The Shower Tile Calculator works out how many wall tiles and floor tiles you need for a shower or tub surround. Enter the shower width and depth, how high you’ll tile, which walls are tiled (three-wall alcove, two-wall corner, or back wall only), and your tile sizes.
Shower Tile Calculator
Tiles for shower walls and shower floor (or a tub surround) from the shower size and tile size.
Turn off the floor if the shower has a tub or a pre-formed tray. For mosaic floors sold on sheets, divide the floor area by the sheet area for the number of sheets.
Formula
Wall area = w × h + (number of side walls) × d × h
Wall tiles = ⌈wall area ÷ wall tile area × (1 + waste)⌉
Floor tiles = ⌈w × d ÷ floor tile area × (1 + waste)⌉
Where w = back wall width, d = side wall depth, h = tile height. Alcove = 2 side walls; corner = 1; back only = 0.
How the Calculation Works
Step 1: Back wall area plus the side walls that are tiled.
Step 2: Divide by one wall tile’s area and add waste.
Step 3: Shower floor = width × depth, divided by the floor tile area.
Example Calculation
Given: 5 × 3 ft alcove shower, tiled 7 ft high, 4 × 12 in wall tile, 2 in square floor tile, 10% waste
- Wall area = 5 × 7 + 2 × 3 × 7 = 77 ft²
- Wall tile = 48 in² = 1/3 ft² → 77 × 3 × 1.10 = 254.1 → 255 tiles
- Floor area = 15 ft²
- Floor tile = 4 in² = 1/36 ft² → 15 × 36 × 1.10 = 594 tiles
If the 2 in mosaic comes on 12 × 12 in sheets, that is 15 × 1.10 = 16.5 → 17 sheets.
Dimensions Explained
- Tile height is measured from the shower floor or tub rim to the top of the tile.
- For a tub surround, measure the walls above the tub and turn the floor off.
- Niches, benches and curbs add extra tiled surface — add their areas to the walls.
Material Estimation Notes
- Waterproofing, backer board and trim pieces are separate items.
- Small mosaic tiles on shower floors help the tile follow the slope to the drain.
- The waste you need depends on tile size, layout and cuts around valves and niches.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much tile do I need for a shower?
Add the areas of each tiled wall (width × height) and the floor, then divide by tile area and add waste.
How many square feet is a 5 ft shower surround?
For a 5 × 2.5 ft tub alcove tiled 5 ft high: 25 + 2 × 12.5 = 50 ft².
How high should shower tile go?
At least above the shower head is common, or all the way to the ceiling; it’s a design and waterproofing decision.
How many mosaic sheets do I need?
Floor area ÷ sheet area (1 ft² for a 12 × 12 sheet), plus waste.
Does this include a shower niche?
Add the niche’s inside surfaces to the wall area.