Tile Calculator
How many tiles for a given area? Includes a waste allowance for cuts at edges, breakage in shipping, and matching patterns later.
Tiles to order
With waste — order this many
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Base count (no waste)
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Per-tile area
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Extra tiles for waste
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Area covered
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Why waste matters
You'll cut tiles at every wall, around every fixture, and around every obstacle. Most cut pieces aren't usable elsewhere — the off-cuts are odd shapes. You also get the occasional broken tile in shipping or during installation.
Standard guidance:
- 10% — straight grid, rectangular room, basic installer skill.
- 15% — diagonal pattern (more cuts at every wall), irregularly shaped room.
- 20% — herringbone, basketweave, hexagons, mosaics. Lots of small cuts.
- +5–10% if you're a beginner — your first cut will go wrong.
Save the leftovers
When tile gets discontinued and one cracks five years later, having a few extras from the original lot is the difference between an invisible repair and a "patch" you'll stare at forever.
Box quantities
Tiles ship by the box, not the piece. A box of 12×12 tile typically covers 13–17 sqft. Round up to the next whole box; you'll need to anyway.