Shower Tile Calculator
Shower dimensions
8 ft = to the ceiling
Tile to order
145.01 sq ft
- Wall area
- 104 sq ft
- Shower pan
- 15 sq ft
- Curb
- 3.6 sq ft
- Niche(s)
- 3.5 sq ft
- Thinset (50 lb bags)
- 2 bags
- Waterproofing needed
- 119 sq ft
Buy shower-floor mosaic separately from wall tile — sizes and finishes differ.
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Shower tile square footage by size
| Shower size | Layout | Wall area | Order with 15% waste |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32 x 32 in | Corner, 2 walls | 43 sq ft | 50 sq ft |
| 36 x 36 in | Corner, 2 walls | 48 sq ft | 56 sq ft |
| 30 x 60 in | Alcove, 3 walls | 80 sq ft | 92 sq ft |
| 36 x 60 in | Alcove, 3 walls | 88 sq ft | 102 sq ft |
| 36 x 72 in | Alcove, 3 walls | 96 sq ft | 111 sq ft |
| 48 x 72 in | Alcove, 3 walls | 112 sq ft | 129 sq ft |
Wall area only. Add roughly 1.2 sq ft per foot of curb, 3.5 sq ft per niche, and the pan area if you are tiling the floor.
Materials for a shower, by surface
| Surface | Tile size to use | Grout joint | Waterproofing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shower walls | 12x24, 12x12, 3x6 subway | 1/16" – 1/8" | Membrane over cement board |
| Shower pan / floor | 1x1 or 2x2 mosaic | 1/16" – 1/8" | Sloped pan, bonded drain |
| Curb | Match wall tile, mitred | 1/16" | Membrane wrapped over top |
| Niche | Match wall or accent | 1/16" | Membrane, sloped sill |
| Ceiling (steam) | Match wall tile | 1/16" | Full membrane required |
Tools the pros use for this job
Waterproofing Membrane
Hard-to-Find Fastener Phillips Self-Piercing Cement Board Screws, Durable Steel Hardware Fasteners for Home Improvement, DIY, Construction, 8 x 1-1/4, Pack of 168
$11.11
Check price on AmazonNon-negotiable behind shower tile — tile and grout are not waterproof.
Preformed Shower Niche
Hard-to-Find Fastener Phillips Self-Piercing Cement Board Screws, Durable Steel Hardware Fasteners for Home Improvement, DIY, Construction, 8 x 1-1/4, Pack of 168
$11.11
Check price on AmazonFar faster and more reliable than framing and waterproofing one by hand.
Diamond Hole Saw Kit
6 Pcs Dry Diamond Drill Bit Set for Tile,Ceramic,Glass,1/4",5/16",3/8",1/2"
$14.99
Check price on AmazonFor clean valve and shower-arm penetrations.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Prices as of Oct 10, 2026, 6:33 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Choosing a membrane? See our shower waterproofing buying guide.
Sealing the grout? See our grout sealer buying guide.
Do this math on the job site — in the free app
Smart Tile Calculator for Android: offline, in your pocket, free.
How this calculator works
Wall area is the sum of each tiled wall (width × height). An alcove shower has two side walls plus the back wall; a corner shower has two. Tile to at least 6 ft, but running to the ceiling looks better and costs little more.
The curb adds roughly 1.2 sq ft per foot of length once you count the top and both faces. Each standard niche adds about 3.5 sq ft including its sides and sill.
Waterproof first. Sheet or liquid membrane over cement board, sloped pan, and a bonded drain. That system — not the tile — keeps water out of your framing.
Buy the wall tile and the pan mosaic as two separate orders. A sloped pan needs 2 in or smaller mosaic so the sheet can deform into the slope, and it needs a DCOF of 0.42 or higher to be safe underfoot. Wall tile has no such constraint, which is why a 12x24 wall with a penny-round floor is the most common combination. If you have not measured the walls yet, the step-by-step shower measuring guide walks the whole enclosure, and the thinset calculator sizes your mortar once you know the square footage. Behind the tile, the cement backer board calculator counts sheets and screws for the walls.
Shower tile carries the highest waste factor of any job in the house — every wall ends in a cut, and the niche and curb multiply them. Use 15% for a straight layout and 20% if you are running a pattern; the full cost calculator prices the finished job including waterproofing and labor.
Building the shower from the studs out? Size the floor first with the shower pan size calculator (code minimums and slope), then the deck mud calculator for the sloped mortar bed. Frame any niche to whole tiles with the shower niche size calculator, and before tiling, the RedGard calculator gives the gallons of liquid membrane for the walls and pan.
Frequently asked questions
How many square feet of tile for a 3x5 shower?
An alcove 3 ft x 5 ft shower tiled to 8 ft is about 104 sq ft of wall, plus 15 sq ft for pan, curb and niche — order roughly 135 sq ft with waste.
Should shower tile go to the ceiling?
It is the better result: no dust ledge, taller-looking room, and only slightly more tile. At minimum tile to 6 ft or 6 in above the shower head.
What tile size works for a shower floor?
Use 2 in or smaller mosaic on a sloped pan so the sheet can conform to the slope, and choose a tile with a DCOF of 0.42 or higher for slip resistance.
How high should shower tile go?
Minimum 6 ft above the drain, but tiling to the ceiling is now standard. The extra 2 ft costs roughly 25 sq ft of tile on a typical alcove and removes the painted strip that always fails first.
How much waste should I add for a shower?
15% for a straight stacked or offset layout, 20% for herringbone or diagonal. Showers waste more than floors because every wall terminates in a cut and the niche and curb add more.
Related calculators
- Tile Quantity CalculatorHow many tiles you need for any room, wall, or floor — with waste.
- Grout CalculatorPounds of grout by tile size, joint width, and thickness.
- Thinset & Mortar CalculatorBags of thinset by trowel notch size and coverage.
- Shower Niche Size CalculatorFinished and rough niche size that fits a stud bay and lines up with your tile.
- Tile Edge Trim CalculatorSticks of Schluter or 8 ft edge trim for every exposed edge, plus profile height.
- Deck Mud CalculatorSloped shower pan mortar bed: cubic feet and bags for centre or linear drains.
- Shower Pan Size CalculatorCheck a shower base or tiled pan against the IRC minimum size, with the slope rise to the walls.
- RedGard CalculatorGallons and pails of RedGard for shower walls and pan at the data-sheet coverage rates.
- Shower Tile Cost CalculatorCost to tile a shower: tile, backer, waterproofing, pan, niches and labor.
- Tile Cost EstimatorTotal project cost: tile, grout, mortar, trim, and labor.
Guides worth reading next
- Waterproofing a Tiled Shower: The Layer Cake That Keeps Water OutWhy tile and grout are not waterproof, how sheet and liquid membranes work, where corners and niches fail, and the flood test you shouldn't skip.
- How to Tile a Shower Floor: Slope, Mosaic and Drain DetailsWhy shower pans need small tile, how to follow the 1/4-in-per-foot slope, cutting around the drain, and sealing the pan before the first tile sticks.
- How to Measure a Room for Tile (Step by Step)Measure any room for floor or wall tile: handle closets and alcoves, convert inches to decimals, subtract fixtures, and add the right waste percentage.