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Tile & Flooring Calculator
Calculate tile, flooring, underlayment, thinset and grout for a room with waste.
Order this many boxes
15boxes
228.8 sq ft of ceramic / porcelain tile including 10% waste, which comes to 232.5 sq ft ordered.
- Net floor area
- 208.0 sq ft
- With wasteStraight lay adds 10%
- 228.8 sq ft
- Pieces needed12 × 24 in tile at 2.00 sq ft each
- 115
- Flooring cost$4.30 per net square foot once waste is paid for
- $895
- Material total$5.79 per square foot, all materials
- $1,205
| Item | Quantity | Unit | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramic / porcelain tile — 12 × 24 in tile | 15 | boxes (15.5 sq ft each) | $895 |
| ¼ in cement backer board (3 × 5 ft sheets) | 15 | sheets | $210 |
| Modified thinset mortar | 3 | 50 lb bags | $72 |
| Grout — 10.2 lb required | 1 | 25 lb bags | $28 |
| Material total | $1,205 |
Add one more box than the math says
Tile and flooring are produced in dye lots and runs get discontinued constantly. A repair three years from now with a different lot number will never match. Ordering 16 boxes instead of 15 costs about $60 and is the cheapest insurance in the whole renovation. Keep the spare box flat, indoors, with the lot number written on it.
| Pattern | Waste | Square feet | Boxes | Flooring cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight lay | 10% | 228.8 | 15 | $895 |
| Brick / offset | 12% | 233.0 | 16 | $955 |
| Diagonal | 15% | 239.2 | 16 | $955 |
| Herringbone | 20% | 249.6 | 17 | $1,014 |
Setting material estimate
Grout is figured from the standard coverage formula — joint width times joint depth across the perimeter of every tile — at roughly 100 lb per cubic foot of powder. Your 12 × 24 in tile tile at a 0.1250 in joint works out to 4.9 lb per 100 sq ft. Narrow the joint or go to a larger tile and that number falls fast.
What this assumes
- Waste factor defaults to 10% for straight lay, 15% for diagonal and 20% for herringbone.
- Thinset and grout coverage vary by trowel notch and joint width; values shown are typical.
- Boxed flooring must be purchased in whole boxes, which the result accounts for.
Understanding the result
Buy the waste and buy the attic stock
Beyond cut waste, buy an extra box. Tile and flooring are produced in dye lots and runs are discontinued constantly; a repair three years from now with a different lot number will never match. One spare box is the cheapest insurance in a renovation.
Pattern drives waste more than room size
A straight lay in a rectangular room wastes about 10%. The same tile in a herringbone pattern wastes 20% or more because nearly every perimeter piece is a diagonal cut. Choose the pattern before you order.
Substrate preparation is not optional
Tile needs a flat, stable substrate. Floor deflection greater than L/360 under load will crack grout and loosen tile. Backer board over plywood, self-leveling compound over concrete, and crack isolation membrane over slabs are all part of the material scope — not just the tile itself.
Grout joint width affects tile count
Wider grout joints (3/16 inch or more) slightly reduce the number of tiles needed because the grout fills gaps that would otherwise require a cut tile. Narrow joints (1/16 inch) on rectified tile maximize the tile count. Plan the joint width before ordering.
Common questions
How much tile do I need for a 10x10 room?
A 10×10 room is 100 square feet. With 10% waste for straight lay, order 110 square feet. Standard 12×12 inch tile: 100 tiles per 100 square feet, so order 110 tiles. A 12×24 inch tile covers 2 square feet each — order 55 tiles plus 10% waste (61 tiles).
How many square feet in a box of tile?
Most floor tile boxes cover 10 to 15 square feet. A box of 12×12 inch tile with 10 pieces covers 10 square feet. A box of 12×24 inch tile with 5 pieces covers 10 square feet. Always check the box label — coverage varies by tile size and manufacturer.
How much tile for a 12x12 bathroom floor?
A 12×12 bathroom is 144 square feet. With 15% waste for diagonal layout or irregular cuts around the toilet and vanity, order 166 square feet — roughly 17 boxes at 10 square feet per box. Buy one extra box for future repairs.
How much thinset for 100 square feet of tile?
At a 1/4×1/4 inch trowel notch, one 50-pound bag of thinset covers approximately 50 to 65 square feet. One hundred square feet needs 2 bags. Large-format tile (12×24 or larger) with a 1/2×1/2 inch notch needs 3 bags per 100 square feet.
How much grout for 100 square feet of tile?
For 12×12 inch tile with 1/8 inch grout joints, one 25-pound bag of sanded grout covers approximately 100 to 125 square feet. Smaller tile with more joints (mosaic or 4×4) may need 1.5 bags per 100 square feet. Unsanded grout is for joints under 1/8 inch.
How much flooring do I need for a 12x15 room?
A 12×15 room is 180 square feet. With 10% waste for straight lay, order 198 square feet. Laminate and LVP are sold in boxes — check how many square feet per box and round up to whole boxes. A 20-square-foot-per-box product needs 10 boxes.
What waste factor for tile?
Use 10% for straight lay in a rectangular room, 15% for diagonal or brick pattern, and 20% for herringbone or rooms with many obstacles. Always buy one extra box beyond the calculated waste for dye-lot matching on future repairs.
How many tiles per square foot?
One 12×12 inch tile covers 1 square foot. One 12×24 inch tile covers 2 square feet. One 6×24 inch plank covers 1 square foot. Mosaic sheets (12×12 inch mesh) cover 1 square foot per sheet regardless of individual tile size.
How much does tile installation cost per square foot?
Professional tile installation runs $8 to $20 per square foot for floor tile, depending on tile size, pattern, and substrate prep. Material adds $3 to $15 per square foot. A 100-square-foot bathroom floor costs $1,100 to $3,500 installed.
How much LVP flooring for a 10x12 room?
A 10×12 room is 120 square feet. With 10% waste, order 132 square feet. LVP boxes typically cover 20 to 24 square feet — order 6 boxes at 24 square feet each (144 square feet) to have whole boxes and spare planks for repairs.
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