Tile Layout & Count Calculator
Enter your floor area, choose a waste factor for the layout, and pick a tile size — this calculator returns the number of whole tiles to buy, including cuts and breakage.
Calculator
A 100 sq ft floor at 10% waste in 2.00 sq ft tiles is about 55 tiles. Diagonal and large-format layouts waste more. Confirm the box coverage and buy a spare box for cuts, breakage and future repairs.
Formula
The tile count is a pure identity on your area, a labeled waste factor and the coverage of one tile:
tiles = ceil( area_sqft × (1 + waste) ÷ tile_sqft )
The area is grossed up by the waste factor to cover cuts, breakage and future repairs, then divided by the square footage of a single tile. The result is rounded up to a whole tile because you cannot buy a fraction of a tile — and tile is almost always sold by the box, so round the box count up too.
Worked example
Take a 100 sq ft floor laid straight at a 10% waste factor with 12 × 24 in tiles (2 sq ft each):
- Area with waste: 100 × (1 + 0.10) = 110 sq ft.
- Tiles: 110 ÷ 2 = 55 → ceil(55) = 55 tiles.
So you would buy 55 tiles. A diagonal or herringbone layout on the same floor would push the waste factor to 15–20%, and a large-format tile leaves bigger off-cuts — both raise the count.
How to count tiles without running short
Counting tiles is deterministic arithmetic, but the two inputs that decide whether you run short are the waste factor and the true coverage of one tile. Measure your room, subtract nothing for grout joints (the joint is part of the field), and use the net floor area. For an L-shaped room, split it into rectangles, add the areas, and feed the total in — the room square-footage calculator does this for you.
The waste factor absorbs the tiles you cut at walls, around cabinets and pipes, and the ones that crack during handling or setting. A straight or brick-bond lay in a simple rectangular room wastes about 10%. A diagonal (45°) lay wastes about 15% because every perimeter tile is cut on two edges. Herringbone, chevron and other patterned lays waste 15–20%. Large-format tile (24 in and up) leaves large, hard-to-reuse off-cuts, so bump the factor even on a straight lay. Natural stone that you hand-select for color also runs higher because you reject tiles.
Buy at least one full spare box beyond the calculated count and keep it after the job. Dye lots shift between production runs, so a repair tile bought two years later rarely matches. Confirm the coverage per box on the actual box — nominal 12 × 24 tile is really about 11.8 × 23.8 in, and box counts vary by brand. This tool sizes the quantity; it is not an installation guide, and it does not tell you the layout is structurally sound — a very out-of-flat subfloor needs leveling first (see the self-leveling compound calculator).
Because tile is sold by the box, treat the tile count as the intermediate step and the box count as what you actually order: divide the tiles by the tiles-per-box on the label and round up. Where a pattern repeats on a strict module — herringbone, basketweave, a running-bond offset — the practical cut yield is worse than a plain grid, which is exactly what the higher 15–20% waste settings account for. If you are ordering large-format tile, remember that the count is only half the story: the subfloor flatness tolerance tightens as the tile grows, so budget for leveling and a lippage-control clip system alongside the tiles themselves.
Frequently asked questions
How many tiles do I need for a 100 sq ft floor?
For 12 × 24 in tiles (2 sq ft each) at a 10% waste factor, a 100 sq ft floor needs about 55 tiles: 100 × 1.10 = 110 sq ft, divided by 2 sq ft per tile. Smaller tiles need proportionally more; a 12 × 12 in tile (1 sq ft) would need about 110.
What waste factor should I use for tile?
About 10% for a straight or brick-bond lay in a simple rectangular room, 15% for a diagonal lay, and 15–20% for herringbone, chevron or a room with lots of cuts and jogs. Large-format tile and hand-selected natural stone run higher.
Does the tile count include grout joints?
Yes — the grout joint is part of the tile field, so you use the net floor area without subtracting anything for joints. Joint width affects how much grout you buy, not how many tiles, so use the grout calculator for that.
Should I buy tiles by the box or as singles?
Tile is normally sold by the box, so take the tile count from this tool, divide by the tiles-per-box printed on the box, and round the box count up. Buy one extra full box as a spare, because dye lots change between production runs.
Is this the same as the quantity Tile Calculator?
The math is identical — both use tiles = ceil(area × (1 + waste) ÷ tile_sqft). This page frames it around planning a tiled floor layout; the Material Quantity tile calculator frames it as part of a general “how much do I need” workflow.