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How many tiles and boxes should you buy?

How many tiles and boxes should you buy?

Published 30 August 2026Reading : 2 minBy Bethemesh Team
Beginner

Tiling is bought in whole tiles and whole boxes, not in an exact number of square metres. The Tile calculator therefore separates room area, waste allowance, tile format and box size.

For 18 m² with 10% waste, plan 19.8 m². A 60 × 60 cm tile covers 0.36 m², so at least 55 tiles are required. If a box contains four tiles, you need 14 boxes: 56 tiles or 20.16 m² actually purchased.

Choosing the allowance

A simple rectangular room with a straight layout usually wastes less than a diagonal layout, many corners or a complex pattern. Large tiles can also create sizeable unusable offcuts. Start with a reasonable percentage and adjust it to the actual layout.

The calculator estimates quantity; it does not replace a detailed tile layout. For a visually sensitive room, plan the axes and edge cuts before final ordering.

Adhesive, grout and packaging

Adhesive and grout consumption depend on the product, substrate, trowel and tile size. Use the manufacturer’s kg/m² value rather than a universal assumption.

Always enter the real box coverage or number of tiles per box. Packaging creates an additional surplus that is normal and should not be confused with the waste allowance.

For an alternative floor finish, compare with the Flooring calculator. If the surface requires a controlled fall, use the Slope calculator.

Before buying, measure the area, choose the layout, set the waste allowance, enter the exact tile and box format and verify batch or shade information when supplied.

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