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Interior

How Many Tiles Are in a Square Foot?

Quick Reference

At a glance

Tiles per square foot by size
Tile size (in)Tiles per ft²For 100 ft² (with 10% waste)
1×1 mosaic (sheets)144160 tiles · ~1 sheet ft²
2×2 mosaic364,000 tiles · 110 ft²
3×3161,760 tiles · 110 ft²
3×6 subway8880 tiles · 110 ft²
4×49990 tiles · 110 ft²
6×64440 tiles · 110 ft²
8×82.25248 tiles · 110 ft²
12×121110 tiles · 110 ft²
12×240.555 tiles · 110 ft²
18×180.4449 tiles · 110 ft²
24×24 large format0.2528 tiles · 110 ft²

How to calculate it yourself

Tiles per ft² = 144 ÷ (length in inches × width in inches). Total tiles needed = (room area in ft² × 1.10 waste) × tiles per ft², rounded up. For irregular shapes, break the room into rectangles and add the totals. Mosaic sheets cover ~1 ft² each but the individual tile count varies by mesh layout.

Common scenarios

Bathroom floor, 12×12 tile

A 5×8 ft bathroom (40 ft²) at 1 tile per ft² + 10% waste = 44 tiles. At 10 tiles per box (typical for 12×12), that is 5 boxes — buy the 5th box even though box 5 is only ~80% used. Returning leftover tile is harder than buying short.

Subway tile backsplash, 3×6

A 12-foot kitchen run × 18 inches tall = 18 ft². 18 × 8 tiles per ft² × 1.15 (15% for cuts and corners) = 166 tiles. At 22 tiles per box, that is 8 boxes.

Large-format 24×24 floor

A 200 ft² living area × 0.25 tiles per ft² × 1.10 = 55 tiles. At 4 per box, that is 14 boxes. Watch the substrate — large-format needs an extra-flat floor (no more than ⅛ inch deviation in 10 feet) to avoid lippage.

Related questions

Frequently asked

  • Waste covers cuts, breakage, and the 1-2 spare tiles you should keep for future repairs. Standard waste: 10% straight-lay, 15% diagonal, 20% herringbone or chevron, 25%+ for very small or irregular spaces. Order from one dye lot — colors vary between production runs.

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