How do I calculate how much grout I need for tile?

Author: Prof. Damaris Hyatt V  |  Last update: Thursday, October 9, 2025

To work out how much grout you'll need, follow this easy 6-step calculation:
  1. Step 1: Tile width (mm) + tile height (mm) = A.
  2. Step 2: Size of spacers (mm) x tile thickness (mm) = B.
  3. Step 3: A x B x 1.2 (this number is the coverage ratio of all grouts) = C.
  4. Step 4: Tile width (mm) x tile height (mm) = D.

How to calculate volume of grouting?

The volume of the grout is the sum of the volume of cement and water or 1.145 cubic feet. This assumes that there's no air entrapped in the paste. If air is entrapped, the volume will be greater. You can also calculate volume without knowing cement specific gravity if you first measure the unit weight of the grout.

How many square feet does 10 lbs of grout cover?

The Mapei Corporation Keracolor U 10 lb. Unsanded Grout with Polymer is white, covers up to 100 sq. ft. and can be applied indoors or outside on floors or walls.

How big should grout lines be for 12x12 tile?

GROUT JOINT SIZE FOR LARGE AND HEAVY TILE

Daltile recommends that large tiles have a 1/8” or 3/16” minimum grout joint for the most successful installation. The difference is not really noticeable visually, but can make a big difference to the quality of the installation.

How do you calculate tile grout coverage?

Calculation
  1. Step 1: 100mm + 200mm = 300mm.
  2. Step 2: 7mm x 2mm = 14mm.
  3. Step 3: 300mm x 14mm x 1.2 = 5,040.
  4. Step 4: 100mm x 200mm = 20,000mm.
  5. Step 6: 5,040 / 20,000 = 0.252 kg grout per metre squared.
  6. Step 7: 0.252 x 4 = 1.008 kg of grout.

How much grout do I need for tile?

How to determine grout spacing?

The actual grout joint size should be equal to three times the variance in actual tile facial dimensions. This means that if the variance in facial dimensions of the tile is 1/8", the actual grout joint will need to be 3/16". The wider spacing will help to accommodate placement of tile and maintaining straight lines.

How much grout do I need for 20 square feet?

If I were to propose a rule of thumb for artists grouting small projects, I would say 1/2 pound to 1 pound per square foot, provided your grout gaps are 1/16 inch. Here's a better rule of thumb for novices: A little wasted grout is better than a wasted mosaic.

How much does a 50 lb bag of non-shrink grout cover?

YIELD A 50 lb (22.7 kg) bag of QUIKRETE Non-Shrink Precision Grout will yield 0.45 cu ft (12.7 L) at flowable consistency.

Should you use sanded or unsanded grout?

Unsanded grout can be prone to severe cracking when it has pressure applied to it, making it unsuitable for most flooring applications. Sanded grout is the go-to choice for most interior flooring installations.

How full should grout lines be?

For standard patterns like offset or straight set, we recommend a 3/16” grout joint size. If you'd like a tighter install,1/8" is the absolute minimum size we suggest. However, if you want to install a more intricate pattern like parquet or herringbone, you may have to use a larger grout line.

How to calculate square feet?

To find the square footage, simply multiply the length and width. For example, if you want to find the square footage 20 feet × 20 feet floor, then multiply the dimension 20 x 20. Hence, the square footage of 20 feet × 20 feet floor is 400 square feet.

How do you measure grouting?

Grouting of cracks, joints, etc. is measured in meter whereas bituminous grouting of road metal cement grouting of concrete is done in a square meter.

How much grout do I need between tiles?

If rectified tiles are used, a standard grout width of 2mm or 3mm can be used along each tile edge to create a professional and seamless finish. However, non-rectified tiles often require larger widths of between 3-5mm to allow for possible variations in the tile dimensions.

Why use non-shrink grout?

“Non-shrink” grouts are commonly used for a range of concrete repair applications including patching of honeycombs, tie-bolt holes, accidental damage, break-outs, and pack-filling of gaps and voids. “Non- shrink” grouts are selected because they are seen as good quality, high-strength mortars.

How much old grout do I need to remove?

The first 3mm of old grout should be removed, this will also help to avoid any colour bleeding from the existing grout. Upon the full removal of the grout, a hoover should be used to make sure the area is clean and free from dust.

What is the spacing for grout?

Finished grout lines will vary from 1/16" to 3/16". However, the actual finished grout spacing will vary from 1/8" to 1/4" if 3/16" spacers are used. If smaller spacers, like 1/8", are used it will accentuate the size difference of handmade tile.

What is the ratio of grouting?

In current engineering practices, to ensure the fluidity of the grout, the commonly used water-to-cement ratio for cementitious grouts in anchoring projects ranges from 0.5 to 1.0.

Should grout be flush with tile?

Tiles with a square edge need to have the grout finished flush with the tiled surface. Tiles with a cushion or radius edge should have the grout finished to the bottom of the cushion or radius.

How do you calculate tile spacing?

Whichever tile joint solution you choose, you need to calculate how many tile spacers you need. The simple way to do that is multiply the number of tiles you've got by the amount of corners on each tile. So, if you have 105 tiles, 105 tiles x 4 corners per tile = 420 tile spacers needed.

What is the thinnest grout line for tile?

Every manufacturer recommends 5/64″. The smallest grout line should not be less than 1/16”. This is an acceptable space that can be properly grouted.

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