Tile Calculator
Calculate how many tiles you need for a floor or wall, based on area, tile size and recommended waste.
How to use the tile calculator
- Enter the length and width of the surface to be tiled.
- Enter the tile size (assuming square tiles) in centimeters.
- Enter your desired waste — 10 % is common, more for diagonal laying or complex rooms.
How the tile count is calculated
The calculator first adds waste to the area, then divides by the area of one tile:
Waste accounts for cuts, mistakes and breakage during laying. Rooms with many corners, sloped walls or diagonal tile laying should have a higher waste percentage than a simple rectangular room.
How much cutting waste to actually expect
The waste percentage is almost entirely about offcuts, and offcuts depend on the shape of the room more than on its area. A large rectangular room with straight walls produces little waste — most tiles go down whole, and only the last row needs cutting. A small bathroom with a shower niche, pipe penetrations and door frames can require nearly every tile along the edges to be cut, and each cut leaves an offcut that rarely fits anywhere else.
Tile format pushes in the same direction. Large formats lay faster and leave fewer joints, but every mistaken cut costs far more area than with small tiles — a ruined 60 × 60 cm tile is over a third of a square metre. If you are laying large tiles in a small room, the waste allowance should be set higher than the rule of thumb, not lower.
Frequently asked questions
How much waste should I account for?
10 % is a common rule of thumb for simple rooms. For diagonal laying, many corners or pattern laying, budget 15–20 % waste.
Should I buy tiles from the same production batch?
Yes, tiles can vary slightly in color shade between different production batches (called a "lot" or "caliber number"). Buy a bit extra from the same batch in case you need more later.