How Many Tiles Do You Need for a Shower?

By Anthony Hudson · Updated August 2, 2026 · 5 min read

A standard 3×5-foot shower stall (walls + floor) typically needs 90–110 square feet of tile after waste — noticeably more than the shower's actual footprint, because walls, a niche, and a curb all add up fast.

Where the square footage comes from

Three walls at roughly 3×7 feet each (door side excluded or partial) gives about 63 sq ft of wall alone. Add the floor (≈15 sq ft), a recessed niche (≈8 sq ft of surface once you count its five faces), and the curb — and a "small" shower easily crosses 90 sq ft. Run your exact dimensions through our tile calculator for a real count.

Why waste factor matters more here

Showers have more cuts per square foot than any other tile job — around plumbing, the niche, the curb, and the drain. Use 15%, not the standard 10%, and if you're going with a mosaic or listello accent band, budget those as a completely separate line item since sheets are sold and cut differently than field tile.

Don't forget the grout and thinset

Showers are the one place where using the right grout matters most — sanded grout at the recommended joint width, and always a mildew-resistant formula or additive. Our grout & thinset calculator handles the bag counts once you've picked tile size and joint width.