Tiling Time Calculator

How the tiling time calculator works

Enter the area to tile, a production rate, the number of tile setters, their hourly rate and the productive hours in a day. The calculator multiplies the area by the rate to get total person-hours, divides by the crew for elapsed hours, and by the working day for working days. Labour cost is total person-hours times the hourly rate, so a bigger crew finishes sooner without changing the cost.

On the US units side the rate is in hours per 100 ft², so the formula is H = A × r ÷ (100 × c). On the metric side it is hours per m², and H = A × r ÷ c. The two are the same rate in different units: 20 hours per 100 ft² is 0.2 hours per ft², or 2.15 hours per m².

Where the default rate comes from

The default of 20 hours per 100 ft² is the labour figure in the Craftsman National Construction Estimator 2017 for 8 in to 12 in glazed floor tile set in thin-set mortar: 0.200 manhours per square foot for one tile layer, grout included, surface preparation not included. The same table gives:

Floors in thin-set: mosaic 0.238, 4¼ in to 6 in tile 0.210, 16 in to 20 in tile 0.200, quarry or paver tile 0.167 and 3/8 in stone 0.354 manhours per ft². Walls in thin-set: mosaic 0.315, 4¼ in to 6 in tile 0.270 and stone 0.455. Tile set in organic adhesive, which Craftsman does not recommend for wet areas, is quicker: 0.110 for 6 in to 20 in floor tile and 0.131 for 6 in wall tile. Multiply any of these by 100 for hours per 100 ft², or divide by 0.0929 for hours per m², so wall tile at 0.270 becomes 27 hours per 100 ft² or 2.91 hours per m².

These are estimating-book figures that include grouting. The 2026 Craftsman home improvement estimator suggests adjusting such rates for the job: add 20% to 50% on small jobs where fitting and matching are needed and surfaces have to be protected, deduct 10% where access is open and well lit, and deduct 10% to 20% when the same task is repeated for several days on one site. A small, occupied bathroom at a 35% allowance turns 20 hours per 100 ft² into 20 × 1.35 = 27. Timing your own setter on a few square feet gives the most reliable rate.

Surface preparation is extra

The rates above start from a surface ready to tile. Cement backer board, where it is needed, takes its own time: the Craftsman National Home Improvement Estimator 2018 lists 0.037 to 0.047 manhours per square foot to hang it, about 0.40 to 0.51 hours per m², with the cement board figures including taping and sealing the seams. Leveling a floor, removing old tile or waterproofing a shower adds more again.

A worked example

A 215 ft² floor of 12 in tile at 20 hours per 100 ft² takes 215 × 0.2 = 43 person-hours. One setter working 8 productive hours a day needs 43 ÷ 8 = 5.4 days; two setters need about 21.5 hours, or 2.7 days. At $40 an hour the labour costs 43 × 40 = $1,720 either way. The same floor in organic adhesive at 0.110 would take 215 × 0.11 = 23.65 hours, and an 80 ft² wall of 6 in tile in thin-set would take 80 × 0.27 = 21.6 hours. In metric, a 20 m² floor at 2.15 hours per m² is 43 person-hours.

Curing time

The hours are working time and do not include waiting for adhesive to cure. The data sheet for VersaBond thin-set mortar allows 24 hours before grouting and light foot traffic, and 7 to 10 days before heavy or vehicular traffic, and asks for the room to stay between 50°F and 100°F (10°C and 38°C) for 72 hours. A floor set on one day is usually grouted the next, so even a job that fits in one working day spans at least two calendar days. Other mortars differ, so check the data sheet for the product you use.

Choosing the hourly rate

The default of $40 an hour on the US side is the Craftsman cost per manhour for a tile layer in the National Home Improvement Estimator 2026: $40.27, covering wages, benefits, insurance and employer taxes but not a contractor's overhead or profit. A quoted rate is usually higher, so enter the rate from your quote, or zero to see hours only. The metric default is a placeholder for your own figure.

What this tool does not do

It does not count tiles, adhesive or grout, prepare the surface, or allow for curing time. The tile and grout calculators cover materials, and whoever does the work can confirm the time for a specific room.

Using this calculator with other BuildMetricLab tools

The tile calculator counts tiles for an area, the grout calculator works out grout, and the drywall and painting time calculators help plan the other trades in the room. All BuildMetricLab tools run in your browser with no sign-up, and every formula is shown on the page so the maths can be checked.