Tile / Flooring Estimator
Estimate tiles, boxes, grout volume and total flooring cost from area and tile size.
Overview
The Tile / Flooring Estimator calculates how many tiles you need, how many boxes that translates to, the volume of grout required, and the total project cost from your floor area and tile size. Flooring projects are notorious for cost overruns driven by miscounted boxes or forgotten waste allowances; doing the math properly upfront saves a return trip to the store and an awkward call to the installer.
The calculator handles both imperial and metric units, so you can mix inputs from a metric tile spec sheet with an imperial floor measurement without converting by hand. It accepts grout joint width in millimetres, a waste percentage, price per tile, tiles per box, price per box, and labour per square foot, then returns a full breakdown.
How it works
Enter the floor area and choose square feet or square metres. Enter the tile width and height with their unit (inches or centimetres). Set the grout joint width in millimetres and a waste percentage, typically 10% for straightforward layouts and more for diagonal patterns or complex cuts.
The tool computes tiles needed before and after waste, the number of boxes rounded up, total tile cost, grout volume in cubic feet, optional labour cost, and a grand total. A small SVG preview shows the tile aspect ratio so you can sanity-check your inputs.
Examples
- A 100 sqft kitchen floor with 12 x 12 inch tiles, 3 mm grout, and 10% waste.
- A 15 m² bathroom with 60 x 30 cm tiles laid in a brick pattern with 15% waste.
- A small entryway needing exactly one box of decorative tile after waste.
- Comparing the total cost of two tile options at different prices per box.
FAQ
What waste percentage should I use?
10% is typical for a simple grid layout, 15% for diagonal or offset patterns, and up to 20% for very complex rooms.
Why round boxes up?
You cannot buy a partial box, and having a few extra tiles for future repairs or breakages is a feature, not waste.
Does it account for cuts at walls?
The waste percentage absorbs cuts; for unusually shaped rooms, increase it accordingly.
How accurate is the grout volume?
It is a planning estimate based on joint width and area; real-world consumption varies with tile depth and installer technique.
Should labour cost include underlayment?
Labour per square foot here is a single rate; for detailed budgets, add underlayment and adhesive separately.