Know exactly how many tiles to buy
Order too few tiles and the job stops while you wait for more, possibly from a different batch that does not quite match. Order far too many and you have wasted money. This free calculator gets it right: enter the room and tile sizes and it tells you how many tiles and boxes to buy, including a sensible wastage allowance for cuts and breakages, and the total cost.
What it works out
- Tiles to buy, including wastage for cuts, breakages and spares.
- Boxes needed, rounded up, if you enter the tiles per box.
- Total cost, if you add a price per box.
- Floor area and the base tile count before wastage.
How much wastage to allow
The layout drives the wastage. A straight grid typically wastes around 10%, a diagonal layout around 15%, and herringbone or other complex patterns up to 20%, because angled cuts leave more unusable offcuts. Small or awkward rooms, large-format tiles and lots of obstacles push it higher. The calculator applies these allowances by pattern, and you can override with your own percentage.
Why the spares matter
Always buy a little extra and keep it. Tiles crack over the years, and a replacement from a fresh batch can be a visibly different shade, since colour varies between production runs (dye lots). A few tiles kept from the original batch make future repairs invisible. Buying from one batch in one go is the single most important thing for a consistent finish.
Tips for an accurate order
- Measure the room at floor level and in more than one place, walls are rarely perfectly square.
- For walls, add up each wall area separately and subtract large openings.
- Check the coverage and tile count printed on the box before you order.
- For a big or expensive job, confirm the final quantity with your tiler or supplier.
It runs entirely in your browser and is completely free.