July 16, 2025

Don't Run Out Mid-Project: The Real Math Behind Tile Calculations

Don't Run Out Mid-Project: The Real Math Behind Tile Calculations

The mystery of "How much tile do I need?" frustrates even the most meticulous homeowners and designers. During this conversation with Abby, we unravel why that seemingly simple calculation consistently falls short in real-world applications. Every tile installation includes hidden factors that increase material needs beyond basic measurements. Those awkward cuts around outlets, inevitable breakage during shipping or installation, and factory defects quickly consume your supply. One kitchen b...

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Season 2

The mystery of "How much tile do I need?" frustrates even the most meticulous homeowners and designers. During this conversation with Abby, we unravel why that seemingly simple calculation consistently falls short in real-world applications.

Every tile installation includes hidden factors that increase material needs beyond basic measurements. Those awkward cuts around outlets, inevitable breakage during shipping or installation, and factory defects quickly consume your supply. One kitchen backsplash client learned this lesson the hard way, running short halfway through installation despite our warnings. The experience highlights why the professional standard of adding 10-15% overage exists—it's not excessive caution, but practical necessity.

Your specific project details significantly impact how much extra you'll need. Working with subway tile in a rectangular room? The standard 10% might suffice. Planning a herringbone pattern or tiling a room with multiple angles and alcoves? You'll want 15-20% additional material. Large format tiles create proportionally larger waste with each cut, while complex patterns generate unusable offcuts. We share real customer scenarios, including a sunroom with so many angles that required nearly 20% extra material to complete successfully.

Beyond preventing installation delays, ordering sufficient overage serves another critical purpose—future repairs. Tile production varies between batches, making perfect matches impossible years later if you damage a tile. Having spares from your original installation ensures seamless repairs without resorting to visible patches or complete replacements. Have you encountered tile shortages in your projects? Share your experiences and reach out with questions as you plan your next tile transformation. Your well-planned project starts with the right materials calculation.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Tile Questions

00:41 - Common Tile Questions Teaser

01:23 - Intro: The Tile Calculation Problem

02:57 - The 10-15% Overage Rule Explained

04:56 - Tricky Situations and Horror Stories

06:50 - Conclusion and Contact Information

Transcript
WEBVTT

00:00:01.824 --> 00:00:04.572
What kind of tile can you put on the wall or shower?

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Do you have to seal tile?

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How much extra tile should I buy for my project?

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What thinset is the best for my tile application?

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How hard is it to maintain natural stone?

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You have questions.

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We have answers.

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Welcome to the Belt Tile Podcast.

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How to style the bathroom, the backyard, the kitchen, how to improve your home style with tiles to make your home absolutely beautiful?

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Welcome to the Belk Tile Podcast.

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Here's your host, Mike Belk.

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Hey everyone, welcome back to the Belk Tile Podcast.

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I'm Mike Belk and, as always, I'm here with Abby.

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Hi everyone.

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Today we're tackling a question we get all the time how much tile do you really need for your project?

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And you know why is it that you always seem to need more than you think?

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Yeah, this is one of those things that trips up even the most prepared homeowners and designers.

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I mean, it sounds simple, measure your space, buy that much tile, right.

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But oh man, if only it were that easy.

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There are so many little things that can throw off your calculations Waste, cuts, breakage, it all adds up.

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Exactly, and I can't tell you how many times I've seen projects stall out because someone didn't order enough.

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You always want to buy extra.

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It's not just about being cautious, it's about being realistic.

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Tiles get cut to fit around corners, outlets or you know those weird little nooks that every house seems to have, and every time you make a cut there's a chance that piece can't be used somewhere else.

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And don't forget breakage Tiles can crack during shipping or you might drop one during install.

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Plus, sometimes you open a box and find a couple with little defects.

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If you don't have extras, you're stuck.

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I actually had a client this was a kitchen remodel maybe two years ago who wanted to save money and ordered just enough tile for her backsplash.

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We warned her, but she was determined.

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Well, halfway through we ran out because of all the little cuts around the outlets and cabinets.

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Layout of the room really matter too.

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If you're working with a simple subway tile in a rectangular room, you might get away with a little less overage.

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But if you've got a herringbone pattern or a room with a bunch of corners, you're going to need more.

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The more complex the layout, the more waste you end up with.

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And that's something we touched on in our shower floors, episode right All those little cuts for drains and slopes.

