Quantity · Shower tile
Shower Tile Calculator
Size a shower in tiles the way a setter measures it: floor, walls by layout (alcove / corner / enclosure), then niches, bench, and curb. Default waste starts at 15% because showers eat cuts. For a plain room floor without niches, use the general tile calculator.
Shower stall
Most common: tub/shower between three walls; open face for door/curtain.
Common wall / backsplash face.
Grid parallel to walls — least cutting waste.
Niches
Each niche adds back + two sides + bottom shelf. The wall opening is not subtracted (niche tile is extra surface).
Tiles to buy
999tiles
108.5 sq ft total · 3" × 6" subway
- Floor
- 15 sq ft
- Walls
- 88 sq ft
- Niches
- 1.9 sq ft
- Bench + curb
- 3.6 sq ft
- Thinset (50 lb)
- ~3 bags
- Material band
- $217–$3,255
Alcove (3 walls) · Straight / stacked · +15% waste. Rough boxes ~50. Labor and waterproofing live on the installation cost page.
- Floor + walls by layout
- Add niche / bench / curb surfaces
- Buy = ceil(total ÷ tile face × (1 + 15%))
Price data updated . National US ranges from published supplier and contractor averages. Not a bid. Local quotes vary.
How shower tile quantity is calculated
Floor is length × width. Walls follow the layout: alcove uses three walls, corner two, enclosure four minus the door. Niches add back + sides + shelf. A bench adds top + front. A curb adds front + top + inside. Sum the surfaces, divide by tile face, apply waste, round up.
floor = L × W walls = f(layout, L, W, H) − door (enclosure only) niche = count × (back + 2×sides + shelf) / 144 bench = width × depth + width × height curb = length × (2 × height + width) / 144 // inches on curb area_total = floor + walls + niche + bench + curb tiles_buy = ceil(area_total / tile_area × (1 + waste %))
Worked example. A 5 × 3 ft alcove to 8 ft with one 12×12×3.5" niche and a 3 ft curb (5" high × 4.5" wide): floor 15 sq ft, walls (5+2×3)×8 = 88 sq ft, niche ≈ 1.9 sq ft, curb ≈ 3.6 sq ft → ~109 sq ft. With 3×6 subway (0.125 sq ft each) and 15% waste → buy about 1,000 tiles.
Shower parts beyond flat floor and walls
These surfaces are why a shower takeoff differs from a room tile calculator. Measure each part; the tool adds them for you.
| Part | How to measure | Faces tiled | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niche | W × H × depth (in) | Back + 2 sides + shelf | Do not subtract the wall hole — niche is extra tile |
| Bench | Width × depth × height (ft) | Top seat + front apron | Sides against walls usually skip |
| Curb | Length (ft), height & width (in) | Front + top + inside | Threshold at the shower entry |
| Alcove walls | L + 2×W, × height | 3 walls | Open face is door/curtain — not tiled |
| Enclosure walls | 2×(L+W)×H − door×H | 4 walls − door | Enter door width to subtract |
- Waste: start at 15% for showers; use 20%+ for herringbone or many niches.
- Waterproofing and labor dollars are on the installation cost calculator.
Typical alcove floor + wall area (before niches)
Quick check before extras. Assumes 8 ft wall height and three-wall alcove.
| Floor size | Floor sq ft | Wall sq ft | Floor + walls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 × 3 ft | 9 | 72 | 81 |
| 4 × 3 ft | 12 | 80 | 92 |
| 5 × 3 ft | 15 | 88 | 103 |
| 5 × 4 ft | 20 | 104 | 124 |
| 6 × 3 ft | 18 | 96 | 114 |
- Wall sq ft = (length + 2 × width) × 8.
- Add niche / bench / curb on top — then apply waste.
Shower Tile calculator FAQ
- How many tiles do I need for a shower?
- Add floor, walls (by layout), niches, bench, and curb, divide by the face area of one tile, multiply by (1 + waste %), and round up. This calculator does that with shower-specific parts.
- Do I subtract the niche opening from the wall?
- No for this takeoff. The niche opening is small, and you still tile the niche interior (back, sides, shelf), which is usually more area than the hole. We add niche faces and leave the wall count full.
- What waste percentage for shower tile?
- Start at 15%. Use 20% or more for diagonal/herringbone, mosaic sheets with lots of cuts, or multiple niches.
- Is this the same as the regular tile calculator?
- No. The general tile calculator is for flat rooms. This page adds alcove/corner/enclosure wall math plus niche, bench, and curb — the parts that make showers unique.
- Does this include labor or waterproofing cost?
- No — quantity and a rough material band only. Use the tile installation cost calculator for labor and membrane dollars.
- Should I buy an extra box?
- Yes. Keep unopened boxes for repairs; dye lots rarely match later.
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