Tile Calculator – Floor Area, Tiles, Boxes And Cost
This Tile Calculator is designed to support real-world tiling projects, from a small bathroom to a large open-plan living space. You can estimate floor or wall area, convert that area into the number of tiles required, see how many boxes you should order, apply an appropriate waste factor for different patterns and approximate the material and labor cost for the project.
Start With A Solid Floor Area Estimate
Every tiling project begins with an accurate sense of area. The room area tab lets you enter a simple length and width in feet or meters. The calculator multiplies these values and returns both square feet and square meters. If the room is not a perfect rectangle, you can divide it into smaller rectangles, calculate each separately and add the results together.
Working in both imperial and metric units is useful when tile packaging shows coverage in square meters while local contractors talk in square feet, or the other way around. Having both values makes it easier to compare material quantities and service quotes without confusion.
From Area To Tiles And Boxes
Once you know the area, the next step is toate that area to tile size. The tile count tab lets you enter tile length and width in centimeters or inches and calculates the area of a single tile. Dividing the room area by that tile area gives the raw tile count before waste. This is a good way to understand how a change in tile size affects the number of pieces you will handle during installation.
The boxes tab builds on that by adding a waste factor and tiles per box. After applying waste, the calculator converts the tile count into full boxes, rounding up to whole boxes so you don’t underorder. You can take the tiles-per-box value directly from the packaging or the product description. This is often the figure you need when estimating how many cartons to have delivered to the site.
Pattern Choices And Extra Waste
Different laying patterns usually require different levels of extra material. A simple straight pattern with all joints aligned can often be completed with aatively modest waste allowance. Patterns such as running bond, diagonal layouts or herringbone involve more cutting and more off-cuts that cannot always be reused.
The pattern tab gives a suggested waste factor for several common patterns and uses it to estimate the tile count. You can treat these values as starting points and adjust upward or downward depending on how complex the room layout is, how many small niches there are and how experienced the installer is.
Estimating Material And Labor Cost
The cost estimator lets you bring the numbers together by combining area, waste factor and cost per square foot or per square meter. You can enter separate values for material and labor. The calculator first applies the waste factor to the area, then multiplies the adjusted area by material and labor rates to produce a total estimate and a breakdown.
It also reports effective cost per square meter and per square foot, which is handy when comparing different tile options, installation methods or quotes from several contractors. Keep in mind that real project totals may also include surface preparation, leveling, waterproofing, trims, accessories and edge profiles.
Metric And Imperial Conversions For Tiles
Many tile products are sized and marketed in centimeters or millimeters, yet plans and construction documents may still be in feet and inches. The converter tab helps bridge that gap by converting between square feet and square meters for area, and between inches and centimeters for tile edges. With these conversions available, it becomes easier to match a tile size from one source to a room measurement from another.
Use This Tile Calculator With Other Planning Tools
Tiling is often part of a broader renovation. You can use this Tile Calculator alongside other tools on My Time Calculator. The Square Footage Calculator can help you refine complicated room footprints, while the Concrete Calculator is useful when you are preparing new slabs or leveling layers. If your project includes roofing or exterior work, the Roofing Calculator supports planning for those surfaces as well.
Tile Calculator
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions tile coverage, waste percentage, grout joints, box rounding, and estimating total project cost.
For straight-lay patterns in open rooms, many installers recommend ordering around 5–10% extra tile. For diagonal, herringbone, running bond patterns or spaces with many cuts and obstacles, 10–15% is more realistic. The pattern tab provides suggested waste percentages for each layout to give you a practical starting point.
Joint size can slightly influence tile coverage, especially with large-format tiles, but the impact is usually small compared with other factors like off-cuts or breakage. The calculator uses published tile dimensions for planning, which is sufficient for most projects. Installers often refine quantities on site based on layout and experience.
Yes. The same geometry applies whether you are tiling floors, walls, backsplashes, showers, or feature surfaces. Measure the height and width of the surface and enter those as room dimensions, then continue with tile size, waste percentage, and cost as usual.
Tile is sold only in full boxes. Rounding up ensures you have enough material to finish the job and provides a buffer for accidental breakage, difficult cuts, and future repairs. It also helps avoid issues where a later shipment comes from a different batch or dye lot.
No. The calculator provides a planning-level estimate. Real-world quotes may include additional labor for demolition, leveling, waterproofing, surface prep, trims, cutting, or complex patterns. Use this tool to understand how area, tile price, pattern, and labor rates impact your overall project budget, then refine the estimate with local professionals.