How to Measure the Area For Your Ceiling Tile Project
To determine the number of tiles to order, you will need to know the measurements of the ceiling. For a normal square or rectangular room with a flat ceiling, a simple length and width measurement is all you will need. Use the diagram on the left as a guide. Lines 1 and 2 are only to mark the exact center of your ceiling, do not use these lines for measurements. Lines 3 and 4 across the width and the length of your room are used rather than measuring along a wall because rooms are not always perfectly square and you may not get an accurate measurement unless you measure in the center. Lines 3 and 4 are also used for tile layouts and for a starting point when you actually start your installation.
For accuracy it is best to take your measurement in inches because a measurement of feet and inches is difficult to convert to total area. Multiply the width in inches times the length of the room in inches and then divide that number by 144 which is the number of square inches in a square foot. The result will be the total area in square feet. Round the number up if there is any decimal so that even 216.1 needs to be rounded to 217.
How to Measure When the Room is Not Square
If the room you will be working on is not a normal square or rectangle, measure the same way as above. Also measure any additional areas of the room and calculate those areas separately before adding the total square feet for the entire room. For example if you have a 12 x 16 foot kitchen with a breakfast area that is 10 x 12 feet, you would measure them as if they were separate rooms and only add the number together after you calculate the square feet area for each part of the room. If your room has alcoves or window bays, measure the width and depth of these areas and ignore corner angles, since these will be trimmed from whole tiles.
If the ceiling you are planning to tile is sloped or slanted, you will need to measure the height of the slope as shown in figures 1 & 2 and for a double slope as in Figure A, add the full height of the slope to the total measurement across the slopes. For a single slope ceiling as shown in Figure B, add one half the height to the total measurement in that direction.
When you have the total area of the ceiling in square feet, then you are ready to select the type of tiles you want: Tin ceiling tiles, Faux-Tin ceiling tiles or Styrofoam Ceiling Tiles. Once you know what kind of tiles you want to order you can use the 20×20″ Tile Calculator or the 24×24″ Tile Calculator to find out how many tiles you will need to complete your project. It is best to do your Ceiling Tile Layout first because the layout determines whether you need additional tiles, or molding or filler. The Tile Calculators can give you a fast way to determine the cost of your project. We think you will be pleasantly surprised when you get to that point!
