PROJECT SUMMARY
Tile project summary
Area80 sq ft floor
- Tile
- 44 × 12"×24"
- Order
- 88 sq ft (+10%)
- Thinset
- 3 bags
- Grout
- 2 bags
- Layout
- Straight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Build time
- 3–5.5 days
- Estimated materials
- $458–$620
Tile & Material Calculator
Tile count, thinset, grout and backer board for a floor or wall.
Configure
Tile calculator
Surface
Advanced optionsfine-tune the details…
Estimates are planning aids, not a professional quote. Double-check quantities and product coverage — and any local code or permit requirements — before you buy.
⚠ Always buy a little extra from the same dye lot and keep the offcuts: tile colors shift between production runs, so a later patch rarely matches. Dry-lay a row first to plan your cuts and center the layout.
Cost breakdown
Material only · national-average rates
| Tile & Stone | $422–$572 |
| Finishing & Sealant | $27–$37 |
| Fasteners & Hardware | $9–$12 |
| Total | $458–$620 |
Excludes tools, delivery, tax and permit fees. Labor not included — this is a DIY materials estimate.
Shopping list
Every item · grouped by store sectionThese are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the calculator recommends — the shopping list comes from your dimensions, not from what pays.
Tile & Stone
- 44× tilesTile — 12"×24" — 80 sq ft (88 sq ft with waste) · straight · buy whole boxes, one dye lot
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- 3× bagsThinset mortar — 50 lb — tile + backer board
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- 2× 25 lb bagsGrout — more grout for smaller tiles / wider joints
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- 6× 3×5 sheetCement backer board (1/2") — over the subfloor
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- 2× rollBacker seam tape
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- 1× bagTile spacers
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Fasteners & Hardware
- 1× boxBacker-board screws
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Finishing & Sealant
- 2× qtGrout / stone sealer — seals cementitious grout against stains
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Tools
✓ required · ○ helpful
- Tile saw (wet saw) or snap cutter — wet saw for porcelain & large format
- Notched trowel — sized to the tile
- Grout float
- Tile spacers & leveling clips
- Bucket & large sponge — cleaning grout haze
- Margin trowel & mixing paddle
- Rubber mallet & level
- Knee pads
Project notes
- Estimates are a planning aid. Tile count is the area divided by the size of one tile, plus waste — 10% for a straight layout, more for diagonal and herringbone, which create more cut pieces around the edges.
- Buy whole boxes from a single dye lot and keep a few spare tiles. Shades vary between production runs, so a tile bought later to patch a crack rarely matches the originals.
- The substrate makes or breaks a tile job. Floors and wet walls need cement backer board or an uncoupling membrane over a stiff, flat base; tiling onto a flexing or uneven surface leads to cracked tiles and grout.
- Dry-lay a row to center the pattern and avoid thin slivers at the walls, comb the thinset with the right-sized notched trowel, use spacers (and leveling clips for large-format), and let it set before grouting.
About this calculator
How to estimate a tile
Enter the area you're tiling and the tile size, and the Tile Calculator returns how many tiles to buy plus the thinset mortar, grout, spacers and — for floors and wet walls — the backer board to do it right. It adds extra for the layout you choose, since diagonal and herringbone patterns create more cut pieces around the edges.
Pick a floor or wall, a common tile size and a pattern, and the takeoff updates instantly. Buy whole boxes from one dye lot and keep the offcuts — the one rule that saves a mismatched patch down the road.
Step by step
How to tile a floor or wall
A step-by-step walkthrough to go with your plan above. Follow the product instructions and any local code or permit requirements as you work.
- 1
Measure and choose the tile
Measure the floor or wall area and pick your tile size and layout. The calculator turns that into a tile count with the right waste, plus thinset, grout and backer board.
- 2
Prepare the substrate
Make sure the base is stiff, flat and clean. Over a wood floor or in a wet area, fasten cement backer board and tape the seams; on a sound slab you can often tile directly.
- 3
Dry-lay and find your lines
Snap layout lines and dry-lay a row in each direction to center the pattern and avoid thin sliver cuts at the walls. Adjust the starting point before any thinset goes down.
- 4
Set the field tile
Comb thinset with the correctly sized notched trowel, press each tile in with a slight twist for full contact, and use spacers (and leveling clips for big tiles) to keep joints even and the surface flat.
- 5
Cut the edges
Measure and cut the perimeter and any obstacle pieces with a wet saw or snap cutter, leaving a small gap at the walls. Dry-fit before buttering them in.
- 6
Grout the joints
Once the thinset has cured, pack grout into the joints with a float held at an angle, then wipe the haze with a damp sponge, rinsing often. Don't flood the joints with water.
- 7
Seal and finish
After the grout cures, buff off any remaining haze and apply a penetrating sealer to cementitious grout so it resists stains. Caulk the changes of plane (corners and edges) instead of grouting them.
Equip the job
Recommended gear for this build
Hand-picked categories that match the shopping list above. Links open a current selection so you can compare brands and prices.
These are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the calculator recommends — the shopping list comes from your dimensions, not from what pays.
ToolsWet tile sawClean, chip-free cuts in porcelain and large-format tile a snap cutter can't manage.
$90–250
Tile & StoneTile leveling clip systemKeeps large-format tile lippage-free so no edge sits proud of its neighbor.
$20–40
Tile & StoneCement backer boardThe stable substrate tile needs over wood floors and in wet areas.
$12–15/sheet
ToolsNotched trowel setMatch the notch to the tile so you get full thinset coverage and no hollow spots.
$15–30
Finishing & SealantPenetrating grout sealerProtects cementitious grout from stains and makes floors far easier to keep clean.
$12–20
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Answers
Frequently asked questions
How many tiles do I need?
Measure the area in square feet (length × width), then divide by the square footage of one tile — a 12×24 tile covers 2 square feet, a 12×12 covers 1, a 3×6 subway about 0.125. Add waste on top: about 10% for a straight layout, and 15–20% for diagonal or herringbone, which produce more cut edge pieces. This calculator does the math and also totals the square footage so you can buy whole boxes.
How much thinset and grout do I need?
Coverage depends on tile size and trowel notch, but a 50 lb bag of thinset covers roughly 90 square feet of small tile or about 60 of large-format, where you also back-butter. Grout use rises as tiles get smaller and joints get wider, since there's more total joint length. The calculator sizes both from your tile size and area, plus a spare bag.
Do I need backer board under tile?
On floors and wet walls, almost always. Tile is rigid and needs a stiff, stable, flat base — over a wood subfloor that means cement backer board or an uncoupling membrane, not bare plywood, which flexes and cracks tile and grout. On already-solid surfaces like a concrete slab you can often tile directly. The calculator includes backer board and seam tape when you turn it on.
How much extra tile should I buy?
Always order at least 10% over for a simple grid, and 15–20% for diagonal or herringbone patterns and for rooms with lots of jogs and corners. Beyond covering cuts and breakage, the extra matters because tile shades shift between production runs — keeping spare tiles from the same dye lot means a future repair will actually match.