Room Shape
Tile Size
Grout Width
Layout Pattern
50% of tile — cuts smaller are marked as slivers
Most equal cuts on opposite edges
Maximizes the smallest edge piece
Minimizes total cut material
Adjust the starting offset to avoid narrow sliver cuts at walls. A balanced layout places similar-sized cuts on opposite edges.
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The planner tests every possible starting offset (0 to tile+grout width) in 0.5-inch increments. For each offset, it calculates the edge cuts on both sides and scores the layout.
Edge Cut = Room Dimension − (Offset + Full Tiles × (Tile Size + Grout))Any edge cut smaller than the sliver threshold (default: 50% of tile size) is flagged as a sliver. Slivers are fragile, hard to cut cleanly, and look unprofessional.
The planner ranks all candidate layouts by three criteria: symmetry (smallest left-right difference), sliver avoidance (largest minimum cut), and waste minimization (least total cut material).
Updated: July 2026
A 60-inch wide bathroom floor with 12×24 inch tiles.
→ Centered layout with ~6 inch cuts on each side — no slivers
A 48-inch wide shower wall with 24×24 inch tiles.
→ 2 full tiles fit perfectly — no cuts needed
An 84-inch backsplash with 4×12 inch subway tiles.
→ 7 full tiles with no edge cuts
Always calculate the optimal starting offset to center the layout and avoid thin slivers at both edges
Measure your actual tiles — a '12 inch' tile may be 11.75 inches. Add grout width for accurate spacing.
Include grout joints (typically 1/16 to 1/4 inch) in your spacing calculations — they add up over many tiles
Stop guessing your tile layout! Our Tile Layout Planner calculates the optimal starting offset to avoid ugly thin edge cuts (slivers). Compare three layout strategies — most balanced, fewest slivers, and least waste — with visual previews.