Nobody wants to make a second trip to the tile store mid-project. This calculator covers floors, walls, and backsplashes, and adds a waste factor so you buy the right amount on the first run.
Room Dimensions
ft
ft
Tile Dimensions
in
in
%
Floor
Scenario: You're tiling a 12 ft x 10 ft kitchen floor with 12 x 12 inch tiles and 10% waste.
Result: Floor area is 120 sq ft. Each 12 x 12 in tile covers 1 sq ft, so you need 120 tiles before waste. With 10% added, buy 132 tiles.
Wall
Scenario: You're tiling a 10 ft wide x 8 ft tall shower wall with 6 x 6 inch tiles and 10% waste.
Result: Wall area is 80 sq ft. Each 6 x 6 in tile covers 0.25 sq ft, so you need 320 tiles before waste. With 10% waste, buy 352 tiles.
Backsplash
Scenario: Your kitchen backsplash is 96 inches wide and 18 inches tall. You're using 4 x 4 inch tiles with 10% waste.
Result: Area is 96 x 18 = 1,728 sq in, or 12 sq ft. Each 4 x 4 in tile covers about 0.11 sq ft, so you need 108 tiles before waste. With 10% added, buy 119 tiles.
A 12 ft x 12 ft bathroom is 144 sq ft. With standard 12x12 inch tiles (1 sq ft each) and 10% waste, you need about 159 tiles.
Use 10% for rectangular rooms with a straight layout. Bump it to 15% for diagonal patterns or rooms with lots of cuts around fixtures and alcoves. Natural stone cracks more easily during cutting, so go with 15-20% for marble, travertine, or slate.
Yes, that's what the waste factor covers. Every row along a wall needs a cut tile, and those offcuts rarely fit the opposite side.
Switch to Backsplash mode and enter the width and height in inches. A standard kitchen backsplash runs about 18 inches tall along the length of your countertop, which is 8-12 feet in most kitchens.
Want to learn more before you start your project?
Read the full guide →
All Calculators
