Flooring, tile, and kitchen

Kitchens and bathrooms have the highest material density per square foot

A bedroom renovation involves paint and maybe flooring. A kitchen renovation involves flooring, tile (backsplash and possibly floor), countertops, cabinets, and sometimes a vanity in the adjacent bathroom. Each material has its own measurement method, waste factor, and ordering unit. The eight calculators above cover every surface in a kitchen or bathroom project.

Flooring: waste factor is the number one mistake

Every flooring material has waste, but the amount depends on the material and the pattern. Straight-lay LVP in a rectangular room wastes 5 to 7 percent. Diagonal tile wastes 15 percent. Herringbone hardwood wastes 18 to 20 percent. The flooring calculator applies the correct waste factor by material type. For tile specifically, the tile calculator adjusts waste by both tile size and pattern — large format tiles create bigger offcuts at walls, increasing waste even in straight layouts.

Tile projects need three calculations, not one

Tile, grout, and substrate. The tile calculator gives you tile count. The grout calculator gives you pounds of grout (surprisingly sensitive to joint width — doubling the joint nearly triples the grout). And you need cement backer board under any tile floor (about $0.50 to $1.00 per square foot). For showers, the shower tile calculator handles the three-wall geometry and includes waterproofing membrane in the material list.

Kitchen surfaces: counter, cabinet, backsplash

These three are measured differently but specified together. Cabinets are measured in linear feet. Countertops are measured in square feet (length times depth, typically 25.5 inches). Backsplash is measured in square feet (counter length times the 18-inch gap between counter and upper cabinets). The three measurements interact: cabinet linear footage determines countertop length, which determines backsplash length. Change one and the others change.

For a full kitchen remodel, the bathroom planner chains the tile, vanity, and paint calculations for bathrooms. A kitchen-specific planner is on our roadmap.

Bathroom: vanity sizing and clearance

The vanity calculator checks not just whether the cabinet fits but whether NKBA clearance requirements are met (21 inches minimum in front, 15 inches from sink center to wall). In small bathrooms (5 × 8 feet), the largest vanity that physically fits often violates clearance guidelines, making the room feel cramped and failing to meet accessibility standards.

How these tools chain together in a kitchen remodel

Start with cabinets (they determine the room layout). Then countertops (they sit on the cabinets). Then backsplash (it fills the gap between counter and uppers). Then flooring (it goes under the cabinets in most installations, or up to the cabinet toe kicks in others). Finally, paint for the non-tiled walls. Each calculator handles one surface; together they cover the entire room.