How to Measure a Shower for Tile

How this calculator works

Step 1 — Measure each wall separately

Do not average. Measure the back wall width and each side wall depth, then the tile height — usually to the ceiling in a modern build, or 72–80 inches in an older bathroom. Multiply each wall separately and add them.

Step 2 — Worked example

A 60" × 36" alcove shower tiled to 96": back wall 5 × 8 = 40 sq ft, two side walls 3 × 8 = 24 sq ft each, for 88 sq ft of wall. The pan is 5 × 3 = 15 sq ft. The curb adds about 6 sq ft and a niche about 4 sq ft. Total: 113 sq ft, or 130 sq ft ordered at 15% waste.

Step 3 — Don't forget the small surfaces

• Curb: top, inside face and outside face — roughly 1.25 sq ft per linear foot.
• Niche: back, two sides, top and bottom — about 3–5 sq ft, usually in a contrasting mosaic.
• Bench: top plus the front face — 6–10 sq ft on a typical corner bench.
• Ceiling: add it if the shower has a rain head or a steam unit.

Step 4 — Use 15% waste, not 10%

Showers have more cuts per square foot than any other tiled surface: corners, the drain, the valve, the niche, the curb. Fifteen percent is realistic; use 20% if the walls are herringbone or mosaic.

Then run it through the shower tile calculator, price it with cost to tile a bathroom, and check the bathroom tile calculator for the rest of the room.