What is Tile-Waste?
The Tile-Waste command opens the Tile-Waste dialog box, where you can set or modify the wastage factors applied to different tile items.
These values ensure that your tile quantities account for offcuts, breakages, and job-specific waste, resulting in accurate ordering and costing.
⚙️ How Tile Waste Is Calculated
Tile wastage is calculated in a specific sequence. Each waste factor builds upon the previous one:
The nett number of field tiles is calculated.
The extra pieces per course are added.
The extra field pieces per length (m/ft) of hips and valleys are added.
The percentage waste of field pieces is applied.
The total number of field tiles is rounded to produce the final quantity.
💡 If you don’t want a specific waste factor applied, simply set its value to 0.
🧩 Waste Factor Options
Setting | Description |
Extra Field Pieces (per course)
Note: Only functions when coursing method is used. For more info see Tiles>Coursing | Adds a fixed number (or decimal fraction) of tiles to the end of each course line to account for expected breakages or handling losses. |
Extra Field Pieces (per length of hip and valley) | Adds a fixed number (or decimal fraction) of tiles per combined length (m or ft) of hip and valley. |
Other Piece - Waste / Round up | Adds a percentage-based waste value to the total number of field tiles, then rounds up to the nearest specified value. |
🧠 Notes on Tile Waste
Extra Field Pieces (per course):
Can be used instead of or in addition to the same function in Tiles>Coursing. Be conscious of which you use to avoid doubling up.
For more info see Tiles>Coursing
Off-cuts:
The calculation assumes that off-cuts are not reused.
If your process regularly reuses off-cuts (as may occur with metal tiles), reduce the waste factor values accordingly.
Experiment and adjust:
Every project and material type is different. Try different settings and refine the values based on real-world experience to achieve accurate results.
🗂 Saving and Reusing Waste Configurations
You can create multiple tile waste configurations and save them for reuse.
[Save As] – Saves the current waste and rounding settings into a configuration file.
[Load] – Loads a previously saved set of waste settings.
Each configuration can be linked to individual tile records, making it easier to apply the correct waste rules automatically — without the estimator having to manually adjust values for each job.
This provides a consistent, streamlined approach to waste and rounding calculations.
💾 Applying and Viewing Tile Waste
Click [OK] to save your changes.
These values are automatically applied during tile quantity calculations when you select Reporting > Supply + Install or Supply-Only.
A summary of the tile waste calculations can be viewed at any time by opening Tile-Waste from either the Supply + Install or Supply-Only dialog boxes.