How to Calculate the Square Meters for Your Renovation

It’s always a good time to change the style of your home or renovate a space. Before you buy those cement tiles you’ve been eyeing or order porcelain tile samples for your floors or walls, there’s one essential step that will determine your budget and how much you’ll need to order: measuring the space you’re renovating correctly.

It’s very easy to miscalculate by just a few meters, which means you might run out of materials halfway through the project or even waste money on excess materials you don’t need. Don’t worry—we’re going to tell you everything you need to know so none of this happens to you.

1. The basic formula: Length × Width

For flat surfaces such as rectangular walls and floors, the formula is very simple:

Area = Length × Width

Tip: If you’re measuring a room that isn’t a perfect rectangle, you can divide it into smaller rectangles. To do this, calculate the area of each one and then add them all together.

2. The “Waste Factor” (The 10% Rule)

This is one of the most common mistakes made during the process. You should never buy the exact amount. When installing tiles, you always have to cut them to fit the corners.

General rule: Add an extra 5% to 10% to the total square meters.

If the design is herringbone or diagonal: Increase that margin to 15%, since the cuts generate much more excess material.

3. Walls: Don’t forget the doors and windows

When you need to figure out how many tiles you need to cover a wall, measure the total area of the walls and then subtract the area of openings such as doors and windows.

Wall Area = (Perimeter × Height) – Area of Openings

Even so, if the gaps aren’t too large, many professionals in the industry prefer not to subtract them so that the extra amount can serve as a reserve.

4. Depth matters, too

When you remodel a kitchen or bathroom, it’s not just the square meters that matter—it’s also the linear meters.

Countertops: They are measured by length.

Baseboards: Measure them by going around the perimeter of the room.

5. What materials are you using?

Not all square meters are calculated the same way when you buy tiles. Check how many square meters come in each box; it’s very unlikely that the amount will match exactly what you need for your renovation, so you should always round up.

Conclusion: Success Lies in the Details

Calculating the square meters you’ll need to buy your tiles is the most complicated part of the renovation.

• 🏠 Save time with a good calculation.
• 🫶 Protect your wallet from unexpected expenses
• ⛏️ Ensures a flawless finish

When in doubt, it’s always best to seek the help of a professional to verify your measurements, especially when renovating challenging areas like kitchens and bathrooms. You can contact our team whenever you need to —we’re here to help you through the entire process.