Tile calculator: tile, backer board, thinset, grout and labor
Order 10 percent more tile than the floor measures, so a 200 square foot floor takes 220 square feet of tile, and porcelain floor tile runs $3.35 to $5.20 per square foot in 2026. This tile calculator adds 3x5 cement backer board, modified thinset, grout, and setting labor at $4.50 to $9.50 per square foot. At the defaults that floor comes to $2,104 to $3,765 installed, or about $10.52 to $18.83 per square foot.
Worked example: 200 sq ft tile area
That takes 110 tiles (12x24 tiles with 10 percent waste). National-average costs:
| Line | Quantity | Cost range |
|---|---|---|
| Porcelain floor tile | 220 sq ft | $737 to $1,144 |
| Cement backer board, 3x5 | 15 sheets | $270 to $416 |
| Modified thinset, 50 lb | 5 bags | $98 to $150 |
| Grout | 2 bags | $42 to $66 |
| Setting labor | 200 sq ft | $900 to $1,900 |
| Spacers, leveling clips, backer screws, mesh tape and grout sealer | 5% | $57 to $89 |
| Estimated total | $2,104 to $3,765 |
Enter the floor area you are tiling, measured before any waste. The interactive calculator on this page recomputes these numbers for your dimensions and adjusts for any US state.
How to measure for tile work
Measure each room to the wall
Length times width for every room, out to the wall where base trim will hide the edge, then add the rooms together. Skip the area under cabinets that are already set, and include closets only if the tile runs into them.
Settle the pattern first
A straight lay is the 10 percent waste this calculator uses. Diagonal and herringbone patterns turn most border pieces into cuts and want 15 percent or more, so get the pattern signed off before the tile order goes in.
Straightedge the floor
Tile with any side over 15 inches needs the floor flat to 1/8 inch in 10 feet. Drag a straightedge across the room, mark the humps and dips, and price the leveler or grinding before you quote, not on install day.
Count edges and doorways
Every doorway where tile meets wood, carpet or vinyl needs a transition, and exposed tile edges at a step or half wall need trim. Metal edge trim at $5.70 to $8.80 a foot adds up fast across a big open floor.
What this calculator assumes
- Numbers are 2026 national averages for porcelain floor tile set over cement backer board on a wood subfloor.
- Tile carries 10 percent waste for a straight lay, and backer board rounds up to whole 3x5 sheets with 10 percent extra.
- Thinset figures 40 square feet per 50 pound bag and grout 100 square feet per bag, both rounded up to whole bags.
- The 5 percent allowance covers spacers, leveling clips, backer screws, mesh tape and grout sealer.
- Demo of the old floor, subfloor repair, toilet pull and reset, heated floor mats and showers are not in the total.
- Small rooms carry a day minimum: a 50 square foot bathroom floor sells for $700 to $1,800 once demo and the toilet are in the scope.
Cost factors in tile work
Tile size
12 inch tile is the quickest to set. Mosaics go down sheet by sheet at $12.75 to $19.50 a square foot, and large format past 24 inches needs two people per piece, a flatter floor and back-buttering, which raises both labor and thinset.
Floor prep
A floor that is out of flat gets self-leveler or grinding before the first tile. Older houses with springy floors may need another layer of plywood or added blocking under the backer, and that work belongs in the bid as its own line.
Pattern and layout
Herringbone and diagonal sets add layout hours and turn the whole perimeter into cuts. Plank tile set at a one-third offset limits lippage, and a client who wants a half offset on long plank should hear why that costs more time.
Wet areas
Showers and tub walls are a different job: waterproofing membrane at $1.65 to $2.55 per square foot, a pan, and slow wall setting. Price them as an assembly, never off the floor square foot rate.
Old tile underneath
Chipping out old tile is slow and loud, and an old mortar bed under it can turn half a day of demo into two days. Look under a floor register or at a threshold before quoting so the demo line matches what is really there.
Frequently asked questions
How many tiles do I need?
Divide the square feet you are ordering by the area of one tile. With 10 percent waste, a 200 square foot floor needs 220 square feet of tile: 220 tiles at 12 by 12, 110 at 12 by 24, or 55 at 24 by 24. Tile sells by the box, so round up to full boxes and leave one with the client for future repairs.
Do I need backer board under floor tile?
Over a wood subfloor, yes, or an uncoupling membrane in its place. Cement backer board at $1.20 to $1.85 per square foot gets bedded in thinset and screwed down before any tile goes on. Over a clean, flat concrete slab you can set tile straight on the slab, and uncoupling membrane at $1.90 to $2.95 per square foot earns its cost where the slab has cracks.
What does tile installation cost per square foot in 2026?
This calculator puts porcelain floor tile at about $10.52 to $18.83 per square foot installed at its defaults, tile plus backer, thinset, grout and labor. Enter 500 square feet and the job comes to $5,260 to $9,414. Small bathrooms cost more per foot in practice, since demo, a toilet pull and a day minimum ride on very little area.
How many bags of thinset and grout for 200 square feet?
Five 50 pound bags of modified thinset and two bags of grout. The calculator figures about 40 square feet per bag of thinset, enough to bed the backer board and set the tile, and about 100 square feet per bag of grout for 12 inch tile with 3/16 inch joints. Small tile, wide joints and back-buttered large format all burn more, so check the bag chart for your trowel and joint size.
How much is Staxen for tile setters?
Staxen costs $59 per month per AI employee, or $149 per month for all three, with the first 7 days free in the app. Describe the room by voice or text and Eddie the Estimator returns a priced line-item estimate the client signs from a texted link, deposit included. When the client upgrades the tile halfway through, the change order goes out for approval by text or email.