Tile Calculator

The Tile Calculator converts your floor or wall area and chosen tile size into an exact tile count, with a waste allowance built in for cuts around edges and fixtures. Enter your area in feet and tile size in inches, or switch to meters and centimeters. Coverage per tile is calculated strictly from the tile's face dimensions (width × height ÷ 144), not the tile plus its grout joint, so it slightly undercounts the true footprint each tile occupies once installed with spacers — a difference the waste factor comfortably absorbs for typical 1/8–3/16 inch joints. The tool works the same way for rectangular tiles like 6×24 in planks as it does for square tiles, since width and height are entered independently rather than assumed equal.

Beginner⏱ 1 minuteUpdated 2026-10-28

Units

Switch between U.S. Customary and Metric units.

Enter your details above and click “Calculate Tiles Needed” to see your results here.

How This Tool Works

Choose your units, enter the area you're tiling and the size of a single tile. Add a waste percentage for cuts, and the calculator rounds up to a whole number of tiles.

Formula & Method

Each tile's coverage is its width × height (in sq ft or m²). Total tiles = (area × (1 + waste%)) ÷ coverage per tile, rounded up. In U.S. units tile size is entered in inches; in metric, in centimeters.

Example Calculation

Take an 80 sq ft floor (10×8 ft) using 9×9 in tiles with a 15% waste factor. Area = 10 × 8 = 80 sq ft. Area with waste = 80 × 1.15 = 92 sq ft. Coverage per tile = (9 × 9) ÷ 144 = 81 ÷ 144 = 0.5625 sq ft. Tiles needed = 92 ÷ 0.5625 = 163.56, rounded up to 164 tiles.

Please note: This calculator provides estimates only and is not professional construction or engineering advice. Material needs vary by project, local building codes, and site conditions — consult a licensed contractor or engineer before starting your project.

About the Tile Calculator

Tile is sold in many forms: boxes of twelve-inch squares, long narrow planks, thin subway pieces for walls, and large panels measured in feet. Whatever you choose, the question at the start of a project is the same: how many individual pieces do I need? This calculator answers it by dividing the area you intend to cover, plus a waste allowance, by the face area of one tile. The result is a whole-number tile count you can compare against the quantity in the store or on the supplier's website.

Here is how the numbers are built. You enter the length and width of the surface and the width and height of one tile. In U.S. mode the area is in feet and the tile is in inches, so the tool converts the tile to square feet by multiplying width by height and dividing by 144. In metric mode the area is in meters and the tile is in centimeters. It then applies your waste percentage, which starts at 10 percent, divides, and rounds up to the next whole tile.

Because the tile dimensions are separate inputs, the tool works equally well for square tiles, rectangles such as 6 by 24 inch planks, and thin subway tiles on a backsplash or shower wall. It is intended for people laying floors, walls, and backsplashes who want an early reading on quantity and cost. The figure counts tile faces only, not the grout lines, thinset, or trim pieces. For the finished project, you will want to add accessories separately.

When to Use It

Tiling a shower wall with subway tile

A homeowner is replacing a tub surround and has measured an 8 by 5 foot wall area. The chosen tiles are 3 by 6 inch subway pieces. By entering the wall dimensions and tile size, with a higher waste setting for the pattern, she gets a tile count to order and can see whether buying in bulk makes sense.

Estimating cost for a bathroom floor

A renter's landlord is pricing a bathroom floor renovation. He multiplies the tile count from the calculator by the per-tile price from the supplier to obtain a quick material total. If the number surprises him, he can test a larger tile size to see how much the count falls.

Comparing large-format and standard tiles

A couple debating between 12 by 12 inch and 24 by 24 inch tiles for a hallway runs both through the calculator. The count drops sharply with the larger format, and they can weigh that against the potential for more cuts and the difficulty of installing heavier pieces on a floor that may not be perfectly flat.

Ordering metric tiles for a kitchen

A homeowner outside the United States has a 4 by 2.5 meter kitchen floor and likes a 60 by 30 centimeter porcelain tile. Switching to Metric, she enters the size in centimeters and obtains the tile count directly, ready to confirm with the store before placing the order.

How to Use It, Step by Step

Select U.S. or Metric at the top. U.S. mode uses feet for the area and inches for tile dimensions. Metric uses meters for the area and centimeters for the tile. Changing this after typing does not convert values, so set it first.
Enter the Area length of the surface you are tiling. For a floor, measure along the longest wall. For a wall, measure the horizontal run. The field accepts decimals, so you can type 7.5 for seven and a half feet.
Enter the Area width as the second dimension, whether that is the other side of the floor or the height of the wall. Multiply the two in your head to confirm the area is what you expect before moving on.
Enter the Tile width and Tile height. Use the actual size of the tile as listed on the product, and remember that nominal sizes are sometimes rounded. The fields start at 12 inches or 30 centimeters.
Set the Waste factor. The default is 10 percent, which suits straight-lay patterns in a simple room. Raise it to 15 or 20 percent for diagonal layouts, patterns, or rooms with many cuts, and for small spaces with lots of edges.
Click Calculate Tiles Needed. The tool reports the floor or wall area, the area with the waste factor, the coverage of one tile, and the tiles to buy in bold.
Compare the tile count with how the product is sold. Some tiles come in boxes with a specified number of pieces, so divide the tile count by the pieces per box and round up to see how many boxes to buy.
Decide on extras. Add a few spare tiles for future repairs, and plan for grout, adhesive, and trim as separate purchases, since the calculator counts only the main tiles.

