Flooring
Flooring
A floor that looks right the first time comes down to layout maths: tile count, spacing, adhesive and grout - with the right waste allowance for your pattern.
Tools
Calculators for This Category
Field guides
Practical Guides
- How Much Tile Do I Need? Square footage, boxes, and the waste allowance that depends on your pattern.
- Tile Layout Patterns Compared Grid, running bond, diagonal and herringbone — waste and difficulty compared.
- Tile Spacing & Grout Joint Widths Why the gap between tiles decides how much grout you buy.
- How Much Grout Do I Need? Pounds of grout from tile size, spacing and area — worked examples included.
- How Much Flooring Do I Need? Boxes, waste by pattern and the accessories list for plank floors.
Waste Allowance by Layout Pattern
Cuts, broken tiles and pattern repeats all consume material. These are the allowances the trade uses when ordering.
| Pattern | Order extra | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Straight grid | 10% | Edge cuts and breakage |
| Running bond | 10–15% | Staggered cuts at edges |
| Diagonal | 15% | Every perimeter tile is a cut |
| Herringbone | 15–20% | Many small cuts, more breakage |
| Large-format (>16 in.) | 15% | Fewer tiles, each cut wastes more |
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