Wall Tile Calculator (Tiles, Boxes and Cost)
Work out how many wall tiles a bathroom, kitchen or backsplash needs. Enter the wall size, tile size and grout gap to get tiles with waste, boxes, covered area and cost.
The joint between tiles.
Allowance for cuts and breakage.
Enter the area to tile and the tile size.
About the wall tile calculator
The Wall Tile Calculator works out how many tiles to buy for a wall, a kitchen backsplash or a shower surround. Enter the wall as a height and a width, each in its own unit, or type in a direct area when you have already subtracted windows and niches. Add the tile size, the grout gap and a waste allowance, and the calculator returns the net tiles, the tiles to buy, the boxes if you give a box size, the covered area in square feet and square metres, and a cost if you enter a price.
It is the same calculator as the general Tile Calculator, described here for vertical surfaces. Wall tiles are usually smaller than floor tiles and set with thinner joints, so the grout gap has a bigger effect on the count than most people expect.
How to work out wall tiles
Steps
- Measure the width and height of the area to be tiled, from the counter or the tub rim to the top of the tiling.
- Work out the area of any window, niche or door in the wall, subtract it, and enter the result in the direct area field. For several walls, add their net areas together.
- Enter the tile width and tile height, for example 3 in by 6 in for classic subway tile.
- Set the grout gap. Wall joints are often 1/16 in (0.0625 in, about 1.5 mm) to 1/8 in.
- Keep 10 percent waste, or use 15 percent for a pattern such as herringbone or chevron.
- Add tiles per box and a price to get boxes and cost.
Formulas
Wall tile count
One tile plus one joint on each axis forms a cell:
With wall area and waste fraction , the net count and the purchase count are:
Boxes are divided by the tiles per box, rounded up.
Worked examples for walls
Subway backsplash. An 8 ft by 2 ft backsplash is 16 square feet. With 3 in by 6 in tiles and a 1/16 in gap, one cell is 3.0625 in by 6.0625 in, or 18.57 square inches. That is 125 tiles net. With 10 percent waste, buy 137. If they come 50 to a box, order 3 boxes, which is 150 tiles and about 19.3 square feet of coverage.
Shower wall with a window. A shower wall 5 ft wide and 8 ft high is 40 square feet. A 3 ft by 3 ft window removes 9 square feet, leaving 31. With 4 in by 12 in tiles and a 1/16 in gap, one cell is 49.0 square inches, so 92 tiles net and 101 to buy. Forgetting the window would give 130 tiles, which is 29 tiles too many.
Metric backsplash. A 2.4 m by 0.6 m wall is 1.44 square metres. With 75 mm by 150 mm tiles and a 2 mm gap, one cell is 77 mm by 152 mm, or 117.04 square centimetres. That needs 124 tiles net and 136 to buy.
Windows, niches and outlets
Subtract a window or a recessed shelf from the wall area, but remember that the niche itself is usually tiled on its back and sides. Add that area back as a separate wall. Small electrical outlets are not worth subtracting, since the cuts around them use up the tiles they displace.
Trim pieces and bullnose edges
Counts here are for field tile only. Bullnose, pencil liner or metal edge strips finish the open edge of the tiling and are bought separately, measured in linear feet. Measure the exposed edge, divide by the trim piece length, and add a few spares. Outside corners, such as a tiled tub deck, need trim too.
Small tiles and thin grout lines
When the tile is small, the joint is a bigger share of the cell. For 3 in by 6 in tiles, changing the gap from 1/16 in to 1/4 in cuts the net count from 125 to 114 on the 16 square foot backsplash. Enter the joint width you actually intend to use. Mosaic sheets are the exception: they are sold by the sheet, so use the sheet size as the tile size.
Buying a spare box
Buy all your tile in one order and keep a spare box from the same production lot. Shades vary between lots, which shows on a wall at eye level. If you need to compare prices, the Unit Price Calculator works out the cost per square foot, and the Length Converter converts a tile size quoted in the other system.
Privacy
Nothing is uploaded; every calculation runs in your browser and never leaves your device.
Related tools
For floors, see the Floor Tile Calculator. If the same room is being painted above the tile line, the Wall Paint Calculator estimates the paint. The Area Calculator finds the area of a window or niche to subtract.
Frequently asked questions
How many subway tiles do I need for a backsplash?
For an 8 ft by 2 ft backsplash with 3 in by 6 in tiles and a 1/16 in grout gap, you need 125 tiles net. With 10 percent waste, buy 137 tiles. At 50 tiles per box, that is 3 boxes.
How do I subtract a window from the wall area?
Multiply the window width by its height, subtract that from the wall area, and enter the result in the direct area field. A 5 ft by 8 ft shower wall with a 3 ft by 3 ft window leaves 31 square feet to tile.
Do I need to count tiles for a shower niche?
Yes. A niche is tiled on its back, sides, top and sill. Subtract the opening from the wall, then add the niche surfaces as a separate area and include them in the direct area figure.
Are bullnose and trim pieces included in the count?
No. The result covers field tile only. Trim such as bullnose, pencil liner and metal edge strips is sold separately by length, so measure the exposed edges, divide by the piece length and add a few spares.
What grout gap should I use for wall tile?
Wall tile is often laid with 1/16 in to 1/8 in joints, about 1.5 mm to 3 mm. Use the width your tile maker recommends. On the 16 square foot backsplash, a 1/4 in gap would lower the net count from 125 to 114.
How much waste should I allow for a wall?
Ten percent works for a straight stacked or running-bond pattern. Allow 15 percent or more for herringbone, chevron or a wall with many cut-outs, since every cut produces an offcut.
Is my data sent anywhere?
No. The wall tile counts and cost sums run in your browser, so your wall measurements and prices are never uploaded or stored on a server. They stay on this device and are not shared with anyone.