How much tile for a kitchen backsplash?
4 boxes of tile for a kitchen backsplash, at the settings most people start with. Below the calculator are the same numbers for the alternatives you are likely to choose, and what each one does to the total.
Reviewed · Method: measured dimensions, industry coverage rates, rounded up to real package sizes · How the numbers are calculated
Values are pre-filled for this page. Change anything and hit Recalculate.
The answer, and what it is made of
A 12 x 1.5 ft wall area is 18 sq ft. Adding 10% for cuts and breakage gives 20 sq ft of tile. Cartons only come in 5 sq ft, so you buy 4 cartons of tile — 20 sq ft in total, which leaves 0 sq ft over. That is the exact requirement with nothing left over, so buy one more carton as repair stock — the tile you need in two years will not be from this dye lot.
Planning figure for everything on that list: $66 to $224, with $119 as the realistic middle for the products most people actually buy. These are estimates for budgeting, not quotes. Prices move by region and by season, and the middle figure assumes a mid-range product rather than the cheapest thing on the shelf.
12 ft run at 18 in high needs 4 boxes; 12 ft run up to the cabinets needs 6 boxes. A backsplash scales with the run, and because tile is sold by the box, a slightly longer run can jump a whole box — which is why measuring the counter, not the wall, matters here.
What changes if you change one thing
| Change the run length | You buy |
|---|---|
| 12 ft run at 18 in high | 4 boxes |
| 16 ft run at 18 in high | 6 boxes |
| 12 ft run up to the cabinets, 24 in | 6 boxes |
Every row is a live calculation, not an estimate. The shaded row is what this page defaults to.
What goes in the cart
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Tile cartons (5 sq ft each) | 4 boxes |
| Thinset mortar, 50 lb bag | 1 bag |
| Grout, 10 lb bag | 1 bag |
| Tile spacers | 100 pcs |
| Mixing paddle + 5 gal bucket | 1 set |
| Grout sponge + float | 1 set |
Keep one unopened box. Dye lots change between production runs — a replacement tile bought in two years will not match. Store it flat and dry.
What this size actually changes
A backsplash is the one tiling job where the height is usually fixed by the cabinets and the length is the only real variable. At 18 in high, a 12 ft run is 18 sq ft; at 24 in, the same run is 24 sq ft, a third more material for six inches of extra height. The height also decides the layout: three 6 in subway courses fit 18 in exactly, but at 24 in you need four courses plus a cut.
Figure. kitchen backsplash: 12 x 1.5 ft. Measure the finished surface, not the room walls — the area between skirting or cabinet faces is the area you pay for.
How the quantity is worked out
Tile is sold by carton, and the carton — not the tile — is what sets your final number. A 15.5 sq ft carton of 12x24 porcelain covers the same area whether the tiles are rectified or pressed, so two products that look identical on the shelf can leave you buying nine cartons or eleven. Always read the coverage printed on the carton, not the square footage of one tile multiplied out.
The waste allowance exists for three reasons: cuts at the perimeter, breakage from a wet saw, and pattern matching if the tile has a repeat. Ten percent is right for a straight lay in a roughly rectangular room. Diagonal layouts, herringbone, and rooms with more than four corners all push the real number to 15 percent or more.
How to measure this job
A backsplash is measured in linear feet along the counter, not in square feet of room. Measure the counter run from the end of the cabinet to the end of the cabinet, then measure the height from the counter to the underside of the upper cabinets. That is normally 18 in, but it is 24 in where the counter runs under a window, and it is the full wall height if you are tiling up to the ceiling.
Then subtract the range hood and any window, and add the returns at each end — the short piece that turns the corner is easy to forget and always needs its own cuts. For the calculator, enter the length in feet and the height in feet: 18 in is 1.5 ft.
Mistakes that cost real money
Ordering the exact area and hoping for the best
Cuts alone eat 5 to 8 percent in a simple room. Ordering 144 sq ft for a 144 sq ft floor guarantees a second trip to the store, and the second trip is where dye-lot mismatch happens. The extra carton costs less than the delay.
Measuring the wall instead of the counter run
The backsplash follows the counter, and the counter stops where the cabinets stop. Measuring the full wall adds the space beside the fridge and the gap at a doorway, which is tile nobody sees and cuts nobody planned.
Starting at one end and working across
A backsplash has to land whole at both ends, or at least at the visible end. Starting at one end pushes all the error into the corner behind the kettle. Find the centre of the run, work outwards, and split the difference at both ends.
Cutting the outlet holes after the tile is up
A 3x6 subway tile with a socket cut through it will crack along the cut, usually the same day. Mark and cut the tile on the bench, or use a diamond hole saw before setting. The tile around an outlet is the most visible detail on the whole splash.
Frequently asked questions
How much extra tile should I buy for cuts and breakage?
Ten percent over the measured area for a straight lay in a rectangular room. Fifteen percent if you are laying diagonally, running a herringbone pattern, tiling several small rooms from one order, or working with a tile that has a visible repeat. Never go below five percent, even in a perfect square.
How much tile do I need for a kitchen backsplash?
A typical 12 ft run at 18 in high is 18 sq ft, so about 20 sq ft with waste — four 5 sq ft boxes of subway tile, or roughly 30 sq ft of mosaic sheet. Add 10 percent, and more if you have several outlets or a window to tile around.
How much tile for a kitchen backsplash?
A 12 ft run at 18 in is 18 sq ft, so buy 20 to 22 sq ft. That is four to five boxes of subway tile, or three sheets of mosaic. Add one box if the run has more than two outlets or a window to tile around.
Can I use 12x24 tile on a backsplash?
Yes, and it looks clean and modern, but you need a wet saw with a long bed and every cut has to be perfect because there are so few joints to hide the error. On an 18 in height, a 24 in tile means one horizontal joint, so any lippage is immediately visible.
What will the materials for this cost?
A planning range of $66 to $224 for everything in the shopping list, with $119 as the realistic middle. That is materials only: it excludes labour, delivery, tool hire and disposal of the old surface. Treat it as a budgeting figure, not a quote.