How much tile do I need for a 12 × 12 ft room?
A 12 × 12 ft room is 144 square feet, so buy 158 square feet of tile to allow 10 percent for cuts. In 12 × 24 in tile that is 78 tiles, about 11 boxes; in 12 × 12 it is 156 tiles. Setting it takes 4 bags of thinset and about 20 lb of grout.
Tile for a 12 × 12 ft room by tile size
| Tile | Tiles to buy (10% waste) | Boxes (15.5 sq ft) | Thinset, 50 lb bags | Grout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 × 12 in | 156 | 11 | 3 | 27 lb |
| 12 × 24 in | 78 | 11 | 4 | 20 lb |
| 24 × 24 in | 40 | 11 | 4 | 14 lb |
| 6 × 24 in plank | 155 | 11 | 4 | 34 lb |
| 3 × 6 in subway | 1,192 | 11 | 2 | 80 lb |
A 12 × 12 ft room is 144 square feet; with 10 percent waste you need 158 square feet of tile. Grout assumes 1/8 in joints; thinset coverage depends on the trowel size the tile needs.
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Thinset, grout, and supplies for 144 square feet
- Thinset: 4 bags of 50 lb modified thinset for 12 × 24 tile with a 1/4 × 3/8 in notch trowel. Large-format tile over 15 in needs a 1/2 in notch and back-buttering, which is why the 24 × 24 count is higher.
- Grout: about 20 lb for 1/8 in joints with 12 × 24 tile; a 10 lb box is not enough, buy 25 lb. Use unsanded grout for joints under 1/8 in.
- Backer board: cement board over a wood subfloor, 10 sheets of 3 × 5 ft, plus 10 rolls of alkali-resistant mesh tape.
- Spacers: one bag of 1/8 in spacers covers this job. Sealer: 1 pint for the grout lines.
- Tools: a wet saw rental ($50 to $75 a day) for porcelain; a snap cutter handles ceramic.
What tiling a 12 × 12 ft room costs
Tile runs $1 to $5 per square foot for ceramic and porcelain at home centers and $8 to $20 for stone and designer tile, so 158 square feet is about $158 to $792 for standard tile. Thinset, grout, backer board, and spacers add $144 to $288. Professional installation typically runs $1,152 to $2,160 for 144 square feet, more for small tile, patterns, or intricate layouts. Figure a weekend for a DIY job this size: one day to set, one to grout.
Common questions
How many 12x12 tiles for a 12 × 12 ft room?
156 tiles with 10 percent waste, since each 12 × 12 tile covers just under a square foot with its grout joint. In 12 × 24 tile it is 78, and in 3 × 6 subway tile 1,192.
How many boxes of tile for 144 square feet?
11 boxes at 15.5 square feet per box to get 158 square feet with waste. Box coverage varies from 10 to 16 square feet, so check the label and round up.
How much thinset and grout for 144 square feet of tile?
4 bags of 50 lb thinset for 12 × 24 tile, or 4 for 24 × 24, and 20 lb of grout with 1/8 in joints. Subway tile needs about 80 lb of grout because of all the extra joints.