Tile Calculator
Calculate how many tiles you need, including waste, boxes, and total cost. Supports both imperial (ft/in) and metric (m/cm) units.
Optional: Boxing & Price
Enter either price per box (with tiles per box) or price per tile. If both are entered, box pricing takes priority.
How the Tile Calculator Works
Calculating how many tiles you need starts with two numbers: room area and tile area. Room area is length × width, expressed in square feet (imperial) or square meters (metric). Tile area uses the same formula, but tile dimensions are usually given in inches or centimeters — this calculator handles the unit conversion automatically (in² ÷ 144 = sqft, cm² ÷ 10,000 = sqm).
Dividing room area by tile area gives the bare minimum — but you'll always need extras for cuts, breakage, future repairs, and pattern alignment. The industry rule of thumb is 10% for straight grid layouts, 15% for diagonal patterns, and 20% for herringbone or other complex patterns. Rooms with lots of corners, alcoves, or fixtures (toilets, vanities, kitchen islands) also need more — bump waste up by 5% if your room is unusually complex.
Tiles are sold in boxes. To buy the right amount, divide tiles needed by tiles per box and round up (you can't buy half a box). The calculator always rounds up to be safe — better one extra box than coming up short on installation day. Most retailers will refund unopened boxes; check the return policy before buying.
A practical workflow: measure your room carefully (length × width at the floor, ignoring baseboards), check tile dimensions on the product listing, choose your waste factor based on layout complexity, then enter price per box if you want a budget estimate. If you also need to pour a slab underneath, our concrete calculator is handy.