Shower Square Footage Calculator
Measure shower walls and floor for tile, stone, or panel surround projects. A standard 60×30 shower with 6 ft tile height needs roughly 90-110 sq ft of wall tile.
Shower Tile Calculator
Three walls plus floor and curb
A standard alcove shower has three tiled walls, a floor, and sometimes a curb top. Measure each wall as length × height. Common shower wall heights are 6 ft (above tub), 7 ft (full height), or to the ceiling (typically 8 ft).
For a 60 in × 30 in shower with 6 ft walls: back wall (60 × 72) = 30 sq ft; two side walls (30 × 72) = 15 sq ft each = 30 sq ft. Floor (60 × 30) = 12.5 sq ft. Total = 72.5 sq ft, plus 15% waste = 84 sq ft of tile to order.
Niches, benches, and trim
A typical recessed niche is 12 × 24 in. Tile the niche back, sides, and bottom; subtract the niche opening from the wall area, then add the niche interior surfaces back. Most niches add 4-6 sq ft net to your wall tile order.
Shower benches add wall area on the front and top. A 24 in × 16 in bench top adds about 2.7 sq ft, plus the front face. Curbs need tile on the top and shower-side face.
Pro tips
Use mosaic on the floor
Shower floors need small tiles (2 in or smaller) so grout lines provide drainage slope and slip resistance. Buy mosaic sheets and treat the floor as a separate tile order from the walls.
Plan accent strips before ordering
Decorative bands or accent strips have different square footage requirements. Calculate them separately to make sure you order enough of each tile type.
Schluter or bullnose for edges
Outside corners and shower curb edges need either bullnose tile or metal trim (Schluter). Bullnose adds linear feet to your tile order; metal trim is sold by the 8-ft stick.
Order from one lot
Shade variation between dye lots is most visible in small enclosed spaces like showers. Always order from a single lot, and buy 20% extra for future repairs.