Tile Calculator

Calculate how many tiles you need for any floor or wall area.

This tool is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional financial, medical, legal, or engineering advice. See Terms of Service.

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How to Use the Tile Calculator

This calculator tells you exactly how many tiles to buy for any floor or wall project. It accounts for tile size, a waste buffer for cuts and breakage, and gives you a box count and cost estimate. Here is how to use it:

  1. Enter the area dimensions. Measure the length and width of the space in feet. For an irregular room, break it into rectangles, calculate each section separately, and add the results together.
  2. Set the tile size. Enter the width and height of a single tile in inches. Common sizes include 12x12, 18x18, 24x24, and 4x16 subway tiles. Check the tile packaging or measure a sample tile if you are unsure.
  3. Choose a waste factor. A 10% waste factor is the standard recommendation for straight installations. Use 15% for diagonal patterns or rooms with many cuts around obstacles like cabinets. Large-format tiles (24x24 or bigger) often need 15-20% because edge cuts waste more material per tile.
  4. Enter tiles per box. Check the box label for the tile count. This varies widely by tile size and manufacturer. Most residential tiles come in boxes of 6-20 tiles.
  5. Add your cost per square foot. Enter the price per square foot from the store tag to get a total material cost estimate. This does not include grout, mortar, installation labor, or other supplies.

Results update live as you type. Use Share to send a pre-filled link to a contractor or co-homeowner, or Copy to paste the tile count into a shopping list.

About the Tile Calculator

Buying too few tiles mid-project is a serious problem: dye lots vary between production runs, so tiles bought later may not match. Buying too many wastes money. This calculator helps you land in the right zone by converting your room dimensions into an exact tile count and adding a configurable waste buffer for cuts, broken tiles, and future repairs.

The formula divides the total area (including the waste percentage) by the area of one tile, then rounds up to the nearest whole tile. Boxes are calculated by dividing the total tile count by the tiles per box, again rounding up. The cost estimate multiplies the raw area (not including waste) by your cost per square foot, which matches how tile is typically priced at the store.

All calculations run in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much waste factor should I add for tile?

Use 10% for a straightforward rectangular room with tiles laid in a grid pattern. Use 15% for diagonal (45-degree) layouts, which generate more edge cuts. Use 15-20% for large-format tiles (24 inches or bigger), highly irregular rooms, or rooms with many obstacles like islands or columns. Adding a few extra tiles also gives you spares for future repairs when the original dye lot is discontinued.

How do I calculate tiles for an L-shaped or irregular room?

Break the room into two or more rectangles. Measure and calculate each rectangle separately, then add the tile counts together. For example, an L-shaped room can be split into two rectangles that together cover the full floor. Add a single waste percentage to the combined total rather than calculating waste for each section independently.

Does this calculator include grout and mortar?

No, this calculator covers tile count and material cost only. Grout and mortar quantities depend on tile size, grout joint width, tile thickness, and substrate type. For mortar (thinset) estimates, use our Grout Calculator. As a rough rule of thumb, a 50-lb bag of thinset covers about 40-50 square feet for standard 12x12 tiles with a 3/16-inch notch trowel.

What is the difference between floor tile and wall tile?

Floor tiles are rated for floor use (PEI rating 3-5) and are thicker and more slip-resistant. Wall tiles are often lighter, thinner, and sometimes rated for wall use only (PEI 0-1). You can use floor-rated tiles on walls, but using wall tiles on floors may cause them to crack under foot traffic. The tile calculator works the same way for both applications since it only needs the area and tile size.