How do I measure a shower for tile?

Measure each surface as its own rectangle: the back wall, both side walls, the shower floor, and any niche. Multiply width by height (or width by depth for the floor), add them up, and subtract the door opening if you are not tiling there.

How much tile do I need for a standard shower?

A 3 ft by 5 ft walk-in shower with an 8 ft ceiling works out to roughly 70 square feet of wall plus about 15 square feet of floor. Wall and floor usually use different tile, so calculate them separately and add 15% waste to each.

What tile is safe for a shower floor?

Use slip-resistant tile. ANSI A137.1 recommends a dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) of at least 0.42 for tile in wet, walked-on areas. Small mosaic tiles are popular because their many grout lines add grip.

How much waste should I add for shower tile?

Add at least 15%. Showers involve many cuts around the floor, niche, and fixtures, and the angled and small-tile work raises the breakage rate compared with a simple floor.

How to Calculate Shower Tile (Walls, Floor & Niche)

Quick answer: Measure each shower surface separately — back wall, two side walls, floor, and niche — multiply width × height for each, add them up, subtract the door opening, then add 15% waste. A 3 ft × 5 ft walk-in shower with an 8 ft ceiling needs roughly 70 sq ft of wall tile plus 15 sq ft of floor tile.

A shower is really several small surfaces that often use two different tiles, so the trick is to calculate each part on its own and add them together. The tile calculatorlets you add every surface in one pass with the “Add Another Area” button.

Measure each surface separately

Back wall: width × height
Left side wall: depth × height
Right side wall: depth × height
Shower floor: width × depth
Niche: calculate separately, especially if it uses an accent tile

Subtract the door opening from the front wall if you are tiling it. A standard corner shower is about 36 × 36 in; a walk-in is often around 36 × 60 in. Always measure your actual space.

Worked example: 3 × 5 ft walk-in shower, 8 ft ceiling

Wall surfaces

Back wall: 5 × 8 = 40 sq ft
Left wall: 3 × 8 = 24 sq ft · Right wall: 3 × 8 = 24 sq ft
Less door opening: 2.5 × 7 = −17.5 sq ft
Total wall area: 40 + 24 + 24 − 17.5 = 70.5 sq ft

Tile the walls

3×6 subway tile = 0.125 sq ft each
Base tiles: 70.5 ÷ 0.125 = 564
+ 15% waste (85 tiles): 649 tiles

Shower floor

3 × 5 = 15 sq ft, usually a 2×2 in mosaic sold by the sheet
15 sq ft + 15% waste = 17.25 → 18 sq ft

Adding a niche

A recessed niche (say 12 in wide × 24 in tall × 4 in deep) adds roughly 4 sq ft once you count the back, the two sides, and the top and bottom shelves. Add that to your total, and calculate it separately if the niche uses a different accent tile.

Choosing a safe shower floor tile

Shower floors should be slip-resistant. ANSI A137.1 recommends a dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) of at least 0.42 for tile in wet areas that are walked on. Small mosaics work well because their many grout lines add grip:

1 × 1 in mosaic (sheet-mounted)
2 × 2 in mosaic (sheet-mounted)
Pebble tile (sheet-mounted)

Tips for shower tile

Calculate walls and floor separately — they usually use different tile.
Add at least 15% waste; showers have a lot of cuts.
Subtract the door opening so you don’t overbuy.
Buy extra — matching shower tile for a future repair is critical and hard to source later.

Frequently asked questions

How do I measure a shower for tile?: Measure each surface as its own rectangle: the back wall, both side walls, the shower floor, and any niche. Multiply width by height (or width by depth for the floor), add them up, and subtract the door opening if you are not tiling there.
How much tile do I need for a standard shower?: A 3 ft by 5 ft walk-in shower with an 8 ft ceiling works out to roughly 70 square feet of wall plus about 15 square feet of floor. Wall and floor usually use different tile, so calculate them separately and add 15% waste to each.
What tile is safe for a shower floor?: Use slip-resistant tile. ANSI A137.1 recommends a dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) of at least 0.42 for tile in wet, walked-on areas. Small mosaic tiles are popular because their many grout lines add grip.
How much waste should I add for shower tile?: Add at least 15%. Showers involve many cuts around the floor, niche, and fixtures, and the angled and small-tile work raises the breakage rate compared with a simple floor.

Add each surface to the tile calculator for a precise estimate. For the waste math, see how much extra tile to buy, and for a similar wall project read how to calculate backsplash tile.