How do I calculate backsplash square footage?

Multiply the run in feet by the height in inches, divide by 12, and take off windows. 12 ft × 18 in ÷ 12 = 18 sq ft.

How high is a backsplash?

It runs from the counter to the bottom of the wall cabinets, so measure yours. Behind a range it often goes higher; measure that panel separately.

How much extra backsplash tile should I buy?

The calculator starts at 10%, a HyreRemodel planning figure. Patterns like herringbone need more. Keep a spare box for repairs.

Does this include grout and trim?

No. Grout and adhesive come from the maker’s label, and edge trim is counted in linear feet.

HyreRemodel tools

Backsplash calculator

Enter the counter run, the backsplash height, any openings, and the square feet per box from the carton.

A backsplash calculator multiplies the length of the counter run by the backsplash height, then takes off openings and adds waste. 12 ft of counter at 18 in high is 18 sq ft. Less a 2 sq ft window, plus 10% waste, you order 18 sq ft of tile.

Work out your backsplash

Arithmetic on your figures. Nothing is stored or emailed.

— To order

— Wall to tile

— Boxes

What this assumed —

A quantity, not a quote.

Worked examples

Two kitchen backsplashes

Counter to cabinet

12 ft of counter, 18 in high, is 18 sq ft. Take off a 2 sq ft window return and add 10% waste: 18 sq ft to order (17.6 rounded up).

Full-height behind the range

Add the range wall separately. A 30 in wide, 5 ft high panel is 12.5 sq ft. Measure each section as its own rectangle and add them.

Order = (run in ft × height in in ÷ 12 − openings) × (1 + waste). Boxes = order ÷ the carton’s sq ft, rounded up.

How to measure a backsplash

Backsplash area is the counter run times the height to the cabinets. Measure height at a few points; cabinets are not always level.

Take off windows and large openings. Leave outlets and switches in. Tile around a box still needs cuts.

Exposed edges need trim. Count the linear feet of open edge separately for bullnose or metal edge pieces.

Backsplash waste by layout

Backsplash waste depends on the pattern, and narrow runs between outlets add cuts.

Layout	Waste to allow	Why
Straight / stack bond, square room	8%	The baseline. Cuts at two walls only.
Straight lay, irregular room	12%	Every alcove, bay and doorway adds cut pieces that cannot be reused.
Diagonal (45°)	15%	Every perimeter piece is a cut, and the offcuts are triangles.
Herringbone	18%	Two cuts per perimeter piece and a layout that generates unusable offcuts throughout.
Plank, long lengths, running bond	12%	Governed by the offcut rule: the end of one row starts the next only if it is long enough.
Patterned or directional material	20%	Pattern matching consumes material before any cut is made.

HyreRemodel planning figures for floors, not a standard. Walls with many outlets and corners can waste more. Your setter’s figure replaces them.

Backsplash work near outlets and gas

Outlet boxes may need extenders so the device sits flush with the new tile. That is electrical work; have a licensed electrician or your building department confirm what is needed.

Behind a gas range, the appliance must be disconnected and reconnected. Leave that to a licensed pro.

What the backsplash calculator leaves out

The backsplash calculator gives no price. Multiply the order by the price on your quote. Backsplash installation covers what the labor includes.

For the floor, use the tile square footage calculator. For the whole room, see the kitchen remodel cost calculator, or plan your remodel with us.

Questions this calculator answers

How do I calculate backsplash square footage?: Multiply the run in feet by the height in inches, divide by 12, and take off windows. 12 ft × 18 in ÷ 12 = 18 sq ft.
How high is a backsplash?: It runs from the counter to the bottom of the wall cabinets, so measure yours. Behind a range it often goes higher; measure that panel separately.
How much extra backsplash tile should I buy?: The calculator starts at 10%, a HyreRemodel planning figure. Patterns like herringbone need more. Keep a spare box for repairs.
Does this include grout and trim?: No. Grout and adhesive come from the maker’s label, and edge trim is counted in linear feet.

Sources and methodology

Figures dated October 22, 2026. Last reviewed August 16, 2026.

ANSI standards for tile installation (Tile Council of North America, retrieved September 5, 2026). The installation standards a tile bid should reference.

Backsplash installation What the labor covers.
Tile square footage calculator Floor tile.
Countertop calculator The surface below it.
Kitchen layout planner Clearances before finishes.

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