Understanding Your Results

Four numbers come back. The area is your length times width, converted to square meters in metric mode. The area with waste factor multiplies that by one plus your percentage. Coverage per tile shows the face area of one tile in square feet in U.S. mode or in square centimeters in metric mode. The last line, tiles to buy, divides the waste-adjusted area by the coverage and rounds up, so even a fractional tile counts as a whole one.

A reality check is to compare against a known case. A twelve-inch square tile covers exactly one square foot, so a 100 square foot floor with 10 percent waste should return about 110 tiles. If your count is far from what a quick mental calculation suggests, look for a swapped width and height, or inches typed where centimeters belong. Remember that coverage per tile is based on the tile face alone, not including the grout joint.

After you have the count, translate it into a purchase. Tile is commonly sold by the box, with a stated number of pieces and square footage, so divide your tile count by pieces per box and round up. Think about breakage in shipping, and about keeping some spares from the same lot. Large-format tiles or intricate patterns may need more cuts than the percentage assumes, so treat the output as a minimum, and add more if your layout is demanding.

More Worked Examples

Shower wall with subway tile

Scenario: U.S. units, 8 by 5 ft wall, 3 by 6 in tiles, 15% waste.

The area is 8 × 5 = 40 sq ft. Adding 15% gives 46 sq ft. Each 3 by 6 inch tile covers 18 ÷ 144 = 0.125 sq ft. Dividing 46 by 0.125 gives exactly 368, so the tool shows 368 tiles to buy. The higher waste setting is sensible here because the wall will need cuts around fixtures and edges.

Kitchen floor in metric

Scenario: Metric units, 4 by 2.5 m floor, 60 by 30 cm tiles, 10% waste.

The floor area is 4 × 2.5 = 10 m², and with 10% waste it becomes 11 m². Each 60 by 30 cm tile covers 1,800 cm², or 0.18 m². Dividing 11 by 0.18 gives 61.1, which the tool rounds up to 62 tiles. If tiles come in packs of four, that would be 16 packs.

Large-format tiles on a family room floor

Scenario: U.S. units, 12 by 10 ft floor, 24 by 24 in tiles, 10% waste.

The area is 12 × 10 = 120 sq ft, which grows to 132 sq ft with waste. Each 24 by 24 inch tile covers 576 ÷ 144 = 4 sq ft. Dividing 132 by 4 gives exactly 33, so the tool recommends 33 tiles. With so few pieces, one broken tile is a large share of the waste allowance, so consider ordering a spare.

Tips for Better Results

Measure the actual size of a sample tile if you can. Nominal sizes are often rounded, and rectified porcelain may be cut slightly smaller than the label, which changes the count when you cover a large area.
Dry-lay a row of tiles before you commit to the layout. Seeing where cuts fall along the walls helps you shift the starting line to avoid thin slivers at the edges and gives you a feel for how much will be wasted.
Use a higher waste percentage when you tile with large formats or in small rooms. Few cuts are possible per tile, and every cut around a toilet, tub, or doorway can ruin a whole piece.
Subtract openings when you tile walls. Windows, niches, and large door openings reduce the area to cover, so measure them and subtract their area from the surface before entering the dimensions as an equivalent rectangle.
Check the box count after converting. Some tile is sold in boxes with the number of pieces printed on the side, so confirm that the box total, not just the piece total, covers your waste-adjusted need.
Plan grout, thinset, and sealer separately. Their quantities depend on tile size, joint width, and trowel notch size, and the manufacturer's coverage chart on the bag is a better guide than any rule of thumb.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Entering inches where centimeters are expected, or vice versa. Always confirm the unit shown next to the tile fields, since a 30 typed in inches rather than centimeters would change the count dramatically.
Forgetting to deduct windows and other openings on wall projects. The calculator assumes a solid rectangle, so a surface with a large window will overstate the number of tiles unless you correct the area.
Ignoring the grout joint on small tiles. The coverage calculation uses the face size only, so mosaics and very small tiles with wide joints can need a bit more waste than the default to avoid coming up short.
Setting waste too low for diagonal or patterned layouts. A 45 degree layout, for example, produces many triangular cuts, so 15 to 20 percent is a more realistic allowance than 10.
Buying exactly the calculated count and nothing more. Breakage during shipping and installation does happen, and tiles from a later lot can differ in shade, so a few extras from the same lot are cheap insurance.

