So, you want to know how to measure for tile backsplash? It’s a common question for anyone planning a kitchen update. This DIY kitchen backsplash measuring guide will walk you through the steps. Taking accurate measurements is super important to make sure you buy the right amount of tile and other supplies. It saves you money and stops you from running out of tile halfway through the job. This guide will help you measure kitchen walls for backsplash like a pro.
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Why Measuring is So Important
Thinking about adding a tile backsplash to your kitchen? It’s a great idea! A backsplash protects your walls from splashes and spills. It also makes your kitchen look much nicer. But before you buy any tiles, you need to know exactly how much area the backsplash will cover.
Getting the measurements wrong can cause big problems. If you buy too little tile, you have to stop work and buy more. This takes time. It might even mean the new tiles don’t match the old ones because they came from a different batch. If you buy too much tile, you waste money. You end up with extra boxes of tile you don’t need.
This guide makes measuring simple. We will show you how to measure backsplash wall area correctly. You’ll learn how to calculate backsplash square footage. You’ll also see how to handle tricky spots like windows and outlets. By the end, you’ll know how much tile needed for backsplash.
Tools You Will Need
Gathering your tools before you start makes the job easier. You probably have most of these things in your home already.
- Tape Measure: A good quality tape measure is a must. Make sure it is at least 12 feet long. A locking tape measure is very helpful because it stays open at the length you need.
- Pencil: To mark your measurements on paper.
- Paper or Notebook: To write down all your numbers. Graph paper can help you draw a simple picture of your walls.
- Level: To check if lines are straight, especially important if you plan where your backsplash will stop on the wall.
- Calculator: To do the math for your backsplash area calculation. Your phone calculator works fine.
- Step Stool or Ladder: To reach high spots if your backsplash goes up to the cabinets or ceiling.
- Helper (Optional but Recommended): An extra pair of hands makes measuring long walls much easier.
Getting Ready to Measure
Before you pull out the tape measure, do a little prep work.
- Clear the Countertops: Take everything off the counters. Toasters, coffee makers, knife blocks – move them all out of the way. You need a clear space to measure along the wall.
- Clean the Walls: Wipe down the wall where the backsplash will go. Dust and grease can make marking lines hard.
- Find Your Start and Stop Points: Decide exactly where your backsplash will begin and end.
- Bottom: Usually, it starts right at the countertop.
- Top: Does it go just a few inches up the wall? Does it go up to the bottom of the upper cabinets? Does it go all the way up to the ceiling? Knowing this height is key.
- Sides: Does it stop at the end of the counter? Does it wrap around a corner? Does it go to a door frame?
- Sketch the Area: Draw a simple picture of each wall section that will get a backsplash. It doesn’t need to be perfect art. Just show the shape of the wall, where cabinets are, where windows are, and where outlets are. This sketch helps you keep track of your measurements. Label each section clearly (like “Wall A,” “Wall B,” etc.).
Measuring the Main Wall Sections
This is where you measure the big, open parts of the wall. We will break it down step by step. Remember, you need two measurements for each section: the length (how long) and the height (how tall) of the area you want to tile.
H4 Grasping Length and Height
When you measure, always write down the length and height for each piece of the wall. Imagine a simple rectangle. You need its width and its height to find its size. Your backsplash area is made up of different rectangles.
H4 Measuring Length Along the Counter
Measure the length of the wall area you want to tile, right along the countertop.
* Start at one end of the section.
* Extend your tape measure to the other end.
* Follow the line of the countertop.
* If a wall section is very long, you might need to measure it in smaller parts and add them up. Have a helper hold the tape measure if possible.
* Write this length down on your sketch next to the wall section. Note the units (like inches or feet). It is usually easier to measure everything in inches and change to feet later.
H4 Measuring Height From Counter to Top
Now, measure the height of the backsplash area for this same wall section.
* Start your tape measure right on the countertop surface.
