:root {
–primary-blue: #004a99;
–success-green: #28a745;
–light-background: #f8f9fa;
–dark-text: #343a40;
–border-color: #dee2e6;
}
body {
font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
background-color: var(–light-background);
color: var(–dark-text);
line-height: 1.6;
margin: 0;
padding: 20px;
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
align-items: center;
}
.loan-calc-container {
background-color: #ffffff;
padding: 30px;
border-radius: 8px;
box-shadow: 0 4px 15px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05);
width: 100%;
max-width: 600px;
margin-bottom: 30px;
}
h1, h2 {
color: var(–primary-blue);
text-align: center;
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.input-group {
margin-bottom: 20px;
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
}
.input-group label {
font-weight: 600;
margin-bottom: 8px;
color: var(–dark-text);
}
.input-group input[type="number"],
.input-group input[type="text"] {
padding: 10px;
border: 1px solid var(–border-color);
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 1rem;
transition: border-color 0.2s ease-in-out;
}
.input-group input[type="number"]:focus,
.input-group input[type="text"]:focus {
border-color: var(–primary-blue);
outline: none;
box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(0, 74, 153, 0.2);
}
button {
background-color: var(–primary-blue);
color: white;
padding: 12px 20px;
border: none;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 1.1rem;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background-color 0.2s ease-in-out, transform 0.1s ease-in-out;
width: 100%;
margin-top: 10px;
}
button:hover {
background-color: #003366;
transform: translateY(-1px);
}
button:active {
transform: translateY(0);
}
#result {
margin-top: 30px;
padding: 25px;
background-color: var(–primary-blue);
color: white;
text-align: center;
border-radius: 8px;
font-size: 1.8rem;
font-weight: bold;
box-shadow: 0 4px 10px rgba(0, 74, 153, 0.3);
}
#result span {
font-size: 1rem;
display: block;
margin-top: 5px;
font-weight: normal;
}
.article-container {
background-color: #ffffff;
padding: 30px;
border-radius: 8px;
box-shadow: 0 4px 15px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05);
width: 100%;
max-width: 800px;
text-align: left;
}
.article-container h2 {
color: var(–primary-blue);
text-align: left;
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.article-container p, .article-container ul, .article-container li {
color: var(–dark-text);
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.article-container li {
margin-left: 20px;
}
.article-container strong {
color: var(–primary-blue);
}
@media (max-width: 768px) {
.loan-calc-container, .article-container {
padding: 20px;
}
#result {
font-size: 1.5rem;
}
}
Understanding Square Footage for Tiling
Calculating the correct amount of tile is crucial for any tiling project, whether you're renovating a bathroom floor, installing a kitchen backsplash, or laying a patio. Underestimating can lead to costly delays and a mismatch in tile batches, while overestimating leads to unnecessary expense. The core of this calculation is determining the area of the space you intend to tile, and then adding a buffer for cuts, mistakes, and future repairs.
The Basic Calculation: Area
The area of a rectangular or square room is found by multiplying its length by its width. This gives you the basic square footage (sq ft) of the surface to be tiled.
Formula: Area = Length × Width
For example, if your room is 12 feet long and 10 feet wide, the area is:
12 ft × 10 ft = 120 sq ft
Accounting for Waste
It's rare to be able to tile a room perfectly without needing to cut tiles. Cuts are necessary for edges, corners, around fixtures (like toilets or sinks), and to account for any irregularities in wall or floor shape. Furthermore, mistakes can happen during cutting or installation, and it's always wise to have a small reserve of the same tile batch for future repairs.
A standard recommendation for waste is between 5% and 20%, depending on the complexity of the layout, the size and shape of the tiles, and your experience level.
- Simple Rectangular Areas: 5-10% waste factor.
- Areas with Angles/Curves/Obstacles: 10-15% waste factor.
- Complex Patterns (e.g., Herringbone) or Large Format Tiles: 15-20% waste factor.
To calculate the total required square footage including waste, you add a percentage of the initial area to itself.
Formula: Total Square Footage = Area × (1 + (Waste Factor / 100))
Using our 120 sq ft example and a 10% waste factor:
Total Square Footage = 120 sq ft × (1 + (10 / 100)) = 120 sq ft × 1.10 = 132 sq ft
Calculating Tile Boxes
Most tiles are sold by the box, and the coverage per box varies significantly by manufacturer and tile size. Always check the product description for how many square feet each box covers.
Formula: Recommended Boxes = Total Square Footage / Square Footage per Box
If your chosen tiles cover 15 sq ft per box, and you need 132 sq ft:
Recommended Boxes = 132 sq ft / 15 sq ft/box = 8.8 boxes
Since you can't buy partial boxes, you should always round up to the nearest whole number. In this case, you would purchase 9 boxes of tiles.
Important Considerations:
- Tile Size: Larger tiles often require a higher waste factor due to the precision needed for cuts.
- Room Shape: Irregularly shaped rooms, or rooms with many corners and obstacles, increase the amount of cutting and thus waste.
- Pattern: Diagonal layouts or intricate patterns increase waste significantly compared to a simple grid layout.
- Tile Batch: If possible, always purchase all your tiles at once from the same batch to ensure color consistency.
By accurately calculating your square footage needs, you ensure a smoother, more cost-effective tiling project.
function calculateSquareFootage() {
var lengthInput = document.getElementById("length");
var widthInput = document.getElementById("width");
var wasteFactorInput = document.getElementById("wasteFactor");
var length = parseFloat(lengthInput.value);
var width = parseFloat(widthInput.value);
var wasteFactor = parseFloat(wasteFactorInput.value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
var totalSqFtSpan = document.getElementById("totalSqFt");
var recommendedBoxesSpan = document.getElementById("recommendedBoxes");
// Clear previous results
totalSqFtSpan.textContent = "–";
recommendedBoxesSpan.textContent = "–";
if (isNaN(length) || isNaN(width) || isNaN(wasteFactor)) {
alert("Please enter valid numbers for all fields.");
return;
}
if (length <= 0 || width <= 0 || wasteFactor < 0) {
alert("Length and width must be positive numbers. Waste factor cannot be negative.");
return;
}
var area = length * width;
var totalSquareFootage = area * (1 + (wasteFactor / 100));
var roundedTotalSquareFootage = Math.ceil(totalSquareFootage * 100) / 100; // Round to 2 decimal places
totalSqFtSpan.textContent = roundedTotalSquareFootage.toFixed(2);
// Placeholder for box calculation – user needs to know their tile box coverage
// We'll display a message prompting them to check the tile packaging.
recommendedBoxesSpan.textContent = "Check tile packaging for coverage per box.";
// Add an example calculation for clarity if needed
// For example, if we had a fixed 'sqFtPerBox' variable:
// var sqFtPerBox = 15; // Example: 15 sq ft per box
// var numBoxes = Math.ceil(totalSquareFootage / sqFtPerBox);
// recommendedBoxesSpan.textContent = numBoxes + " (assuming " + sqFtPerBox + " sq ft per box)";
}