How Do I Calculate How Many Tiles I Need For My Tiling Project?

Do you want a successful remodel of your bathroom or kitchen? Proper planning is essential, regardless of the room you’re renovating. Undertaking the planning phase of your remodel requires you to assess the materials you need, and how much to buy.

Without a plan, you right run short on materials and have to run out to the hardware store before you finish the job. Failing to plan will ruin your budget for the project, and you could end up overspending.

In this post, we’ll unpack everything you need to know about how to calculate how many tiles you need for your remodelling job.

Before You Start

When planning your remodel and your bill-of-materials, you’ll need to take some measurements and do a few calculations. Before you start the exercise, make sure you have the following items on hand.

• A notebook or sheet of paper
• A pencil or pen
• Measuring tape
• A calculator (if you don’t have a calculator, the calculator app is available on many mobile phones pre-installed, alternatively you can find a suitable app on the app store)

How to Calculate How Many Tiles You Need – 5 Steps

We put together this quick, 5-step guide to on how to calculate how many tiles you need for your remodel.

#1 Measure the Length of the Room

Assuming your tiling a rectangular floor, take your measuring tape and measure out the length. Write down the result in your notebook.

#2 Measure the Width of the Room

Repeat the same exercise as step one and mark your result in your notebook.

#3 Do the Math

Multiply your measurements to get the square footage of the floor. For example, if your rectangular floor has a measurement of 8-feet by 10-feet, the formula looks like this; 8 x 10 = 80-square-feet.

#4 Check on the Tiles You Need for the Job

Tile manufacturers sell tiles in boxes to cover a certain square-footage. Check on the box of the product details section to see how much coverage the tiles provide per box.

#5 Remember to Get a Few Extra Tiles

When planning your floor coverage, remember to add 10% to the total square footage for wastage. You’ll need to make some cuts and you’ll probably break a tile or two. Having a box or two of tiles in the garage is a great way to have tiles on hand to fix any future cracks.

If you’re covering an 80-square-foot floor, buy an extra 10% (8-square-feet) of tiles for fitment and repair.

#6 Don’t Forget the Ancillaries

When calculating how many tiles you’ll need for your remodel, don’t forget to include the other costs of the project. Items like adhesive, grout, and waterproofing all play a role in the final costing of your project.

Ensure you understand everything you need and a total costing of the job before you commit to the remodel.

How to Calculate How Many Tiles You Need? – Ask the Experts

There’s always room for error when calculating your floorplan. If you make a mistake, and end up miscalculating the square-footage, it’s going to slow down the progress of your project, and add to the final costs of the exercise.

If you have some DIY experience, you shouldn’t have any trouble working out the required square-footage for your floorplan. However, if you aren’t a DIY expert, and you think you need some help, call the experts for assistance.

Professional tilers spend all day calculating floor plans and making recommendations on the right tiles for specific applications. Why go to the hassle and risk of doing the job yourself? With a professional, you get a guaranteed service you can trust. If anything goes wrong with your new floor, they’ll fix it at no extra cost.

A professional fitment service takes the hassle and effort out of measuring and tiling your floor. Contact your local tiling expert and ask them for an estimate.

FAQs – How to Calculate How Many Tiles You Need?

Q: What do I do if I’m measuring a room that isn’t rectangular?

A: If you’re tiling a floorplan that’s outside of the standard square or rectangle, draw it out in your notebook. Breakup the floor on your drawing into polygons and triangles, measure each part of your plan and complete the calculations.

Q: How much coverage do I get out of a box of tiles?

A: Most manufacturers supply tiles in boxes providing 10-square-feet of coverage.

Q: How many boxes of tiles do I need for my remodel?`

A: Divide your coverage area by the square-footage provided by one box of tiles. Therefore, if you have an 80-square-foot room, and a box of tiles covers 10-square-feet, you’ll need at least eight boxes for covering the immediate area, and one box for cutting and future tile repairs.

Q: Will the size and shape of the tiles make a difference in my calculations?

A: No, the only thing that needs to concern you is the square footage, not the tile size. This is because tiles can be cut down and shaped to fit your meterage, and a certain amount of tiles required for the project will be worked out according to your meterage.