Getting Tile Quantities Right
Tile is sold by the square foot but priced by the box — and every box covers a different area depending on tile size. A box of 12×12 tiles might cover 15 sq ft. A box of 6×24 planks might cover 12 sq ft. The relationship between your room dimensions, the tile size, and the box coverage determines how many boxes you actually need to buy.
The Tile Calculator handles this entire chain: enter your room dimensions and tile size, and it returns the exact number of tiles, the square footage, and the number of boxes. It includes an adjustable waste factor — 10% is standard for straight layouts, but diagonal patterns, large-format tiles, and rooms with lots of cuts can push waste to 15–20%.
Running short mid-project is worse with tile than almost any other material. Tile runs vary by production lot — the color, shade, and calibration can differ noticeably between batches. Buy everything from the same lot, order the full quantity plus waste upfront, and keep a few extras for future repairs. Returns of unopened boxes are usually accepted; running short of a discontinued tile is not fixable.