Tile Calculator
How many tiles do you actually need? Enter the floor or wall area and your tile size, and this free tile calculator adds a sensible waste allowance, converts to boxes, and — in carpet mode — gives you the square yardage carpet stores quote. Runs entirely in your browser.
Waste allowance covers cuts, breakage, and a few spares for future repairs — keep at least half a box of attic stock after the job. Always buy all boxes from the same dye lot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tiles do I need for my floor?
Divide the floor's square footage by the square footage of one tile, then add a waste allowance (10% for straight layouts, 15% for diagonal). For example, a 120 sq ft floor with 12×12-inch tiles (1 sq ft each) needs 120 tiles, plus 10% waste = 132 tiles.
How many boxes of tile do I need?
Take the total tiles (including waste) and divide by the tiles per box on the label, then round up to whole boxes. 132 tiles at 10 per box = 13.2, so buy 14 boxes.
What waste percentage should I use for tile?
Use 5% only for a perfect rectangle with large tiles and few cuts. 10% is the safe default for straight layouts. Diagonal layouts and rooms with lots of obstacles need 15%, and herringbone or mosaic patterns need 15–20%.
How do you calculate square yards for carpet?
Multiply length × width in feet to get square feet, then divide by 9. A 10×12-foot room is 120 sq ft, or 13.33 square yards. Carpet installers also add a waste/pattern allowance of 5–10% beyond this.
Is tile cheaper than carpet?
Per square foot, carpet is usually cheaper installed ($3–$8/sq ft) than tile ($8–$20/sq ft with labor). But tile lasts 20–50 years versus 8–15 for carpet, so tile often wins on lifetime cost in kitchens, baths, and entries.
How many square feet are in a box of tile?
It varies by tile size: a box of 12×12 tiles often holds 10 tiles = 10 sq ft, while large-format 24×24 boxes may hold 4 tiles = 16 sq ft. The calculator above works in tiles rather than box square footage so any tile size is handled.