Work out how many tiles you need for a floor or wall, including waste.
Calculated instantly in your browser.
How do you calculate how many tiles you need?
Tiles = room area ÷ tile area, rounded up after adding the waste percentage, with a 10% allowance being typical. For example, a 12 ft × 10 ft room (120 ft²) with 12 in tiles needs 120 tiles, or 132 with 10% waste. Add more waste for diagonal layouts or patterns, and buy from one batch so colours match.
Understanding your result
Add more waste for diagonal layouts, patterns or rooms with many cuts. Buy from one batch so colours match.
Formula and method
Tiles = room area ÷ tile area, rounded up after adding the waste percentage. A 10% allowance is typical.
Assumptions and limitations
The count comes from the room and tile sizes you enter and a waste percentage you set. Real needs rise with diagonal or patterned layouts, alcoves, and rooms with many cuts, so add extra waste for those. It does not plan the layout, size trim pieces, or account for grout and adhesive.
Worked example
A 12 ft × 10 ft room (120 ft²) with 12 in tiles needs 120 tiles, or 132 with 10% waste.
How to use this tool
- Enter the room length and width.
- Enter the tile width and height.
- Set a waste percentage and press Calculate.
About the Tile Calculator
The Tile Calculator works out how many tiles cover a floor or wall from the room and tile dimensions, adding a waste allowance for cuts and breakages.
Who should use this tool
DIY tilers and homeowners planning a floor or wall who want a tile count with waste built in before ordering. Useful for kitchens, bathrooms and splashbacks, and for checking a tiler's quantity against your own room measurements.
Benefits
- Turns room and tile sizes into a tile count
- Adds a waste allowance for cuts and breakages
- Helps you order enough from a single batch
- Free and browser-based, with no account needed
Practical use cases
- Counting tiles for a bathroom or kitchen floor
- Estimating wall tiles for a splashback
- Adding waste before ordering from one batch
- Checking a tiler's quantity against your measurements
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Frequently asked questions
How much waste should I allow?
About 10% for a straight layout, and 15–20% for diagonal or patterned layouts with more cuts.
Why buy tiles from the same batch?
Tile colour and shade can vary slightly between production batches, so mixing them can leave visible patches once laid. Ordering enough from one batch, including your waste allowance, keeps the finish consistent. Keeping a few spares from that batch also helps if a tile ever needs replacing later.
Do diagonal layouts need more tiles?
Yes. Laying tiles diagonally or in a pattern creates more cuts around the edges, so more tiles are wasted. Where a straight layout might need around 10 percent waste, diagonal and patterned designs often call for more, so increase the waste percentage for those jobs.