Tile Calculator
Tiles, boxes, and thinset — with the right waste for your layout. Free, instant, and private — everything runs on your device.
On the box label
Your tile estimate
- Coverage
- 80 sq ft
- Tiles before waste
- 80
- Thinset (50-lb bags)
- ~2
- Estimated cost (tile only)
- $220
Waste climbs with the layout — diagonal and herringbone patterns cut more offcuts than a straight lay. Keep one unopened box: dye lots vary, and a cracked tile years later needs an exact match. Grout and thinset totals are typical starting points; check your tile's spacing.
Tile math has two traps. The first is buying flat square footage with no waste, then running out three rows from the wall with the dye lot discontinued. The second is forgetting that a diagonal or herringbone layout throws away far more offcuts than a straight lay. This calculator handles both: it converts your area into a tile count using your exact tile size, adds the right waste percentage for your pattern, and rounds up to whole boxes.
It also flags the thing tile guides skip — thinset. You don't just buy tile; you buy the mortar to set it. Enter your area and tile size, pick your layout, and you'll leave the store with the right number of boxes, a thinset starting point, and a cost, instead of a second trip mid-job.
How it works
No black box — this is the exact math the calculator runs.
- Tile area = tile width × height ÷ 144, in square feet per tile.
- Base tiles = coverage area ÷ tile area.
- Waste factor by layout: straight +10%, diagonal +15%, herringbone/complex +20%.
- Tiles to buy = base tiles × (1 + waste), rounded up; boxes = tiles ÷ tiles per box, rounded up.
- Thinset ≈ one 50-lb bag per 50 sq ft of small-to-medium tile (a starting point — check spacing).
Last reviewed July 24, 2026 · Floors & Surfaces
Frequently asked questions
How many 12x12 tiles do I need for 100 square feet?
A 12×12 tile is exactly 1 square foot, so 100 sq ft needs 100 tiles before waste. Add 10% for a straight layout and you're buying 110 — about 11 boxes of 10. Smaller tiles need proportionally more.
How much extra tile should I buy for waste?
10% for a straight lay, 15% for diagonal, and up to 20% for herringbone or rooms with lots of cuts around cabinets, niches, and angles. Cuts at the edges, breakage, and future repairs all come out of that margin.
Do I need to account for thinset and grout separately?
Yes — tile is only part of the material list. A 50-lb bag of thinset sets roughly 50 sq ft of small-to-medium tile; large-format tile and wider trowels use more. Grout depends on tile size and joint width, so treat these as starting points and confirm against your product.
Should I keep leftover tile?
Always keep at least one unopened box. Tile is produced in dye lots that vary between runs, and a cracked tile years later needs an exact match. The waste factor usually leaves you a partial box plus spares — hold onto them.