How Many 12x24 Tiles Do I Need for a Bathroom Floor? (2026 Guide)

Why 12x24 makes the math easy

Each 12x24 in tile is 1 ft by 2 ft, so it covers exactly 2 sq ft — half the work of a 12x12 tile, which covers only 1 sq ft. That gives the simplest formula in tiling: net tiles = room sq ft ÷ 2. Measure length × width in feet (5 × 8 = 40), divide by 2 (40 ÷ 2 = 20 tiles), then add waste for cuts. Getting the area right comes first — see how many tiles per square foot for the same breakdown the other way around.

Because each board is twice the size of a 12x12, the piece count is exactly half and you lay about half the grout lines — fewer joints to seal, fewer to clean, and a more seamless look on a small floor.

Net tiles, waste and boxes by room size

The table below starts from the room's square footage. Waste is set at 10% for a straight grid; switch to 15% for a diagonal or herringbone layout, since a rectangular 12x24 board on the diagonal produces more angled edge cuts and odd offcuts.

Box counts above assume 6 tiles per box (12x24 packs commonly run 6–8 pieces), so always check the label on the brand you buy and round up to a full box — box sizing varies by manufacturer.

Worked example: a 5x8 bathroom

The classic small bathroom is 5 × 8 ft = 40 sq ft. Here's the full order:

• Net count: 40 sq ft ÷ 2 sq ft per tile = 20 tiles.
• Add 10% waste: 20 × 1.1 = 22, so order 22–23 tiles.
• Full boxes: at 6 per box, 22 ÷ 6 ≈ 3.7 → 4 boxes = 24 tiles; at 8 per box, 3 boxes = 24 tiles.

The 10% buffer covers the real-world cuts on a bathroom floor: doorway and threshold strips, the notch around the toilet flange, pipe cutouts under the vanity, and a miscut or chipped tile. If you're also doing the shower, budget it as a separate area — see how many tiles a shower needs — and for a smaller room check how many tiles a 3x5 bathroom needs.

Large-format rules that change your order

• Flat subfloor first: a 12x24 in board flexes far less than a small tile, so a dip of even 1/8 in under a 24-in edge shows as lippage. Screed or self-level the slab and check it with a long straightedge before any tile lands.
• Stagger 1/3 or 1/2: brick-lay the boards with a 1/3 or 1/2 offset rather than stacked joints — it hides slight size differences between batches and looks more intentional on a floor.
• Slope only wet areas: a standard bathroom floor stays flat, but a shower floor or wet room must pitch about 1/4 in per ft toward the drain — the pitch doesn't change the tile count, just the layout.

Counting in square feet, not pieces, is where DIYers go wrong on large format — for every 2 sq ft of floor you buy one tile plus a waste share.

Estimate your tiles now →