Tile Calculator

This tile calculator helps you estimate the number of tiles needed to cover a floor or wall area. It accounts for grout gap spacing, waste percentage, and layout pattern to give you a realistic materials estimate for your tiling project.

The calculator supports common tile sizes including standard squares (6x6, 12x12, 18x18, and 24x24 inches) as well as popular plank-style tiles (6x24 and 12x24 inches). If your tile size is not listed, select the custom option to enter exact dimensions in inches.

Grout gaps affect the total number of tiles needed. A standard 1/8 inch grout gap is used by default, but you can adjust this for thin grout lines (1/16 inch) or wider spacing (up to 1/2 inch for rustic looks). Larger grout gaps mean slightly fewer tiles but more grout material.

Waste factor is critical for a successful tile project. A 10% waste factor is standard for simple rectangular rooms with a grid layout. Increase to 15% for rooms with many cuts around fixtures, and 20% for complex layouts or if working with fragile natural stone. Diagonal patterns automatically add an extra 15% because angled cuts at walls produce more unusable offcuts.

When purchasing tile, always buy all your tile at once from the same lot number to ensure color consistency. It is also a good practice to keep a few spare tiles for future repairs. Box counts shown are estimates assuming 10 tiles per box - check with your retailer for actual box quantities, as these vary by manufacturer and tile size.