* Extend it straight up to the line where your backsplash will stop. This might be the bottom of the upper cabinets, a specific height you decided on, or the ceiling.
* Do this in a couple of places along the wall section to make sure the height is the same everywhere. Walls and cabinets are not always perfectly straight or level. If the height changes a little, use the largest height measurement for that section to be safe.
* Write this height down next to the length on your sketch.
H4 Breaking Down Complex Walls
Most kitchens don’t have just one flat wall. You might have walls with corners, walls with appliances (like a fridge or stove) breaking them up, or walls that meet cabinets at different heights.
- Divide and Conquer: If a wall is broken up, measure each piece separately. For example, if you have a piece of wall next to the fridge, then the fridge, then another piece of wall, measure just the two wall parts that get tile. Treat them as separate rectangles on your sketch.
- Measure Sections Between Cabinets: If you have cabinets with spaces between them that will get tile, measure the width of the gap between the cabinets and the height from the counter up to the bottom of the cabinets above.
- Corners: Measure each wall section leading into a corner separately. You’ll measure the length of wall ‘A’ up to the corner, and the length of wall ‘B’ from the corner.
Keep adding these measured lengths and heights to your sketch. Be super clear about which numbers go with which section.
Accounting for Outlets and Switches
Outlets and light switches are a big part of measuring backsplash. You have to know where they are. The tile will need to be cut around them. While you don’t subtract their area from your total (you still need tile behind them or around them), you do need to note their location. This is important for planning your tile cuts and layout later. But for calculating the total tile area you need, you usually don’t subtract the outlet area.
H4 Locating Outlets and Switches
On your sketch, draw boxes or circles where each outlet and switch is located within the backsplash area.
- Measure how far the center of the outlet/switch is from the countertop.
- Measure how far the center is from the side edge of the wall section or cabinet.
- Measure the size of the outlet cover plate (standard ones are about 3 inches wide and 5 inches tall).
Write these measurements near the outlet on your sketch. This helps you visualize later. This step is mainly for planning cuts, not for the main area calculation itself. The phrase account for outlets when measuring backsplash usually means making sure you measure the wall area behind them, not subtracting them. You need tile there!
Measuring Around Windows
Windows are like big holes in the wall. You will tile up to the window edge, perhaps around the sides if there’s a sill, and then continue tiling on the other side. You absolutely do subtract the area of the window opening from your total wall area calculation.
H4 Deciphering Window Areas
Treat the window as a “negative space” or a hole in the wall you’re tiling. You need to find the size of this hole.
- Measure the width of the window opening from one side to the other (inside the frame).
- Measure the height of the window opening from the bottom to the top (inside the frame).
- Multiply the width by the height to get the square area of the window. Keep your units the same (inches by inches).
- Write down these window measurements and their area separately on your sketch. Label them clearly.
When you do your final area calculation, you will subtract these window areas from the total wall area. This is a key part of measuring backsplash around windows.
H5 Considering Window Sills and Trim
Will your tile go around the window frame or sill?
* If your tile wraps into the window opening or around a sill, you might need to measure these small areas too.
* Measure the width and depth of the sill area you plan to tile. Calculate its small area.
* Measure the width and height of any side or top trim areas you plan to tile. Calculate their small areas.
* Add these small areas to your total after you subtract the main window opening area. This is less common but important if your design includes tiling these spots. For most simple backsplashes, you just tile up to the window trim and subtract the window hole area.
Calculating the Backsplash Area
Now you have all your measurements written down on your sketch. You have lengths and heights for each wall section, and dimensions for any windows. It’s time for the backsplash area calculation. The goal is to Calculate backsplash square footage (or square inches first, then convert).
H4 Step-by-Step Calculation
Let’s find the area of each section and then the total.
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Calculate Area of Each Wall Section: For each rectangle you measured (length and height):
- Multiply the length by the height.
