Shower Tile Quantity Calculator
Tiling a shower wall is an area problem with one important twist: you must buy extra tiles to cover cuts, breakages, and future repairs. This shower tile calculator takes the total wall area you are tiling in square feet, the area of a single tile, and a waste allowance as a percentage, then returns the number of tiles to buy, rounded up to whole tiles. Wall area is the sum of all the shower walls you are covering, found by multiplying each wall's width by its height and adding them up. A single tile's area in square feet is its dimensions in inches multiplied together and divided by 144. The waste allowance, commonly around 10 percent for straight layouts and more for diagonal or patterned ones, covers the offcuts at edges and corners. Every figure here is computed deterministically from your inputs, so the same shower always returns the same tile count. Enter your measurements below to size a tile order before you shop, compare tile sizes, or check a leftover box, with a worked example that reconciles exactly to the calculator defaults so you can follow each step. Buying all the tile from one batch also keeps the color consistent across the whole shower.
Tiles needed equal the wall area divided by one tile's area, increased by the waste allowance and rounded up. 120 sq ft of wall with 1 sq ft tiles and a 10% allowance needs 132 tiles.
Shower tile formula
tiles before waste = wall area / one tile area
tiles to buy = roundup( tiles before waste x (1 + waste / 100) )
areas in square feet; a 12 in tile is 1 square foot
Dividing the wall area by one tile's area gives the bare count. Multiplying by one plus the waste fraction and rounding up adds enough spare tiles for cuts, breakage, and future repairs.
Worked example
Take a shower with 120 square feet of wall, tiled with 1 square foot (12 inch) tiles and a 10 percent waste allowance.
- Tiles before waste: 120 / 1 = 120
- Apply waste: 120 x (1 + 10 / 100) = 120 x 1.10 = 132.00
- Round up to whole tiles: 132 tiles
You need 132 tiles, which matches the calculator's default inputs exactly. Buy them from a single batch so the color is consistent across the shower.
Shower Tile Quantity Calculator: frequently asked questions
How do I find my wall area?
Multiply the width by the height of each shower wall you are tiling, in feet, then add the walls together. Subtract large openings such as a window if you wish, though leaving them in adds a small buffer of spare tiles.
How do I get a tile's area in square feet?
Multiply the tile's width by its height in inches, then divide by 144, since there are 144 square inches in a square foot. A 12 by 12 inch tile is 1 square foot, and a 6 by 6 inch tile is 0.25 square feet.
How much waste should I allow?
Around 10 percent is typical for a straight grid layout. Diagonal, herringbone, or patterned layouts produce more offcuts and may need 15 to 20 percent. The waste allowance is editable so you can match your layout and skill level.
Why buy from one batch?
Tiles are made in production runs called batches or dye lots, and color can shift slightly between them. Buying enough from a single batch, including your waste allowance, ensures the whole shower matches and gives you spares from the same lot for future repairs.
Does this count trim and edge pieces?
No, it counts field tiles for the wall area. Bullnose, trim, and edge pieces are bought separately by linear measurement along the edges they finish, so measure those edges and order trim to suit.
Official sources
- Measurement, units and dimensional standards: US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). As at 25 June 2026.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 25 June 2026. See our methodology. This is general information, not financial, tax, legal or investment advice.