How much wastage should I plan for tile?

10% is the trade default for straight-laid square tiles. Bump to 15% for diagonal layouts. Push to 20% for pattern layouts — herringbone, basket-weave, or anything with directional grain — and for large-format tiles 24 inches and up, where every cut is bigger and harder to reuse.

Should I round up to whole boxes?

Yes. Dye lots can vary between batches, so order all your tile at once and round up to whole boxes. Keep at least one spare box for future repairs.

Does this calculator account for grout joints?

No — it uses the nominal tile size to compute count. Grout joints (typically 1/16″ to 1/4″) effectively cover slightly more area per tile, but the wastage allowance absorbs the difference.

Tile Calculator: Square Footage Plus Cuts and Breakage

Tile Calculator: Square Footage Plus Cuts and Breakage

Free tile calculator. Enter room dimensions, tile size, and grout spacing to estimate tile count, box count, and waste for accurate orders.

April 19, 2026

Tile Calculator: Square Footage Plus Cuts and Breakage

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