- Length (in inches) * Height (in inches) = Area (in square inches)
- Write down the area next to that section on your sketch.
- Example: Wall section is 60 inches long and 18 inches high. Area = 60 * 18 = 1080 square inches.
-
Calculate Area of Each Window: For each window opening you measured:
- Multiply the width by the height.
- Width (in inches) * Height (in inches) = Window Area (in square inches)
- Write down this area next to the window on your sketch.
- Example: Window is 30 inches wide and 24 inches high. Window Area = 30 * 24 = 720 square inches.
-
Sum All Wall Section Areas: Add up the areas of all the wall sections you measured. This is the total area if there were no windows.
- Total Wall Area (sq inches) = Area of Section 1 + Area of Section 2 + Area of Section 3…
-
Sum All Window Areas: Add up the areas of all the windows you measured.
- Total Window Area (sq inches) = Area of Window 1 + Area of Window 2…
-
Subtract Window Areas from Total Wall Area: This gives you the actual area that needs tile.
- Tileable Area (sq inches) = Total Wall Area (sq inches) – Total Window Area (sq inches)
-
Convert to Square Feet: Tile is almost always sold by the square foot. You need to change your total square inches into square feet.
- There are 144 square inches in 1 square foot (12 inches * 12 inches = 144).
- Divide your total tileable area in square inches by 144.
- Tileable Area (sq feet) = Tileable Area (sq inches) / 144
- Example: Tileable Area is 5760 square inches. Tileable Area (sq feet) = 5760 / 144 = 40 square feet.
This final number is your Calculate backsplash square footage before adding extra for waste.
H5 Table Example: Calculation
Let’s say you have two wall sections and one window:
| Area Type | Length (in) | Height (in) | Calculation | Area (sq in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wall Section 1 | 72 | 18 | 72 * 18 | 1296 |
| Wall Section 2 | 48 | 18 | 48 * 18 | 864 |
| Window | 30 | 24 | 30 * 24 | 720 |
- Total Wall Area (sq in) = 1296 + 864 = 2160 sq in
- Total Window Area (sq in) = 720 sq in
- Tileable Area (sq in) = 2160 – 720 = 1440 sq in
- Tileable Area (sq ft) = 1440 / 144 = 10 sq ft
So, your basic tileable area is 10 square feet.
Understanding Backsplash Linear Footage
Sometimes, people talk about backsplash linear footage calculation. This is not the same as square footage. Linear footage is just the total length of the area you are tiling, not the area it covers. It is useful for ordering things like trim pieces or edge profiles, which are sold by the foot (a straight line measure).
To find linear footage, simply add up the lengths of all the wall sections you are tiling along the countertop.
- Example: Wall section 1 is 72 inches long, Wall section 2 is 48 inches long.
- Total Length = 72 + 48 = 120 inches.
- To convert inches to feet, divide by 12.
- Linear Footage = 120 / 12 = 10 linear feet.
Linear footage is helpful for ordering edge pieces, not for ordering the main field tile. Field tile is bought by the square foot.
Accounting for Waste and Cuts
Your tileable area calculation is just the starting point. You must buy extra tile to cover waste. Waste happens because you have to cut tiles to fit edges, corners, outlets, and windows. Tiles can also break.
H4 Why You Need Extra Tile
- Cuts: Tiles need cuts around outlets, windows, and at the ends of walls. Some tiles might need complex cuts.
- Errors: You might make a mistake when cutting.
- Breakage: Tiles can chip or break during cutting or handling.
- Pattern: If you are using a specific pattern (like subway tile with an offset or herringbone), this often creates more waste than a simple grid pattern.
- Tile Size: Very small tiles (like mosaics on a sheet) usually have less waste than large format tiles that need many cuts.
- Skill Level: If you are new to tiling, add a little extra for learning.
H4 How Much Extra Tile to Buy
A common rule is to add 10% to your total tileable area for waste.
