People often think that being a flooring contractor in South Florida is all brawn. It’s true — you do need to get down in the grit. But there are equal parts brain to the job. Many aspects involve math. This is especially true for ceramic tile installation.

So how do you accurately calculate the amount of tile you’ll need for an area? Consider the shape of the room.

For a Square or Rectangular Room

  1. Measure the length of one side of the room.
  2. Measure the width of the room (i.e., measure the length of the perpendicular wall).
  3. Multiply these measurements together to get the square footage. For example: A 14-foot by 10-foot room = 140 square feet.
  4. Figure out how much tile you’ll need. In other words, if each box you’ll buy contains 10 square feet of ceramic tile, then you’ll need to buy 14 boxes of tile to cover 140 square feet. But wait! You’ll want to get a little extra.
  5. Accommodate for overage. There will always be a broken tile or some tile that you have to cut. Give yourself 10% wiggle room. Using our example: 10% of 140 square feet is another 14 square feet. Add this (140 + 14) and you get 154 square feet. Because the example tile is sold in boxes of 10 square feet, you’ll need to buy two additional boxes of tile. This will give you 160 square feet of ceramic tile.
  6. Over time, you may need to replace individual tiles. It’s a good idea to have some extra ceramic tiles on hand in case the style is discontinued or increases in price.

Note: If you’re calculating the amount of tile needed for a wall, you can follow the same approach. But instead of measuring length and width, you’ll measure height and width.

For an Odd or Irregularly Shaped Room

Simply divide the space into squares or rectangles. To avoid confusion, you can use painters’ tape to mark the area. Painters’ tape comes up easily without leaving marks on surfaces. This approach also works if you’re laying tile diagonally, or if you’re calculating the amount of tile you’ll need for multiple areas.

If you need help with ceramic tile installation, contact East Coast Flooring & Interiors. We’ve installed ceramic tile floors in square and rectangular shaped spaces as well as in odd or uniquely shaped spaces. From straightforward ceramic tile installation to creating complex mosaics and patterns, we’ve done it all — and we can get it done for you!