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It's the same idea plan for the unexpected and you'll save yourself a lot of headaches.

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So let's get into the nitty gritty.

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How do you actually figure out how much extra tile to buy?

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First, you measure your space length times width for each section, add them up and that's your total square footage.

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But that's just the starting point.

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Right, and then comes the magic number overage.

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The general rule is to add 10% to 15% extra for most projects.

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If you're doing a basic layout in a pretty straightforward room, 10% is usually enough.

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But if you've got a diagonal pattern or something like herringbone or a room with a lot of nooks and crannies, bump it up to 15% or even 20%.

00:03:15.669 --> 00:03:22.758
Yeah, and I always tell customers, especially if they're using a tile that's got a lot of variation or is imported order a little more than you think you'll need.

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You don't want to run out and then find out the next batch doesn't match At Belk Tile.

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We help folks figure this out all the time.

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We look at the layout, the tile size, the room shape and recommend an overage that makes sense for their project.

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Let me give a quick example.

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Say your kitchen backsplash is 100 square feet.

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If you go with 15% overage, that's 15 extra square feet.

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So you'd order 115 square feet total.

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It's a small investment for a lot of peace of mind bigger cuts, and sometimes you can't use the leftover pieces anywhere else.

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So don't be afraid.

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To round up, it's way better to have a few extra tiles left over than to be scrambling at the end.

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And, honestly, having a couple of spares is great for future repairs.

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If you ever chip a tile or need to replace one down the road, you'll be glad you have a matching piece from the original batch.

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Now let's talk about those tricky situations Irregular rooms, big tiles, crazy patterns.

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These are the projects where things can go sideways fast.

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I had a client with a sunroom that was basically all angles and alcoves.

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We ended up needing almost 20% extra tile because every wall was a different length and there were so many cuts.

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It was wild.

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Yeah, and with those big tiles like the 24 by 24s, you really have to watch out.

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If your room isn't perfectly square, you end up trimming a lot, and those offcuts usually can't be reused.

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Same goes for patterns like chevron or herringbone Lots of waste, lots of planning, and if you run out of tile mid-project, well, that's when the real fun starts.

00:04:54.410 --> 00:04:56.552
Oh, I've heard some horror stories from listeners.

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One person emailed us about running out of tile halfway through a bathroom floor.

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The tile had been discontinued so they had to get creative, ended up using a border of a different tile to finish the job.

00:05:07.675 --> 00:05:12.516
It actually looked pretty cool in the end, but it was definitely not the original plan.

00:05:13.076 --> 00:05:13.819
I've seen that too.

00:05:13.819 --> 00:05:17.776
Sometimes you can make it work with a border or an accent, but it's always a scramble.

00:05:17.776 --> 00:05:19.600
That's why planning ahead is so important.

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I remember a project where we ordered just enough, but the installer chipped a few tiles during install.

00:05:24.891 --> 00:05:30.192
Luckily, the homeowner had listened to our advice and ordered extra, so we swapped them out with no problem.

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Saved the day really.

00:05:31.956 --> 00:05:38.918
And that's the big takeaway Plan for the unexpected, whether it's a weird-shaped room, a tricky pattern or just plain old bad luck.

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Having extra tile on hand can save your project and if you end up with leftovers, you can always use them for repairs or a fun DIY down the road.

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Absolutely Well, that's going to do it for today's episode.

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If you have questions about your own tile project or if you've got a story about running out of tile, send it our way.

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We love hearing from you.

00:05:56.973 --> 00:06:00.201
Yeah, and don't forget to check out our previous episodes if you miss them.

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We covered everything from shower floors to fireplace designs, so there's a lot of good stuff in the archive.

00:06:06.139 --> 00:06:08.437
Thanks for listening, mike, always a pleasure.

00:06:08.937 --> 00:06:09.480
Thanks Abby.

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We'll see you all next time on the Belk Tile Podcast.

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Take care everybody.

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Bye everyone.

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You've been listening to the Belk Tile Podcast.

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When it comes to creating a beautiful home using tile, this is the podcast for products, design ideas and tips.

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We hope you got some useful practical information from this show and we'll be back soon, but in the meantime, reach out.

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The website is wwwbelktilecom.

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Our store phone number is 614-543-8334.

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Find us on Facebook and Twitter at Belk Tile, and on Instagram at Belk Tiles.

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Make sure to leave a rating and review and if you have questions or comments, reach out and we'll talk about it on the next show.

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Till next time.