Brick Pattern Tile Calculator
Estimate brick pattern tile with running bond, 25%, 33%, or 50% offset, waste, boxes, grout, cuts, and cost.
Step 1: Stagger Offset
What brick pattern offset do you want?brick preview
How to Use the Brick Pattern Tile Calculator
Follow these three simple steps to calculate your brick tile, grout, boxes, waste overage, and estimated budget.
Choose brick stagger offset
Choose offset ratios (25%, 33%, or 50% offset) and layout direction (horizontal/vertical) in Step 1.
Measure area dimensions
Input floor/wall dimensions. Set start points (e.g. center start or corner start) in Step 5.
Deduct half-tile cut bounds
Check box allocations. Brick staggers require a low waste overhead (around 10% to 12% overage).
What is Brick Pattern Tile?
Also known as **running bond**, the brick pattern offsets rows of rectangular or square tiles so that the joints do not form straight lines. It is widely used to mask slight tile thickness variations and wall imperfections.
33% Offset vs. 50% Offset
A **50% offset** creates a balanced checkerboard brick design. However, for large format rectangular tiles (like 12x24 inches), a **33% offset** is recommended by manufacturers to avoid bowing and height discrepancies (lippage) at the tile centers.
Example Brick Pattern Calculation
Let's calculate for a room floor of **100 square feet** using 6x24 inch planks laid in a brick pattern with a 10% waste budget:
1. Area = 100 sq ft
2. Coverage per plank = (6 × 24) ÷ 144 = 1.0 sq ft
3. Base planks count = 100 ÷ 1.0 = 100 planks
4. Add 10% waste = 100 × 1.10 = 110 planks total
5. If box contains 8 planks = 14 boxes (rounded up)
Brick Pattern FAQs
What is running bond tile?â–¼
Running bond is a layout where tiles in one row offset the joints of the previous row, typically by 50% or 33% of the tile length, creating a brick-like pattern.
Should I use 33% or 50% offset?â–¼
Use 50% offset for smaller tiles like 3x6 subway tiles. Use 33% offset for larger rectangular tiles (12x24 and planks) to prevent center-level bowing (lippage).
Is brick pattern the same as subway tile?â–¼
Subway tile is a specific size of rectangular tile that is traditionally installed in a brick pattern. However, you can lay any size tile in a brick pattern.
How much waste should I add?â–¼
A standard waste allowance of 10% to 12% is generally sufficient for straight, staggered brick layouts.
Related Tile Calculators
Need to finish your tile estimate? Use these related tools to calculate layout, waste, boxes, grout, cost, and project-specific tile quantities.
Tile Layout Planner
Preview tile patterns, start points, grout lines, full tiles, and cut tiles.
Floor Tile Calculator
Estimate floor tile, layout, waste, and cost.
Wall Tile Calculator
Estimate wall tile, grout, waste, and boxes.
Tile Calculator
Estimate tile quantity, boxes, waste, and cost for any project.
Tile Waste Calculator
Estimate extra tile for cuts, pattern layout, breakage, and repairs.