A regular question we get in Tiletoria showrooms is how to calculate how much tile you will need for your project. Whether you’re wanting to install your own tiled floor or you want to calculate the materials that you will need to budget for, it is important to know how to work out how much tile you need. The steps are the same regardless of whether you are doing a wall project or a floor.
With a measuring tape and some simple maths, you can estimate how much tile you need and how much the project is going to cost you.
What You’ll need:
- Paper
- A pen/pencil
- Measuring tape
- A calculator
Step 1: Measure the length of one side of the room.
The first step is to measure the floor length and width of the room you want to tile. Measure the length and height of the wall, if it is a wall project.
Step 2: Multiply the two measurements.
Once you have both measurements, the next step is to multiply them. Multiplying the length by the width provides you with the square meterage of the project area. For example, if the floor measurements of the room is 15 meters wide by 17 meters long, multiply 15 by 17. The square meter area of this room is 255 square meters in total.
Step 3: Based on this, determine the amount of tiles you’ll need.
Next is to use the above calculations to determine the amount of tiles needed. When buying tiles, they usually come in boxes, and you have to buy the whole box. Divide the total square meters of the room by the total square meters of the tile in the box to determine how many boxes of tiles you will need to buy. Lets say for our example, each box contains 15 square meters of tile. So, if you need 255 square meters, 15 goes into 255, 17 times, (255 ÷ 15) so you’ll need to buy at least 17 boxes.
Pro Tip:
This is where the saying “rather be safe than sorry” comes into play. You should never buy just the amount of tile you need because you will always need extra tiles for any cuts, waste, breaks, and mistakes. To be on the safe side, you will need to multiply the square footage of the room by 10%, then add this amount to the total square area of the room. This is the total amount of square meterage of tiles you should buy. To continue with the above examples: 10 x 255 = 25.5, and 255 + 25.5 = 280.5, round up to 281. We’ll need 281 square meters of tile.
Another important reason to buy extra tiles is that often the style or colour of a particular tile gets discontinued after some time, and in the event that you need to replace a broken tile or two, you will need extras on hand to make the repairs. If you don’t, then to fix it, you will have to replace the entire floor.
In other words: Rather spend a little bit more up front to save money in the long run.
Important factors to consider:
Gap Size: Floor or wall tiles are typically installed with gaps between the tiles, which are commonly filled with grout. The average tile may look quite similar to the next tile however, they are often not uniform in shape and size, and would not fit properly if installed without any gaps. These gaps can range from anywhere between one-sixteenth of an inch to half an inch in size. Different sized tiles, materials, and design needs all affect the size of the gaps.
Size: Tile size can range anywhere from smaller mosaics, slab tiles and everything in between. Square sizes are the most popular, accessible, and easiest to install. While straight edge tiles are the most common, there are also unique tile shapes, but the installation of these is not as simple. Large tile sizes can make smaller rooms appear bigger, as well as more open and clean because there are fewer grout lines. However, installing larger tiles may results in more wastage, while installing smaller tiles can add texture to a room.
Material: There are a number of different types of tiles, including ceramic, porcelain, glass, quarry, stone and much more. Ceramic and porcelain tiles are the most popular, cost efficient, and come in a variety of different styles. Glass tiles, are not appropriate for flooring because they crack under pressure, are visually unique and interesting. These are most commonly used for kitchen and bathroom backsplashes. Quarry tiles have rough surfaces that are good for floors that require added grip, such as outdoors and in restaurant kitchens. Stone tiles include marble and granite, which provide unique and natural stone patterns, textures, and colours that are difficult to achieve using ceramics. They also offer the illusion of blending into grout edges, giving off an overall uniform look.
Other frequently asked questions we get regarding how much tile you need:
Question: What if the wall isn’t a simple rectangle and the room isn’t square?
Answer: If the space you want to tile is an unusual shape, draw a picture of the floor plan on a piece of paper, then separate the room into squares or rectangles. Measure each squared-off section separately, convert inches to feet (divide by 12; you’ll probably end up with a decimal), multiply the length and width of each space, then add all these numbers together to find the total square footage.
Question: What if I want to lay the tiles diagonally?
Answer: For tiles laid at a 45 degree angle, the overage or waste factor will be greater, so buy extra.
Question: How many square feet of tile comes in a box?
Answer: Most boxes hold 10 square feet, but check your box to make sure.
Question: Does the size or shape of the tile matter in my calculation?
Answer: No, only the square footage matters.
If you are still uncertain about the calculations, then pop by one of Tiletoria’s showrooms and chat to their sales team for advice.