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Shower Tile Calculator
Calculate how many tiles you need for any floor or wall. Enter area size, tile size, and waste percentage. Shows metric and imperial results. Free, no signup.
Shower Tile Calculator
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About Shower Tile Calculator
Shower walls are measured differently from a floor, which is why a general tile calculator gives the wrong answer. This page works out the wall area for you: the back wall width times the tiled height, plus each side wall depth times the same height. An alcove shower has three tiled walls and a corner shower has two. A 5 foot wide alcove with 3 foot deep sides tiled to 8 feet is 40 square feet of back wall plus 48 for the sides, 88 square feet in all, which takes 51 tiles of 12x24 inches with a 15 percent allowance. Measure the height from the top of the tray or tub, not the floor, up to where the tile will stop. Building codes in the US generally require a waterproof finish to at least 6 feet above the shower floor, and many people tile to the ceiling for a cleaner look and easier cleaning. Do not subtract the valve or a niche: a niche adds tile for its back and sides, and the valve cut uses most of a tile anyway. The 15 percent waste is higher than for a floor because almost every row ends in a cut at the corners. Calculate the shower floor separately, since it usually takes a smaller tile or mosaic for drainage slope. For the rest of the room see Bathroom Tile Calculator.
How to use Shower Tile Calculator
Choose metric or imperial, then enter the floor, wall or shower dimensions
Enter tile length and width in centimetres or inches
See tile count and optional box count in metric and imperial
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate tile for a shower?
Multiply the back wall width by the tiled height, then add each side wall depth times the same height. For a 5 by 3 foot alcove tiled to 8 feet that is 40 + 24 + 24 = 88 square feet. Divide by the area of one tile and add about 15 percent.
How many square feet of tile for a standard shower?
A typical 60 by 32 inch alcove tiled to 8 feet is about 83 square feet of wall: 40 for the back and about 21 for each side. A tub surround tiled to around 5 feet above the tub is closer to 50 square feet.
How high should shower tile go?
At least 6 feet above the shower floor is the usual code minimum for a waterproof surface. Many installers go to 7 or 8 feet or all the way to the ceiling, which looks finished and avoids a painted strip that collects moisture.
Should I subtract the niche from the tile area?
No. A recessed niche needs extra tile for its back, sides, top and sill, so it adds tile rather than removing it. Small openings like the valve are not worth deducting either.
Why use 15 percent waste for a shower?
Because nearly every row ends in a cut at both corners and around the valve, so a higher share of tiles are cut than on a floor. With large format tiles or a pattern, 20 percent is safer.