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How many tiles do you need for a floor?

How many tiles you need for an area, with waste and cost per m².

Quick answer

Tiles needed = ceil(area × (1 + waste%) ÷ tile area). A 20 m² floor with 10% waste and 60×60 cm tiles (0.36 m² each): 20 × 1.10 ÷ 0.36 = 61.1 → 62 tiles. Always round up — you cannot buy half a tile.

Tiles to buy

62 pieces

Area including waste
22 m²

Suggested waste: 10% for straight layouts, 15% for diagonal layouts or irregular rooms.

How it works

Waste covers cuts along walls and breakage. Use 10% for straight layouts in rectangular rooms; 15% for diagonal patterns or irregular shapes. Keep a few spares for future repairs — matching batches years later is hard.

Frequently asked questions

How much extra tile for diagonal layout?+

15% minimum — more cuts along every wall. Complex herringbone patterns can need 20%+. The calculator lets you set waste percentage manually.

Large vs small tiles for a small room?+

Large format (60×60, 80×80) means fewer grout lines and fewer pieces to buy, but more waste on small irregular rooms. Small tiles suit wet rooms with more cuts.

Do I include grout in the tile count?+

Tile count is pieces only. Grout is bought separately by kg based on joint width and tile size. Wider joints use more grout per m².

Rectified tiles — less waste?+

Rectified edges allow thinner grout lines but do not reduce the number of cuts along walls. Waste percentage stays similar; aesthetics improve.

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