Tile Calculator — South Africa
Calculate how many tiles, bags of adhesive and grout you need for any SA floor or wall tiling project. Includes straight and diagonal layout wastage.
Quick answer: Tiles per m² depends entirely on tile size: 300×300mm tiles need approximately 11 tiles/m², 400×400mm need about 6.25 tiles/m², 600×600mm need roughly 2.78 tiles/m², and 200×200mm need around 25 tiles/m². Always add 10% wastage for straight layouts and more for diagonal patterns.
⚠️ For planning purposes only. Consult a registered tiler for substrate preparation and waterproofing requirements.
How to Use This Calculator
Enter the length and width of the area to be tiled in metres, then select your tile size from common SA formats. Choose floor or wall — this affects the adhesive coverage rate — and select your layout pattern: straight/grid uses 10% wastage, diagonal or herringbone uses 15%.
Select your grout joint width (3mm is standard for most tiles). Results show total tiles needed (including wastage), 20kg adhesive bags, and grout in kg and 5kg bags. Always order your full tile quantity from one batch to avoid shade variation.
Tile Calculations in South Africa — What You Need to Know
Ordering the right number of tiles is critical — once a batch sells out, the replacement batch may differ slightly in shade, tone or dimension. This is called a tile variation or shade variation and it is a known issue across all SA tile ranges. Buying all tiles from the same batch, including your wastage allowance, is the only way to guarantee a consistent result.
Common SA Tile Sizes and Coverage
| Tile Size | Tiles per m² | Best Use | Straight Wastage | Diagonal Wastage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200×200mm | ~25/m² | Bathrooms, feature walls | 10% | 15% |
| 300×300mm | ~11/m² | Bathrooms, kitchens, general floors | 10% | 15% |
| 400×400mm | ~6.25/m² | Living areas, large bathrooms | 10% | 15% |
| 600×600mm | ~2.78/m² | Open-plan floors, modern aesthetics | 10% | 15% |
| 900×900mm | ~1.24/m² | Premium living areas | 10% | 15% |
Tile Calculator Formula
Area (m²) = Length × Width
Tiles per m² = 1 ÷ (tile length + joint) ÷ (tile width + joint)
Tiles (no waste) = Area × Tiles per m²
Tiles (with waste) = Tiles (no waste) × (1 + wastage %)
Adhesive bags (20kg) = Area × adhesive kg/m² ÷ 20
Grout (kg) = Area × grout factor (depends on tile size & joint width)
Adhesive vs Tile Glue — What to Use in South Africa
In South Africa, the correct product for most floor and wall tiling is a cement-based tile adhesive (sometimes called tile mortar or C1/C2 adhesive). This is not the same as the contact adhesive glue sometimes used for lightweight wall tiles. Cement-based adhesive provides proper bond strength, is moisture resistant, and is suitable for use in wet areas such as bathrooms and showers when combined with a waterproofing membrane. The two main product types in SA are standard-set adhesive (grey or white, for most applications) and flexible adhesive for large format tiles above 600mm and areas subject to movement or vibration.
Grout Selection — Sanded vs Unsanded in SA
For joints 3mm and wider, use sanded grout — it has better compressive strength and resists cracking in wider joints. For joints under 3mm (typically used with large format tiles), use unsanded or fine-grain grout to avoid scratching the tile surface during application. In wet areas, use a polymer-modified grout for better water resistance. Epoxy grout is available for the most demanding environments but requires skilled application and is significantly more expensive.
Substrate Preparation — The Most Important Step
Tile failures in South Africa are almost always caused by inadequate substrate preparation rather than poor tiling technique. The substrate must be clean, solid, level (within 3mm over 3 metres for floor tiles), free of movement, and free of dust, wax, paint or curing compounds that prevent adhesive bonding. A screed that sounds hollow when tapped must be repaired or removed before tiling — hollow screed will eventually crack and take the tiles with it. In wet areas such as showers and bathrooms, a waterproofing membrane must be applied to the screed before tiling; tiling directly onto an unprotected screed in a wet area is the single most common cause of leaking showers in South African construction.
For floor tiles in areas subject to underfloor heating or significant thermal movement — increasingly common in South African homes — use a flexible (C2) tile adhesive rated for thermal cycling. Standard cement-based adhesive becomes brittle under repeated heating and cooling and will lose bond over time. The tile joint width should also be increased slightly (minimum 3mm) when tiling over heated substrates to accommodate the expansion of both the tile and the adhesive bed.
Tile Wastage — How Much Extra to Order
Always order more tiles than the net area requires. The standard wastage allowance in South Africa is 10% for a straightforward rectangular room with tiles laid square. Diagonal layouts (tiles set at 45°) require 15% extra because more cutting is needed at the perimeter. Irregular room shapes, many internal corners, or tiles with a strong directional pattern can require 20% or more. Order the full quantity in one batch — batch colour variations between orders are a common and frustrating problem, as tile manufacturing produces slight shade differences between production runs that are clearly visible once laid.