How much 16 x 16 tile do you need for 96 square feet?

In simple math, it takes 54 16-inch by 16-inch tiles to cover 96 square feet. Rarely, however, do the figures work out when tile has to be cut to fit, so installers generally recommend purchasing 10 percent extra.

One way to figure out how much tile is needed is to change the square feet to square inches by multiplying 96 square feet by 144 square inches per square foot. The answer is 13,824 square inches. Each tile is 256 square inches. Dividing the total square inches by the tile's square inches, 13,824/256, equals 54. It therefore takes 54 tiles to cover the area. Adding in 10 percent for waste, it is best to purchase 60 tiles.