Tile Calculator
Turn a floor's size and your tile dimensions into a tile count, with a waste percentage so you don't run short mid-job.
How it works
First we get the floor area in square feet, then the area of one tile. A 12-by-12-inch tile is exactly one square foot; a 6-by-24 plank is one square foot too, just a different shape.
Divide the floor by the tile and you've got the raw count. But cuts, breakage, and the odd mistake mean you always need extras, so we add a waste percentage on top and round up to whole tiles.
Ten percent waste is the standard buffer for a straight layout. Bump it to 15 for diagonal patterns or a room full of nooks and corners, where you'll be cutting a lot more.
Frequently asked questions
How much waste should I add for tile?
Ten percent for a simple straight or grid layout. Go to 15 percent for diagonal or herringbone patterns, or a room with lots of corners and obstacles — anything that means more cuts means more offcuts.
Should I buy extra tiles beyond the waste amount?
It's smart to keep a few spares from the same dye lot. If a tile cracks years later, a leftover from the original batch will match; a new box probably won't.
Does tile shape change the count?
What matters is the area of each tile, not its shape. A 6-by-24 plank and a 12-by-12 square both cover one square foot, so they need the same number to fill a floor — the layout just cuts differently.
Can I use this for a wall or backsplash?
Yes. Enter the wall's height and width as the two floor dimensions and its tile size the same way. The math is identical whether the surface is underfoot or vertical.