If you’re considering reroofing your home, one of the most important things you’ll need to do is calculate how many roof tiles you’re going to need.
Having an accurate estimate of the number of tiles required will help you to budget for the project and ensure that you have enough tiles on hand when you start work.
The question is:
How do I calculate how many roof tiles I need?
You’ve come to the right place!
At Good Build Superstore, we’re here to walk you through the steps for calculating how many roof tiles you need for your reroofing project.
Let’s jump right in.
Table of contents:
How many roof tiles do I need for my roof?
Coming up with the correct number of tiles you’ll need to buy for your next projects is easier than you might think at first glance.
All you have to do is follow these four simple steps and crunch a few numbers!
Step 1: Measure your roof
The first step is to determine your roof area.
To do this, you’ll need to measure the length and width of each section of your roof, including any protruding features like dormer windows or chimneys.
Multiply the length and width of each section to get its area, and then add up the total area of all sections to get the total roof area.
Step 2: Determine tile coverage
The next step is to determine the coverage area of the tiles you plan to use. This will depend on the size and shape of the tiles, as well as their overlap.
Now:
The most common type of tile used in residential roofing is a standard interlocking concrete tile, which typically covers an area of around 0.5 square metres. To determine the coverage area of your tiles, divide the total area of your roof by the coverage area of each tile.
Step 3: Add an allowance for waste and cutting
When reroofing your home, it’s important to factor in an allowance for waste and cutting. This is because some tiles will inevitably be damaged during installation or need to be cut to fit around protruding features on the roof.
As a general rule, it’s a good idea to add around 10% to 15% to your tile count to account for waste and cutting just to be on the safe side.
Step 4: Calculate the final tile count
Once you’ve determined your tile coverage and added an allowance for waste and cutting, you can calculate the final tile count for your reroofing project.
Here’s how you should go about it:
Multiply the coverage area of each tile by the total number of tiles required (including your waste and cutting allowance) to get the total roof coverage. Then, divide this by the coverage area of each tile to get the final tile count.
That’s it – you’re done!
Final thoughts
Calculating the number of roofing tiles you’ll need for your next project is fairly straightforward even without a roof tile calculator so long as you follow our guide and keep a few basic considerations in mind.
Having said that:
We should point out that these calculations are just a rough guide, and the actual tile usage can vary depending on the complexity of the roof design, the slope of the roof and other factors.
If you’re not confident in your ability to accurately calculate the number of tiles you need, it’s always best to consult with a professional roofing contractor who can provide a more detailed estimate based on your specific requirements.