How many 12x12 tiles for 100 square feet? (12x24, 18x18, 24x24 too)
A 12 x 12 inch tile with a 1/8 inch grout line covers a little more than one square foot, so 100 square feet takes 98 tiles exactly and 108 once you add 10% for cuts and breakages; laid diagonally, 113. Larger formats need fewer pieces: 55 of the 12 x 24 inch size for the same floor. The tables cover 100 to 500 square feet in the common sizes and turn tiles into boxes.
Tiles for 100, 200, 300 and 500 square feet
Each count includes a 1/8 inch grout line around every tile and 10% waste, then rounds up to a whole tile. The second column is the exact number per 100 square feet before waste, useful for checking a quote.
| Tile size | Per 100 sq ft (exact) | 100 sq ft | 200 sq ft | 300 sq ft | 500 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 x 12 in | 97.9 | 108 | 216 | 324 | 539 |
| 12 x 24 in | 49.2 | 55 | 109 | 163 | 271 |
| 18 x 18 in | 43.8 | 49 | 97 | 145 | 242 |
| 24 x 24 in | 24.7 | 28 | 55 | 82 | 137 |
| 6 x 24 in | 97.5 | 108 | 215 | 322 | 536 |
| 4 x 12 in | 287.9 | 317 | 634 | 951 | 1,584 |
How the numbers are worked out
One tile plus its share of grout is a cell of (12 + 1/8) x (12 + 1/8) inches, or 1.021 square feet. Divide the floor area by the cell, multiply by 1.10 for waste, round up. The tile calculator does this for any tile size, grout width and waste, and gives boxes if you tell it the count on the box.
From tiles to boxes
Boxes of 12 x 12 tile hold anywhere from 8 to 15 pieces depending on thickness and brand, so there is no single answer; find the count or the square feet printed on the box and use the matching row.
| Tiles per box | 100 sq ft | 200 sq ft | 300 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 per box | 14 | 27 | 41 |
| 10 per box | 11 | 22 | 33 |
| 12 per box | 9 | 18 | 27 |
| 15 per box | 8 | 15 | 22 |
Waste: straight, diagonal, patterned
Waste is the tile you cut off at the walls and around fixtures plus the odd broken piece. A straight grid in a rectangular room loses about 5 to 10%; a diagonal layout cuts every tile along two walls and loses 15% or more; herringbone and other patterns with large offsets can reach 20%. Rooms with alcoves, islands and lots of pipes sit at the top of each range. The 15% diagonal figure for 100 square feet of 12 x 12 is 113 tiles.
Large format: 18x18 and 24x24
Bigger tiles mean fewer pieces and fewer grout lines, but each cut wastes more, and the floor underneath must be flatter: a 24 x 24 tile shows any hump as lippage. Rectified large-format tiles are often laid with a 1/16 inch line, which changes the count by less than 1%.
Before you order
- Measure the room at floor level, in feet and inches, and multiply length by width. For an L-shaped room add two rectangles; the room planner gives the floor area of any outline.
- Order everything from one dye lot and check the lot number on each box when it arrives.
- Thinset and grout are separate: bags are labelled by the square feet they cover for a given tile size and trowel notch.
- Metric sizes (30 x 30, 60 x 60 cm)? See tiles per square metre.
Frequently asked questions
- How many 12x12 tiles do I need for 100 square feet?
- 98 tiles cover 100 square feet with a 1/8 inch grout line; buy 108 to allow 10% for cutting and breakage, or 113 for a diagonal layout. A 12 x 12 tile is not quite a square foot once the grout is added, which is why the count is slightly under 100 before waste.
- How many 12x24 tiles for 100 square feet?
- 50 exactly and 55 with 10% waste. Plank and rectangular tiles are usually laid in an offset pattern, which cuts one tile per row at each wall, so keep the full 10% even on a simple room.
- How many boxes of tile do I need?
- Divide the tiles with waste by the number printed on the box and round up. For 100 square feet of 12 x 12 tile that is 11 boxes of 10 or 8 boxes of 15. Boxes are often labelled by square feet instead; then divide the area plus waste by that figure.
- How much extra tile should I buy for waste?
- 10% for a straight layout in a simple room, 15% for diagonal or herringbone patterns and rooms with many corners, and 20% for natural stone or a large-format tile that chips easily. Keep a few spare tiles from the same batch for future repairs; dye lots change.
- Does the grout line change how many tiles I need?
- Slightly. With a 1/16 inch line a 12 x 12 tile covers less area than with 1/8 inch, so you need about 1% more tiles; with 3/16 inch about 1% fewer. It matters more on small tiles: the tile calculator lets you set the grout width for any size.
- How many tiles per square foot?
- 0.98 of the 12 x 12 size, 0.97 of 6 x 24 planks and 2.88 of 4 x 12 subway tiles, all with a 1/8 inch grout line and before waste.
More guides
- How many tiles per square metre? 30x30, 60x60 and other sizes
Tiles per square metre for the common sizes with a 3 mm grout gap, how many to order for 10 m² with cutting waste, and when to allow more than 10%.
- How many tiles do I need for a shower? 12x24, subway and 12x12
Wall area of 32x60, 36x36 and 36x48 in showers with 8 ft walls, tiles needed in 12x24, 3x6 subway, 12x12 and 2x2 mosaic sheets with 10 to 15% waste, and the floor on top.
- How many pavers do I need for a 10x10 patio? 12x12, 16x16, 24x24
Pavers for a 10x10, 12x12, 16x16 and 20x20 ft patio in 4x8, 6x9, 12x12, 16x16 and 24x24 inch sizes with a 1/8 in joint and 5% waste, plus the base to go under them.
- How many tiles for a kitchen backsplash? (subway, 4x12, mosaic)
Subway 3x6, 4x12 and 12x12 mosaic sheet counts for backsplashes of 10 to 30 linear feet at 18 inches high with 10% waste, boxes to order, and metric splashbacks.
Last updated 2026-09-12. Figures are planning estimates from typical product data: check the yield, size or coverage printed on what you buy and round up.