How to measure for tiles
- Measure the length and width of each rectangular surface. For a wall, use its width and height.
- Add separate rectangles for irregular shapes. Avoid counting the same area twice.
- Subtract only areas you will leave untiled. Include any reveals or returns as extra surfaces.
- Enter the actual tile dimensions and the number of tiles in a box from the supplier.
- Choose an allowance for cutting, breakage and spares, then check the order with your installer.
How the tile calculation works
Net area = total surface area − excluded area. Required tiles = net area × (1 + waste ÷ 100) ÷ area of one tile, rounded up. If you enter a grout joint width, the area of one tile is (tile length + joint) × (tile width + joint). With tiles per box, divide required tiles by the box count and round up. With coverage per box, divide the area including waste by the stated box coverage and round up. Material cost = boxes × price per box.
In coverage mode, the tile count is an area-based estimate; the actual number of tiles in each box is not inferred from the coverage label. Leave the grout joint at 0 to use the tile face only. This tool does not plan individual cuts. A detailed layout can change the quantity, especially with diagonal patterns, borders or large tiles. For mosaic sheets, enter the sheet dimensions and sheets per box.
Worked example: a 4 m × 3 m floor
A 12 m² floor with 60 × 30 cm tiles needs 74 tiles with a 10% allowance: 12 × 1.10 ÷ 0.18 = 73.33, rounded up. With 6 tiles per box, buy 13 boxes containing 78 tiles. At 24 per box, tile material cost is 312 in your chosen currency.
How many tiles do I need?
To calculate tiles needed, measure the area you want to cover, add your chosen waste allowance and divide by the area of one tile. Round up to a whole tile, then to full boxes. The tile estimator above handles these steps for floors, walls, shower surrounds and kitchen splashbacks, using either individual tile counts or the coverage printed on the box.
Calculate each tile product separately. A bathroom floor and shower wall may use different sizes, packaging and prices, so combining them into one order can give the wrong box quantity.
Tiles needed = round up [net floor area × (1 + waste % ÷ 100) ÷ tile area].
Boxes needed = round up [net area × (1 + waste % ÷ 100) ÷ coverage per box].
Tile square footage calculator: feet, inches and square metres
For a rectangular floor, square footage is length in feet × width in feet. For a wall, use width × tiled height. Add each surface and subtract the area you will leave untiled. Already know your area? Choose Total area and enter it directly before waste. Any excluded area is subtracted from this figure, so use 0 if you have already removed openings. In the calculator, choose Feet / inches: surface measurements use separate feet and inches boxes, so you can enter 10 ft 6 in directly; tile dimensions and grout joints use inches, and total area, excluded area and box coverage use square feet.
Convert inches to feet by dividing by 12. A measurement of 10 ft 6 in becomes 10.5 ft, not 10.6 ft. To find a tile's area in square feet, multiply its length and width in inches and divide by 144. In metric mode, enter surfaces in metres and tiles in centimetres; tile area in m² is length × width ÷ 10,000.
A 10 × 10 ft room has 100 sq ft of floor. With 12 × 12 inch tiles and 10% waste, the estimate is 110 tiles. With 12 × 24 inch tiles, it is 55 tiles. Box quantities depend on the packaging you enter.
Tile size and coverage: 12 × 12, 12 × 24 and metric sizes
These area comparisons assume a single rectangular tile size and exclude waste, grout joints and box rounding. Use the actual product dimensions when they differ from the size in its name.
| Tile dimensions | Area per tile | Tiles per unit area |
|---|---|---|
| 12 × 12 inches | 1 sq ft | 1 per sq ft |
| 12 × 24 inches | 2 sq ft | 0.5 per sq ft |
| 24 × 24 inches (2 × 2 ft) | 4 sq ft | 0.25 per sq ft |
| 3 × 6 inches | 0.125 sq ft | 8 per sq ft |
| 30 × 30 cm | 0.09 m² | About 11.11 per m² |
| 60 × 30 cm | 0.18 m² | About 5.56 per m² |
| 60 × 60 cm | 0.36 m² | About 2.78 per m² |
“2 × 2 tiles” needs a unit: 2 × 2 feet covers 4 sq ft, while 2 × 2 inches covers only 1/36 sq ft. Check the unit before using a tile-size preset or entering custom dimensions.
Bathroom and shower tile calculator: measure each surface
For shower tile square footage, add the width × tiled height of each wall. Add the shower floor separately if it uses the same tile, or make another calculation for a different floor product. Include tiled niches, returns and ledges as separate rectangles; subtract openings only where no tile will be installed.
SHOWER WALL EXAMPLE
Three walls, 7 ft tiled height
A 5 ft back wall and two 3 ft side walls have (5 + 3 + 3) × 7 = 77 sq ft of tiled surface. With 12 × 24 inch tiles and 10% waste, 77 × 1.10 ÷ 2 = 42.35, rounded up to 43 tiles. At 8 tiles per box, order 6 boxes containing 48 tiles.