- Waste Amount = Tileable Area (sq ft) * 0.10
- Total Tile Needed (before rounding) = Tileable Area (sq ft) + Waste Amount
Example using our 10 sq ft area:
* Waste Amount = 10 sq ft * 0.10 = 1 sq ft
* Total Tile Needed = 10 sq ft + 1 sq ft = 11 sq ft
For complex layouts, diagonal patterns, or large format tiles, you might want to add 15% or even 20% for waste. When in doubt, it’s better to have a little too much than too little. You can often return unopened boxes of tile.
H5 Rounding Up
Tile is sold in boxes or sheets. Boxes cover a specific amount of square footage (e.g., a box might contain 8 sq ft). You can’t usually buy a fraction of a box.
Once you have your total needed square footage (including waste), round up to the nearest full box or sheet quantity.
Example: You need 11 sq ft. The tile comes in boxes that cover 8 sq ft each.
* Box 1: 8 sq ft
* Box 2: 16 sq ft total (8 + 8)
* You need 11 sq ft, so you must buy 2 boxes, which gives you 16 sq ft.
This means you will have extra tile (16 sq ft bought – 11 sq ft needed = 5 sq ft extra). This is normal and good. Keep the extra tile. It is useful for future repairs if a tile gets damaged.
This final number, after adding waste and rounding up to full boxes, is your answer to how much tile needed for backsplash.
Putting It All Together: A Full Example
Let’s measure for a backsplash on one wall with cabinets above and one window in the middle. The backsplash goes from the counter up to the bottom of the cabinets.
- Sketch: Draw the wall. Show the counter, the upper cabinets, and the window between the cabinets.
- Determine Height: Measure from the counter to the bottom of the upper cabinets. Let’s say it is 18 inches. This is the height for all areas under the cabinets.
- Measure Lengths:
- Measure the length of the wall section from the left wall (or cabinet edge) to the start of the window. Let’s say it is 36 inches.
- Measure the length of the wall section from the end of the window to the right wall (or cabinet edge). Let’s say it is 48 inches.
- Measure the width of the window opening. Let’s say it is 30 inches.
- Measure Window Height: Measure the height of the window opening. Let’s say it is 24 inches.
- Calculate Areas (in inches):
- Section 1 Area = Length * Height = 36 in * 18 in = 648 sq in
- Section 2 Area = Length * Height = 48 in * 18 in = 864 sq in
- Window Area = Width * Height = 30 in * 24 in = 720 sq in
- Sum Wall Areas: Total Wall Area = Section 1 Area + Section 2 Area = 648 + 864 = 1512 sq in
- Subtract Window Area: Tileable Area (sq in) = Total Wall Area – Window Area = 1512 – 720 = 792 sq in
- Convert to Square Feet: Tileable Area (sq ft) = Tileable Area (sq in) / 144 = 792 / 144 = 5.5 sq ft
- Add Waste: Add 10% for waste. Waste = 5.5 sq ft * 0.10 = 0.55 sq ft. Total Needed = 5.5 + 0.55 = 6.05 sq ft.
- Round Up: Check how the tile is sold. If tile is sold in boxes covering 5 sq ft each:
- You need 6.05 sq ft.
- Box 1 = 5 sq ft. Not enough.
- Box 2 = 10 sq ft. Enough.
- You need to buy 2 boxes.
In this example, you need to buy 2 boxes of tile (10 sq ft total) to cover 5.5 sq ft plus waste.
This shows the full backsplash area calculation process, including measuring backsplash around windows.
Tips for Accurate Measuring
- Measure Twice: Always measure each length and height at least two times. Make sure you get the same number each time. This helps prevent simple mistakes.
- Use Consistent Units: Decide if you will measure everything in inches or everything in feet and inches from the start. Stick to it. It’s often easiest to measure everything in inches, calculate area in square inches, and convert to square feet at the end.
- Measure the Tiling Area Only: Do not include areas that will not get tile. For example, if the backsplash stops at the end of the counter, measure only up to that point on the wall.
