Tile Calculator
Calculate how many tiles you need — enter your area and tile size to get the tile count and number of boxes, with a waste allowance for cuts and breakage.
How to calculate how many tiles you need
Tiles are figured from the area you’re covering and the size of each tile. Work out the area in square feet, add a waste allowance for cuts and breakage, then divide by the area of one tile. The calculator above does this for any tile size and converts the result into boxes.
tiles = area × (1 + waste%) ÷ (tile width × height ÷ 144)
Tiles per square foot
| Tile size | Tiles per sq ft |
|---|---|
| 4 × 4 in | 9 |
| 6 × 6 in | 4 |
| 12 × 12 in | 1 |
| 12 × 24 in | 0.5 |
| 18 × 18 in | 0.44 |
Add 10% waste for a straight layout and 15–20% for diagonal or herringbone. For other surfaces, see the flooring calculator, paint calculator and drywall calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How many tiles do I need?
Divide the area you are tiling by the area of one tile, then add a waste allowance for cuts and breakage. The calculator above takes your space dimensions and tile size, works out the tiles per square foot, and rounds up including waste — and converts it to boxes.
How much extra tile should I buy for waste?
Add about 10% extra for a standard straight layout, and 15–20% for a diagonal or herringbone pattern, or for a room with lots of cuts around fixtures. Buying from the same batch up front also avoids shade differences later. The calculator defaults to 10%.
How do I calculate tiles per square foot?
Multiply the tile’s width and height in inches and divide 144 by the result. A 12×12 inch tile is exactly 1 per square foot; a 6×6 inch tile is 4 per square foot; a 4×4 inch tile is 9 per square foot. The calculator does this for any tile size.
How many tiles come in a box?
It varies by tile size — a box is usually sold by the square footage it covers, commonly around 10–15 square feet. Enter your box coverage above and the calculator converts the tile count into the number of boxes to buy.