How Much Tile for a 100 sq ft Floor?
A 100 sq ft floor with 12ร12 tiles needs 100 tiles before waste โ but boxes, cuts, and breakage change the order. With 10% waste that is 110 tiles, and since boxes hold 10โ12, the box count and the adhesive and grout follow. Here is the takeoff plus the layout trick that halves your cuts.
Step-by-Step Takeoff
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1
Dry-lay the first row from the room center, not the wall, so cut tiles land equal on both sides.
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2
Field tile: 100 ร 1.1 = 110 tiles รท box count (e.g. 12) = 10 boxes (order 10, keep receipts).
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3
Thinset: ~50 lb bag per 40โ60 sq ft at 1/4-in trowel โ 2โ3 bags.
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4
Grout: one 25 lb bag covers roughly 100 sq ft of 12-inch tile.
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5
Back-butter large tiles and beat them in โ hollow spots crack under point loads.
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6
Let thinset cure 24 hours before grouting; seal cement grout after 72 hours.
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7
Run cuts and L-cuts through the Tile Cutting Calculator for exact box counts.
Guide FAQ
What waste factor for tile?
10% for straight lay, 15% for diagonal or large-format tile with many cuts.
How much thinset per square foot?
About 1โ1.2 lb per sq ft at 1/4ร1/4-in trowel notch.
What size trowel for 12x12 floor tile?
1/4ร1/4-in square notch for most floors; 1/2ร1/2-in for uneven slabs or large format.
Can I tile over old tile?
Yes if it is sound, flat, and well bonded โ scarify glossy glaze first and use modified thinset.
How long before walking on new tile?
24 hours for thinset, 72 hours before heavy loads or sealing grout.
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Drywall sheets, screws, joint compound, and tape for a 12x12 room with 8 ft ceilings and two windows.