Tile Calculator

Tile count = (project area × 144) ÷ (tile length × tile width), where dimensions are in inches and project area is in square feet. Multiply by 1 + (waste % ÷ 100) and round up. For 120 sq ft (11.1 m²) of 12×12 in (30×30 cm) tile at 10% waste: (120 × 144) ÷ 144 = 120 tiles × 1.10 = 132 tiles. The calculator above handles the math. Pick a preset or enter custom dimensions.

Measure the length and width of the area to be tiled in feet or meters, then multiply: square footage = length x width. For irregular rooms, split the area into rectangles, calculate each separately, and add them together. You can also use the Square Footage Calculator first, then enter the total area here. For walls or backsplashes, measure height instead of one room dimension.

Each application has slightly different needs, and the calculator has a dedicated Application mode for each. For floors, measure floor square footage and pick Floor (5/16″ / 8 mm thickness default, built for foot traffic). For walls, pick Wall (1/4″ / 6 mm, since wall tile is typically thinner). For backsplashes, pick Backsplash (same 1/4″ / 6 mm assumption, since kitchen backsplashes follow wall convention). For showers, pick Shower and include all wall areas plus the floor pan (5/16″ / 8 mm, same as Floor for waterproofing). Consider buying 15-20% extra for cuts around fixtures and niches.

Grout amount depends on total tile area, tile size, joint width, tile thickness, and the grout product. Smaller tiles, wider joints, and thicker tile usually need more grout. This calculator estimates grout weight from joint volume and rounds it to the selected bag size, but the product bag or coverage chart should override the estimate when it lists a different yield.

Use the total tiled area, tile length and width, joint width, and tile thickness. The basic idea is joint volume: wider joints and thicker tile create more volume to fill. The calculator converts that volume to grout weight, then rounds up to whole bags.

Sanded grout has sand in the mix and is usually used for wider joints. Unsanded grout is smoother and is often used for narrow joints or polished tile that could scratch. Product instructions matter here: use the grout type and joint-width range listed by the manufacturer. The calculator uses a sanded-grout density as a practical planning estimate.

A common planning range is 10% for straight pattern, 12% for brick, 15% for diagonal, and 20% for herringbone. The calculator pre-fills these when you pick a pattern. Add more for small bathrooms, niches, corners, fixtures, difficult layouts, or if matching a dye lot later would be hard.

Straight is grid-aligned. Every tile lines up corner-to-corner with its neighbors. Brick offsets every other row by half a tile width, the classic subway look. Diagonal rotates the entire pattern 45 degrees relative to the room walls, which adds visual interest in small rooms. Herringbone alternates perpendicular planks in a V-pattern. It looks great but has the highest cut overhead because every edge tile needs angled cuts. Match pattern to tile shape: subway tiles in brick, large-format porcelain in straight, planks in herringbone.

Thinset coverage depends on tile size, trowel notch, mortar type, substrate flatness, and how much buildup the job needs. The calculator uses common coverage buckets based on the larger tile dimension, but your mortar bag or product data sheet should override the default if it lists a different coverage rate.

1/8″ (3 mm) is the most common and works for nearly any tile. Smaller (1/16″ / 1.5 mm) for rectified porcelain where tile edges are perfectly straight and the joint is mostly cosmetic. Larger (3/16-1/4″ / 5-6 mm) for cement bodies, terra cotta, or any tile with non-uniform edges where the joint compensates for variation. Wider joints are more forgiving for DIY installs but use more grout. The calculator handles 1/16-1/2″ (1.5-13 mm).

Industry baseline is ~12 sq ft (1.1 m²) per box regardless of tile size, so you get more tiles in a box of small tiles than large tiles. 4×4 in (10×10 cm): ~108 tiles per box. 12×12 in (30×30 cm): ~12 tiles. 24×24 in (60×60 cm): ~3 tiles. The calculator fills tiles per box from a 12 sq ft baseline, but check your actual product label and override if different. Premium and commercial tiles have non-standard box sizes.

Yes, but pick the right product. Floor tile must be rated for foot traffic (PEI 3 or higher). Wall tile is usually PEI 0 or 1 and won't survive on a floor. Floor tile is typically thicker (5/16-3/8″ / 8-10 mm) for impact resistance. Wall tile is thinner (1/4″ / 6 mm). Many porcelain products are rated for both. The calculator's Application toggle (Floor / Wall / Backsplash / Shower) only changes the default thickness. Your selected tile just needs to match the application.

Yes. Pick Metric in the unit selector and inputs switch to meters, centimeters, and millimeters. Results, grout weight, bag sizes, reference tables, and examples follow the active unit system where applicable.