How Much Tile Do I Need?

Tiling your house can be an exciting venture but can also be equally challenging. To make sure your project goes as smoothly as possible, you need to ask yourself, “How much tile do I need?” If you overlook this step, you may fall short on tiles or, worse, end up wasting money on too many. 

If you don’t know how to measure for tile, no worries. In this article, we’ll guide you through the whole process.

What You’ll Need?

Before we answer your question of  “How much tile do I need,” let’s discuss what all you’ll need. Having things ready before you start calculations will make the process more seamless.

You’ll need a:

• Piece of paper to note things down on.
• Calculator to help you with math.
• Pen or pencil.
• Measuring tape.

The calculator is optional, but it’s always a good idea to keep one handy for accurate measurements.

How to Measure for Tile?

To know “How much tile do I need?” follow these steps:

1.     Measure the Space You Want to Tile

Following are some formulae you can use to measure the total area of the space you want to tile.

For Rectangular Areas:

Measure the length and width of the space and input them in the following formula:

Area=Length x Width

For Circular Areas:

For circular areas, you just need to measure the radius of the space and use the following formula:

Area= 3.14 x Radius x Radius

For Irregular Shaped Areas:

For irregularly shaped spaces, divide the whole area into parts. So, if you have an L-shaped floor, divide it into two rectangles. Measure the area of each rectangle and then add both together.

The answers you’ll get will ideally be in square feet, the unit by which tiles are sold. If the measurement comes out to be in some feet and some inches, just divide the number of inches by 12. Then, add the resulting value to the number of feet you measured before. This way, you’re whole value will now be in square feet.

2.               Calculate the Number of Tiles You’ll Need

This is the step in which you’ll actually determine “How much tile do I need?” Once you’ve measured the area of your space, check the size of the tile you want to use. Then use the following tiles calculation formula:

Number of Tiles Needed: 

Total area of your space (square foot) / Size of one tile you want to use (square foot)

Let’s consider a real-world example of it. For instance, your room has a width and length of 12 feet each. 

Total area of the room = 12 feet x 12 feet = 144 sq. ft.

Tiles are available in different sizes in the market. You can buy according to your preferences. Let’s say that you have bought 24-inch x 24-inch tiles. As our area is in square feet, we have to convert the size of tiles into square feet as well. 

We just need to divide an inch by 12 to make it in the foot.  

Size of one tile in sq. ft. = 24 x 24 / 12 x 12 = 2 x 2 sq. ft = 4 sq. ft.

So, the area of each tile will be 4 sq. ft. 

Let’s finally apply our main formula to calculate the number of tiles;

= Total area of your space (square foot) / Size of one tile you want to use (square foot)

= 144 sq. ft / 4 sq. ft 

Number of tiles required for your 12 feet x 12 feet / 144 sq. ft. room = 36 tiles. 

3.               Consider the Need for Extra Tiles

After finding out how many tiles you need, consider adding 10% more tiles to account for waste. These extra ones will also come in handy if any tiles break during delivery or installation. 

Wastage of 10% = 36 x 10 / 100 = 3.6 

So, rounding off makes it 4 tiles.  

Total number of tiles required for your 12 feet x 12 feet / 144 sq. ft. room = number of tiles + wastage = 36 + 4 = 40 tiles 

So, for a room of 144 sq. ft., you’ll need 40 tiles that measure 24 in x 24 in. 

Note that this tiles measurement guide works for all kinds of tiles, e.g., wall tiles, floor tiles, etc. However, to make your job easier, you can also just use an online tile calculator.

Conclusion

Using the above steps, you can now easily determine “How much tile do I need?” for any space. To make sure you don’t have to spend on more extra tiles, always choose a reliable tile manufacturer.

Check out our wide range of tile options at Greenwood Plaza for every kind of space. Not only are our tiles of the highest quality, but we’re also extremely careful with their delivery to avoid damage.