How Many Tiles Do I Need?

Tiles come in so many different shapes and sizes so how do you calculate how many tiles you will need for your space.

Length x Width

The first step is to find out the area of the wall or floor on which you want to install the tiles. You can use a measuring tape to measure the area. The formula for square metres = Length x Width.

Measure the length on one side (up to down) and then measure the width (right to left). Multiply the length by the width to get the square metre calculation.

For example, your length is 80cm (0.8m) multiplied by your width 250cm (2.5m) = 2 Square metres (m2). This is your tight measurement.

Repeat the process for each wall or floor area where you want to install the corresponding tile and then add all of the quantities together to get your total square metres required by tile.

Allow for Cuts

Now you have the minimum square metres required for each tile but you need to allow for wastage. It’s important to buy more tiles than you need to cover the area, because tiles can be wasted when the tiler is cutting plus there can be breakages on site. Generally you will need to add a minimum 10% to your square metre calculation for wastage. If the tile pattern is more intricate or you are using a large format tile, we would recommend allowing a 20% wastage.If we use the example from before, your tight measurement is 2m x 10% = 0.2m wastage, so the total square metres required is 2.2m2.

Now you know the total square metres required, you can contact us to order the tiles you need. Our skilled team can assist you to find the right tile for your next project as well as assist with any design advice or technical know how.