material instructions, and use qualified guidance for wet rooms, exterior areas, heated floors, or structural cracks.

Frequently asked questions

What waste percentage should I use for tiles?

Use 10% for simple straight layouts, 12–15% for rooms with many cuts and 15–20% for diagonal or patterned layouts.

Does the calculator include grout joints?

No. Grout joints are normally small enough that the waste allowance covers the difference, but very wide joints should be reviewed manually.

Should I calculate walls and floors together?

Calculate them separately when tile sizes, prices or layouts differ. Combine only when the same tile and layout are used.

Why does tile count round up?

A fraction of a tile still requires purchasing another tile or another box, so rounding down is not safe.

How do I handle tile boxes?

Use the calculator’s tile count, then divide by tiles per box and round up to the next full box.