KITCHEN SPLASHBACK EXAMPLE
A 3 m × 0.6 m backsplash
The area is 1.8 m². With 20 × 10 cm tiles and 10% waste, 1.8 × 1.10 ÷ 0.02 = 99 tiles. At 50 tiles per box, order 2 boxes containing 100 tiles. This example has no excluded openings.
A backsplash calculator uses the same area method as a wall tile calculator. For subway tiles, enter the rectangular tile dimensions. For mosaic sheets, use sheet dimensions and sheets per box. Herringbone, diagonal and mixed-size layouts need a separate cutting plan; a waste percentage alone does not model the pattern.
Tile installation cost calculator: build a budget with your rates
Choose a price per box, tile, m² or sq ft to estimate the tile material total. For example, a 12 m² floor with 10% waste needs 13.2 m² before box rounding. At 1.44 m² per box, order 10 boxes covering 14.4 m². At £24 per box, the tile material total is £240.
Area pricing uses the purchased coverage after rounding to full boxes. At £20/m², the same 14.4 m² order costs £288. Per-tile pricing uses every tile in the boxes ordered; enter the actual tiles per box even when you use packaging coverage for the box quantity. The price unit is independent of measurement units: a price per m² stays per m² when you switch your surface measurements to feet. Enter the actual selling price when the retailer rounds prices or applies a discount. All results use the currency of your entered price.
To add an installation budget, choose Yes — use my rates in the calculator. Enter a labour rate per m² or sq ft, or a fixed labour quote. Area-based labour is calculated from the net tiled area, before waste and box rounding. Add totals for preparation or removal, adhesive and grout supplies, delivery, and other expenses or tax. Use the same currency throughout and avoid adding expenses already included in a fixed quote.
For example, 12 m² at £30/m² gives £360 labour. With £100 preparation, £50 supplies, £20 delivery and £10 other costs, installation and extras total £540. Add the £240 tile order above for a £780 project budget. These are illustrative inputs, not local market rates. If you leave the tile price blank, the calculator shows the installation subtotal and asks for a tile price before showing the combined total.
No regional labour prices or tax rates are supplied automatically. Ceramic, porcelain and other tile products can share the area formula, but their installation requirements and labour charges can differ. Use a quote for your project when choosing your rates.
Before you order your floor or wall tiles
- Check surface measurements, units and any excluded areas.
- Confirm whether the package lists tiles per box or coverage per box.
- Choose waste for your actual layout and the spares you want to keep; the preset percentages are planning options.
- Review full-box rounding and use the price for that same box.
- Estimate grout and tile adhesive using the chosen product's coverage information; tile area alone does not determine how many bags you need.
Tile calculator FAQs
Can I use this for floor and wall tiles?
Yes. Enter each flat rectangular area and use the dimensions of the tiles you plan to buy. Calculate different tile sizes or products separately.
How much waste should I enter?
The default 10% is an example, not a guarantee. Your allowance depends on the room shape, tile size, cutting pattern and spare tiles you want. Confirm it with your supplier or installer.
How many 60 × 60 cm tiles do I need per square metre?
One tile covers 0.36 m², so the area ratio is about 2.78 tiles per m² before waste. Calculate the whole project's quantity before rounding up; rounding each square metre separately can overstate your order.
Can I enter box coverage instead of tiles per box?
Yes. Choose Coverage per box and enter the area stated on the packaging in m² or sq ft. The calculator divides your area including waste by that coverage and rounds up to full boxes. The tile count remains a separate area estimate.
Does grout joint width change how many tiles I need?
Slightly. Each joint adds to the area a tile covers, so wider joints mean fewer tiles. The effect is small for large tiles but noticeable for small tiles and mosaics: 10 × 10 cm tiles with 3 mm joints cover about 6% more area each. Enter the joint width your installer plans to use, or leave it at 0 for a cautious estimate.
Can I print or share my estimate?
Yes. Below your result, choose Print estimate for a one-page summary with your measurements, or Copy share link to send the same estimate to your supplier or installer. The link contains your measurements and prices; anyone who opens it sees them.
Does this calculate roof tiles or suspended ceiling grids?
No. It estimates flat floor and wall tile quantities. Roof tiles need product-specific coverage and overlap calculations; suspended ceilings need a grid layout and component quantities.
Does this include grout, adhesive and installation?
The tile material estimate covers your tile order. Enable Installation budget to add your own labour rate and totals for supplies, preparation, delivery and other costs or tax. Grout and adhesive quantities are not calculated automatically; use your chosen products' coverage information to estimate their cost.
Why does my order include extra material?
With tiles per box, the calculator rounds the tile estimate up and then rounds your order up to full boxes. Extra tiles from box rounding are shown separately from waste. With coverage per box, the area including waste is rounded up to full boxes using the packaging coverage; the actual tile count per box is not assumed.