Shower Tile Calculator
Work out how many tiles a shower needs — three tiled walls plus the floor — with the shower door deducted and a realistic allowance for cuts around the drain, niches and corners.
A shower is not one rectangle — it is three walls and a floor, each with its own cuts. This calculator adds them up properly, deducts the door, and applies a shower-appropriate wastage allowance.
It assumes a standard rectangular shower with tiling on three walls. For a walk-in shower with two tiled walls, calculate the walls separately with the tile calculator and add the floor.
Your results
Enter your measurements and press Calculate.
Quantities are rounded up to whole tiles, planks, boxes or bags, after the wastage allowance. Cost appears only when you enter a price.
Formula
All lengths are converted to a single unit before the calculation: 1 ft = 0.3048 m, 1 in = 25.4 mm, 1 ft² = 0.09290304 m², 1 yd² = 9 ft². Material quantities are rounded up — you cannot buy part of a tile, plank or bag.
How to use this calculator
- Measure the shower's length (back wall) and width (side walls), and how high the tiling goes.
- Enter your tile size and a wastage allowance — 12% suits most showers.
- Deduct the shower door or any opening that will not be tiled.
- Add tiles per box and a price to get boxes and cost.
Worked example
| Shower | 5 ft long × 3 ft wide × 7 ft high |
|---|---|
| Wall area | 2 × (5 × 7) + (3 × 7) = 70 + 21 = 91 ft² |
| Floor area | 5 × 3 = 15 ft² |
| Total | 91 + 15 = 106 ft² |
| Tile | 12 in × 12 in = 1 ft² per tile |
| Tiles with 12% wastage | ⌈106 × 1.12⌉ = 119 tiles |
Check it by hand: every step above uses the formula in the box. If your numbers match the example inputs but the calculator gives a different answer, please report it via the contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Why is shower wastage higher than floor wastage?
Showers have more cuts: around the drain, the shower valve and head, niches, corners where walls meet, and the slope of the shower floor. 12% is a good default; use 15% for small tiles or a mosaic floor.
Should the shower floor use the same tile as the walls?
Often not. Shower floors usually need smaller tiles (for grip and to follow the slope to the drain) and a different grout joint. Calculate the floor separately with the tile calculator if the floor tile size differs.
Do I deduct the shower door?
Yes, if the door or opening is not tiled. Measure its width × height and enter it as the door area. If the glass runs full height, deduct the full panel; if only the lower half is glass, deduct only that part.
Do I need to tile behind the shower valve?
Yes — tile the full wall behind the valve and shower head. Water gets behind fittings, so the waterproofing and tiling must be continuous, even where you cannot see it.
Related calculators
Estimates only. Results are for planning. Measure twice, confirm box coverage and tile sizes on the packaging you buy, and follow the manufacturer's instructions. See the disclaimer.