Tile Calculator
Count tile, thinset, and grout in one pass. Tiles come from area ÷ tile size with your waste factor; thinset from the common 90-ft²-per-50-lb-bag planning rate at a 1/4-inch notch; and grout from the actual joint geometry — tile dimensions, joint width, and joint depth — instead of a flat pounds-per-square-foot guess, because a 6×6 mosaic layout has four times the joint length of 24×24 tile. Free, no login.
Tile
Materials
Grout from joint geometry: 144·(A+B)/(A·B)·width·depth × ~100 lb/ft³. Thinset ≈90 ft²/bag at 1/4" notch.
Tile — Material Order Sheet
Prepared with NORDIX — nordixhq.com/tools/tile-calculator
Area: 200 ft² · Tile: 12" × 12" · Waste: 10% · Joint: 0.125" W × 0.375" D
| Line item | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tile — 12" × 12" | 221 tiles | Incl. 10% waste |
| Thinset mortar (50 lb bags) | 3 bags | ≈90 ft²/bag at 1/4" notch — trowel notch size governs |
| Grout | 14.3 lb | From joint geometry × ≈100 lb/ft³ sanded-grout density |
Thinset coverage (≈90 ft² per 50-lb bag at 1/4" notch) and grout density (≈100 lb/ft³) are planning figures — trowel notch size and the specific grout product govern; the joint-volume geometry itself is exact. Confirm coverage on the bag before ordering.
How this calculator works
Tile count and joint volume are exact geometry; the material rates attached to them are planning figures. The grout formula measures joint volume per square foot of a tile grid:
in³/ft² = 144 × (A + B) ÷ (A × B) × joint W × joint D · grout lb = in³ × 0.0579
where A and B are the tile dimensions in inches. The geometry is exact; the grout density (≈100 lb/ft³, typical sanded grout) and the thinset rate (≈90 ft² per 50 lb bag at a 1/4" notch) are empirical planning figures — the trowel notch the tile size requires governs thinset, and large-format tile with a 1/2" notch roughly halves coverage. If you skip the joint inputs the calculator falls back to a rough 0.5 lb/ft², which is honest but coarse — enter the joints for a real grout number.
Worked example
200 ft² of 12×12 tile with 1/8" joints, 3/8" deep — waste set to 0 to show the raw geometry:
- Tiles: each 12×12 is exactly 1 ft², so 200 tiles.
- Grout: 144 × (24 ÷ 144) × 0.125 × 0.375 = 1.125 in³/ft² × 0.0579 × 200 ft² = 13 lb.
- Thinset: 200 ÷ 90 = 2.2 → 3 bags (50 lb, rounded up).
Enter the same job above with waste 0 to reproduce it. At the default 10% waste the order becomes 221 tiles and 14.3 lb of grout — waste belongs on tile and grout alike, since cuts consume both.
Reference: count and grout by tile size
Per 100 ft² at 10% waste with 1/8" × 3/8" joints, computed by the same engine. Smaller tile means more joint length per square foot — watch the grout column. Thinset and grout rates are planning figures; confirm coverage on the bag.
| Tile | Tiles per 100 ft² | Grout | Thinset (50 lb bags) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6" × 6" | 441 | 14.3 lb | 2 |
| 12" × 12" | 111 | 7.2 lb | 2 |
| 12" × 24" | 56 | 5.4 lb | 2 |
| 18" × 18" | 49 | 4.8 lb | 2 |
| 24" × 24" | 28 | 3.6 lb | 2 |
Frequently asked questions
How many tiles do I need for my square footage?
Divide the area (plus waste) by the face area of one tile and round up — a 12×12 tile is 1 ft², so 200 ft² at 10% waste is 220 tiles. This calculator does that from the tile's width and height in inches, so it handles planks and rectangles (a 12×24 covers 2 ft², a 6×36 covers 1.5 ft²). Note it counts tile faces, not boxes: divide the tile count by the pieces-per-carton on the box to order.
What waste percentage should I use for tile?
10% is the standard allowance for a straight lay in a reasonably regular room — this calculator's default. Use 15% or more for diagonal layouts, herringbone and other patterns, plank formats, small or chopped-up rooms with many cuts, and natural stone where breakage and culling run higher. Waste is an estimate; keep any leftover full tiles as attic stock from the same lot for repairs.
How much thinset do I need per square foot?
The calculator figures one 50-lb bag per ~90 ft² of tile, which is typical for a 1/4 in. square-notch trowel. Larger tile needs a bigger notch — 1/4 × 3/8 or 1/2 in. for large-format — which can cut coverage to 40–60 ft² per bag, and back-buttering or flattening an uneven substrate uses more still. The mortar manufacturer's coverage chart for your trowel size governs; treat the bag count here as a straight-lay baseline.
How is grout quantity calculated?
From joint geometry, not a flat rate: the volume of grout per square foot is 144 × (W + H)/(W × H) × joint width × joint depth, converted to pounds at a typical dry-grout bulk density near 100 lb/ft³. That's why small tiles with wide joints take several times the grout of large-format tile with 1/8 in. joints. Enter the real joint width and use the tile thickness as the depth; check the result against the grout manufacturer's coverage chart before ordering.
What grout joint width should I use?
Common practice: 1/16 in. to 1/8 in. for rectified (precision-cut) porcelain, 1/8 in. to 3/16 in. for standard calibrated tile, and 1/4 in. or wider for handmade or irregular tile — the joint has to absorb the size variation from tile to tile, so less consistent tile needs a wider joint. The tile manufacturer's stated minimum governs. Joint width also drives grout type: the usual convention is unsanded grout for joints narrower than 1/8 in., sanded for 1/8 in. and wider.
Does this calculator work for wall tile and backsplashes?
Yes — the math is the same per square foot of surface. Measure the wall area, enter the tile size and joint dimensions, and use the same waste percentages (backsplashes with outlets and window cuts often deserve 15%). The thinset baseline still assumes a 1/4 in. notch, which suits most wall tile; only the mortar type changes (a non-sag mortar for large or heavy wall tile), not the quantity math.
Method: tiles from adjusted area ÷ tile area (exact, rounded up); grout from joint-volume geometry (144 × (A+B)/(A·B) × joint width × depth, exact) times an empirical sanded-grout density of ≈100 lb/ft³; thinset at ≈90 ft² per 50 lb bag at a 1/4" notch — planning figures, with the trowel notch and the specific grout product governing real coverage. Waste is a layout judgment: 10% suits straight-lay in simple rooms; diagonal lay, patterns, and chopped-up spaces run 15%+. Substrate prep, membrane, leveling clips, and movement joints are separate line items.
Pair with the Square Footage Calculator to build the floor or wall area first, or the Flooring Calculator when the finish is plank or laminate sold by the box instead of the piece.