- Note Obstacles Clearly: Mark where outlets, switches, and pipes are on your sketch. Even if you don’t subtract their area, knowing their position is vital for the tiling part.
- Consider Uneven Surfaces: If your walls or counters are not perfectly straight or level (common in older homes), measure in a few different spots along the same line. Use the largest measurement for height and make sure your length measurement follows the counter.
- Take Photos: Take pictures of your kitchen walls, especially tricky spots like windows and corners. Look at the photos when you review your sketch and measurements.
Beyond Measuring: What Comes Next
Knowing how much tile needed for backsplash is a big step. But there’s more to think about when buying.
- Tile Size and Shape: The type of tile affects how it is installed and how much waste you might have. Small mosaics, subway tiles, large format tiles – they all handle differently.
- Grout Lines: Think about the width of your grout lines. Standard is often 1/8 inch or 3/16 inch. This spacing affects the final look but usually does not change the overall tile area calculation much, unless using very small tiles with wide grout.
- Trim Pieces: Will you need edge trim (like Schluter profiles) or bullnose tiles to finish the edges? Measure the linear feet of any exposed edges to buy the right amount of trim. Remember your backsplash linear footage calculation can help here.
- Other Materials: Don’t forget to buy mortar (or adhesive) to stick the tiles to the wall and grout to fill the spaces between tiles. The packaging or store staff can help you figure out how much mortar and grout you need based on your square footage and tile/grout size.
This detailed DIY kitchen backsplash measuring guide should give you the confidence to measure your kitchen walls accurately. Taking your time with the backsplash area calculation and planning for waste will help your project go smoothly. You now know how to measure backsplash wall area and Calculate backsplash square footage to figure out how much tile needed for backsplash.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
H3 Can I just estimate?
It is not a good idea to just guess. Estimating can lead to buying too little or too much tile. Measuring carefully helps you buy the right amount, saving you money and time.
H3 Do I subtract the area of outlets?
No, you usually do not subtract the area of outlets from your total tile area calculation. You need tile behind the outlet plate, or at least cut tiles that fit around the box. So, you still need the tile for that space. Account for outlets when measuring backsplash by noting their spot, not by removing their area from your math.
H3 How much extra tile for waste?
Most experts suggest adding 10% to your total tileable area. For complex patterns (like herringbone) or large tiles needing many cuts, add 15% or even 20%.
H3 What is the difference between square footage and linear footage?
Square footage measures an area (length times height). It tells you how much surface you are covering with tile. Linear footage measures a length (just a straight line). It is used for things like trim pieces or edge profiles.
H3 My walls are not straight. What should I do?
Measure the height in a few spots along the wall section. Use the largest height measurement for your calculation. This makes sure you have enough tile for the tallest point. When installing, you will need to deal with unevenness, but for ordering tile, use the maximum height.
H3 Should I measure in inches or feet?
It is often easiest to measure everything in inches first. This avoids dealing with fractions of feet during measuring. Calculate your area in square inches, and then convert the final tileable area to square feet by dividing by 144.
H3 What if my backsplash goes up to a sloped ceiling?
This is a bit more complex. You would measure the length along the counter. Then, measure the height at different points along the length (e.g., every foot). You can average the heights or break the area into rectangles and triangles if the slope is straight. For simple slopes, measure the lowest height and the highest height, find the average height, and multiply by the length. For more complex slopes, you might need to draw it to scale to get accurate areas.
H3 What if my counter is not level?
Measure the height of the backsplash area starting from the counter at a few spots along the wall section. Use the largest height measurement in your calculation to ensure you have enough tile to reach your top line everywhere.
H3 Do I need to measure small sections, like behind the stove?
Yes, measure all wall areas that will get tile, no matter how small. Even a small gap behind a stove might need tile up to a certain height. Add all these small sections into your total backsplash area calculation.