Tile Calculator
Calculate how many tiles and boxes you need to order from floor dimensions, tile size, and a waste margin.
How It's Calculated
Formula
\text{tiles} = \left\lceil \frac{\text{floorArea}}{\text{tileArea}} \times \left(1 + \frac{\text{waste}\%}{100}\right) \right\rceil \\ \text{boxes} = \left\lceil \frac{\text{tiles}}{\text{tilesPerBox}} \right\rceilThis calculator divides floor area (length times width, in feet) by individual tile area (tile length times tile width, in inches, converted to square feet) to find the raw tile count, then applies a waste margin percentage and rounds up — you can't buy a fraction of a tile. Because box packaging varies by manufacturer and tile size, boxes-to-order uses the tiles-per-box count you enter from your chosen product's packaging, rounded up to a whole box.
Worked Examples
12 ft x 10 ft floor, 12x12 in tiles, 10% waste, 10 tiles/box
- Floor area = 12 x 10 = 120 ft²
- Tile area = (12 x 12) / 144 = 1 ft²
- Raw tiles = 120 / 1 = 120
- With waste = ceil(120 x 1.10) = 132 tiles
- Boxes = ceil(132 / 10) = 14
Zero waste margin
- Raw tiles = 120
- With waste = ceil(120 x 1.00) = 120 tiles
- Boxes = ceil(120 / 10) = 12
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need to enter tiles per box myself?
Box packaging is set by the manufacturer and varies by tile size and product line — there is no single universal box size, so this calculator asks for the count printed on your chosen product's packaging rather than guessing one.
Why is the tile count always rounded up?
You cannot purchase a fraction of a tile or a fraction of a box, so both the tile count (after waste) and the box count are rounded up to the next whole number.
What waste margin should I use?
10% is a common starting point for straightforward rectangular rooms; more complex layouts, diagonal patterns, or rooms with lots of cuts around fixtures typically need a higher margin.