Assumptions and Limits

The count is based on the face area of a rectangular tile, width times height, and divides the waste-adjusted area by that value. It does not subtract the area taken up by grout joints, which is usually small enough that the waste factor absorbs it.
The area is treated as a single rectangle. Rooms with alcoves, built-ins, or irregular outlines need to be divided into rectangles and calculated separately, and wall projects require manual deductions for windows, doors, and niches.
The waste percentage is applied evenly. Actual waste depends on the pattern, tile size, room shape, and installer skill, so the default of 10 percent is an average for simple layouts rather than a guarantee.
This is a planning figure, not an installation plan. It does not tell you about layout, substrate preparation, grout, trim pieces, or movement joints, and a tile setter or the manufacturer's installation guidelines should be consulted for demanding or wet-area installations.

Key Terms

Waste factor: An extra percentage added to the tile count to cover cuts, breakage, and layout adjustments.
Subway tile: A rectangular wall tile, commonly about 3 by 6 inches, usually laid in a brick-like offset pattern on backsplashes and shower walls.
Large-format tile: A tile with at least one side typically 15 inches (about 38 cm) or longer. It means fewer joints but requires a flatter surface and careful handling.
Rectified tile: Tile with edges cut after firing so that all pieces are precisely the same size, which allows narrower grout joints.
Thinset: A cement-based adhesive used to bond tile to a floor or wall surface. The right type and amount depends on the tile and substrate.
Lot number: A code that identifies the production batch of a tile. Tiles from different lots may vary slightly in color, size, or finish.

Read the guideHow many tiles do I need?Work out how many tiles to buy: area x (1 + waste) divided by tile size, with worked examples, grout joint effects, layout waste, and spare tiles.

Related guides

How much flooring do I need?

Frequently Asked Questions

How much waste should I plan for tile?+

Use 10% for straight-lay patterns and simple rectangular rooms, and 15–20% for diagonal layouts or intricate patterns with lots of cuts.

Can I enter tile size in centimeters?+

Yes — switch the unit toggle to Metric and enter your area in meters and your tile size in centimeters (for example 30×30 cm or 60×30 cm).

Does this include grout?+

No, this calculator estimates tile count only. Grout needs depend on joint width and tile thickness — check your grout manufacturer's coverage chart separately.

Should I buy extra tiles beyond this estimate?+

Yes, many pros recommend keeping a few extra tiles from the same batch for future repairs, since dye lots can vary between production runs.

What if my tiles are rectangular planks instead of square, like 6×24 in?+

That works fine — tile width and height are entered independently, so the coverage-per-tile calculation ((width × height) ÷ 144) is accurate whether your tile is a square, a rectangular plank, or any other rectangular shape.

Does the tile count include the grout joint width?+

No — coverage per tile is based on the tile's face dimensions only, not the tile plus its grout joint. For typical 1/8 to 3/16 inch joints this is a small enough difference that your waste factor comfortably covers it, but very wide grout joints on small tiles could use a slightly higher waste percentage.

How do I count tiles that come as mosaic sheets?+

Mosaic tiles are usually attached to a mesh backing and sold by the sheet, each covering a stated area such as one square foot. Instead of tile size, use the sheet coverage: divide your waste-adjusted area by the area of one sheet and round up. If you enter the sheet dimensions as the tile width and height in this calculator, the result will be the number of sheets rather than individual tiles.

Do large-format tiles need a different waste percentage?+

Often, yes. Fewer pieces means each cut or break is a bigger share of your material, and large tiles can be harder to cut around obstacles. Many installers raise the allowance by a few points for large formats or when the layout requires careful alignment of joints. The 10 percent default is a start, but 12 to 15 percent may be more comfortable for a challenging room.

How do I calculate tile for a wall with a window?+

Work out the net area first: wall length times height, minus the window's width times height. The calculator only takes a length and a width, so enter the wall height as the width and the net area divided by that height as the length. A 10 by 8 foot wall with a 3 by 4 foot window has 68 square feet net, so you would enter 8.5 and 8. Allow extra for the cuts around the opening.

How many tiles come in a box?+

It varies by product. Manufacturers list the pieces per box and the coverage per box on the carton or product page, and these numbers depend on tile size and thickness. Divide your calculated tile count by the pieces per box and round up to find the number of boxes. Alternatively, divide the waste-adjusted area by the box coverage. Both methods should land close to each other.

How much thinset and grout will I need?+

It depends on tile size, thickness, joint width, and the trowel notch you use, so a single rule does not fit every job. Larger tiles typically need deeper-notched trowels and more thinset per square foot, while small tiles with wide joints consume more grout. Check the coverage charts printed on the bag or provided by the manufacturer, and buy slightly more than the chart indicates for your area.

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