How Does It Work?
- Give the areaLength and width for a rectangular room, or the total square metres if you have already added up an irregular space.
- Enter the tile sizeIn centimetres, as printed on the box — 30 × 60 and 60 × 60 are the most common floor sizes.
- Add wastage and box sizeTen per cent is the usual allowance. Put in the tiles per box and the calculator tells you how many boxes to order.
What Is It Used For?
Tiles are bought by the box, not by the square metre, and every job needs more tiles than the bare area suggests: edges have to be cut, some break, and a few spares are worth keeping for future repairs. Ten per cent is the standard allowance, rising to fifteen or twenty for diagonal layouts and awkward rooms.
- Ordering floor tiles for a bathroom, kitchen or hallway.
- Working out wall tiles for a splashback or a shower enclosure.
- Checking a tiler’s materials estimate before paying for it.
- Comparing the cost of two tile sizes for the same floor.
- Deciding how many spare boxes to keep after the job.
Examples
| Area | Tile size | Wastage | Tiles to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 m² (4 × 3) | 30 × 60 cm | 10% | 74 |
| 12 m² | 60 × 60 cm | 10% | 37 |
| 6 m² bathroom | 20 × 20 cm | 10% | 165 |
| 12 m² | 30 × 60 cm | 20% (diagonal) | 80 |