How to Calculate the Need for Roofing Tiles, Apply This Formula!

How to calculate the need for tiles. (photo: Pixabay/succo)

YOGYAKARTA - Calculating the need for tiles is one of the important stages in planning construction or renovation of a house. Errors in calculations will have an impact on cost inflation, delays in work, to the quality of the roof that is less optimal. If the number of tiles is less, the work can stop and the color of the additional tiles is often not the same. On the other hand, if there are too many, there will be waste of material. Before starting work, homeowners, craftsmen, and contractors need to understand how to calculate the need for tiles correctly and systematically.

Apart from the number factor, the calculation of tiles is also closely related to the type of roof, frame model, and type of tile used. Each type of tile has different sizes and requirements per square meter. This article will discuss practical and easy-to-understand steps to calculate the tile needs so that the roof work runs efficiently, neatly, and within budget.

How to Calculate the Need for Roofing for a Building

Each type of roof tile has a different size so that the calculation must be done as thoroughly as possible so that there are no mistakes. Quoted from Archdaily, here's how to calculate the need for roof tiles that must be understood:

The first step in calculating the need for roof tiles is to determine the roof area of the building. Many people are mistaken by only calculating the overall building area, even though the roof area is usually larger than the floor area of the building. This is due to the slope of the roof and the presence of overstek or overhang. Before knowing how many roof tiles are needed per 1 m², the first step that needs to be taken is to calculate the entire roof area of the house. The basic formula for calculating the roof area is:

Roof Area = Roof Length x Roof Width

However, if the shape of your roof is slanted or triangular, then the formula used to calculate its area is:

Area of a Triangle Roof = ½ x Base x Height

Adjusting the Type of Tiles and the Need per Square Meter

After knowing the roof area, the next step is to adjust the type of roof tile to be used. Each type of roof tile has different sizes and requirements per square meter. For example, clay roof tiles usually require around 25-28 pieces per square meter, concrete roof tiles around 10-12 pieces per square meter, while metal roof tiles are usually calculated per sheet with a certain size.

How to Calculate Ceramic Tile Types

Many people choose tiles made of ceramics because they are highly durable and the surface is not easy to peel. Generally, ceramic tiles are sold at around 25-30 pieces per square meter, depending on the model and size. As for how to calculate the need for ceramic tiles, you can follow the formula for the roof area above.

For example, if the length and width of the roof of a building are 9 m x 10 m, then the total area of one side of the roof is 90 m². Since the roof generally has two sides, the total area becomes 180 m². Then, multiply the total area of the roof by the tile requirement per square meter, for example 25 pieces/m² so that 180 m² x 25 pieces = 4,500 tiles. As a note, it is best to expand the size of the roof foundation by about 1 m to anticipate the tiles breaking during installation.

How to Calculate UPVC Tiles

UPVC tiles (Unplasticized Polyvinyl Chloride) are a type of plastic-based roof that does not contain additional softening agents so that it is resistant to extreme weather and suitable for long periods of time. Generally, UPVC tiles are sold in the form of sheets so that this way of calculating the tile needs is slightly different from others.

For example, if the roof area of a building is 9 m x 10 m, then the total roof area is 90 m². Meanwhile, the standard size of one sheet of UPVC roof tile is 130 cm x 96 cm, or about 1.2-1.5 m per sheet. Therefore, the number of tiles needed is 90 m² ÷ 1.5 m² = 60 roof tiles. For safety, it is best to have a reserve of roof tiles, for example around 5-10 sheets or according to the budget to anticipate if there is damage.

How to Calculate Genteng Jatiwangi

Jatiwangi tiles are one type of tile that has been used in Indonesia for a long time, even since the Dutch colonial era. The way to calculate the needs of Jatiwangi tiles is also not much different from other types. It should be noted that Jatiwangi tiles are usually sold at a minimum of 35 pieces per square meter. For example, if the roof area of the building reaches 90 m², then 90 m² x 35 = 3,150 tiles.

How to Calculate Karang Pilang Tiles

The Karang Pilang roof tiles are made of clay that is known to be strong, solid, and has high durability. To ensure the right number of tiles needed, measure the length and width of the building foundation first. For example, the building has a length of 10 m and a width of 9 m, with a roof slope of about 35° (or equivalent to 0.819). As a form of anticipation, add 1 m to the length and width so that the total becomes 11 m × 10 m. After that, use the Roof Area Formula = (Length × Width) ÷ Roof Slope so that it becomes 11 m × 10 m ÷ 0.819 = ±135 m²

Genteng Karang Pilang is generally sold at around 13.5-14 tiles per square meter. Therefore, the number of tiles needed is 135 m² × 14 = ± 1,890 tiles.

How to Calculate Limas Roof Tiles

Apart from the material, the way to calculate the tile needs can also be adjusted to the roof model of the house, one of which is a trapezoidal roof. As an example for a building that has a roof size of 10 m × 9 m with a slope angle of about 35° or 0.819. Then, the steps for calculation are:

Calculate the area of the roof 10 m × 9 m ÷ 0.819 = 109.8 m²

Then make an estimate of the area for the gutter section (the piece of the eaves), which generally takes up about 7-8% of the roof area, for example 8% × 109.8 m² = 8.79 m²

Total roof area after adding the row is 109.8 m² + 8.79 m² = 118.59 m²

Then multiply the total area by the number of tiles per square meter. If one square meter requires 25 tiles, then 118.59 m² × 25 = 2,964.75 = 2,965 tiles.

Calculate the Tile Reserve

After calculating the need for tiles, it is also necessary to calculate the reserve to anticipate damage during installation. Ideally, this reserve is needed as much as 5-10% of the total need. For example, if you need 2,000 tiles, then how to calculate the need for tiles for the reserve is:

Genteng Reserve = 10% × 2.000 = 200 pieces of tiles

So, the total number of tiles needed to make the roof of the house, including the reserve, is 2,000 + 200 = 2,200 tiles.

Through the technical way of calculating the need for tiles above, a more accurate picture of the number of tiles needed can be planned with the right calculation and more technically ready so that it is wiser in managing the budget and time. Visit VOI.id for other interesting information.