Tile Sizes: Standard Floor, Wall and Backsplash Tile Dimensions
Every common tile size in inches and millimeters, what the labels really measure, which sizes suit floors, walls, showers and backsplashes, and how to count the tiles you need.
The most common tile sizes are 3 × 6 in (76 × 152 mm) subway tile for walls, and 12 × 12 in, 12 × 24 in and 24 × 24 in for floors. Most porcelain is made in metric, so a "12 × 24" tile is usually 300 × 600 mm (11.8 × 23.6 in) and a "24 × 24" is 600 × 600 mm (23.6 in square).
- Subway tile
- 3 × 6 in (76 × 152 mm)
- "12 × 24" actual
- 300 × 600 mm
- "24 × 24" actual
- 600 × 600 mm
- Min. grout joint
- 1/16 in (1.6 mm)
On this page
Standard tile sizes chart
Tile names are nominal. The table gives the nominal size, its millimeter equivalent and how many tiles cover 100 sq ft before grout and waste. Small mosaics are sold on mesh sheets, usually about 12 × 12 in.
| Tile size (in) | Approx. mm | Tiles per 100 sq ft | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 × 1 mosaic | 25 × 25 | 100 sheets | Shower floors, accents |
| 2 × 2 mosaic | 51 × 51 | 100 sheets | Shower floors that slope to a drain |
| 3 × 6 subway | 76 × 152 | 800 | Backsplashes, shower walls |
| 4 1/4 × 4 1/4 | 108 × 108 | 797 | Classic US wall tile |
| 4 × 12 | 102 × 305 | 300 | Elongated subway, shower walls |
| 6 × 6 | 152 × 152 | 400 | Walls, small floors, patios |
| 6 × 24 plank | 152 × 610 | 100 | Wood-look floors |
| 8 × 48 plank | 203 × 1219 | 37.5 | Wood-look floors in large rooms |
| 12 × 12 | 305 × 305 (often 300 × 300) | 100 | Floors, bathroom walls |
| 12 × 24 | 305 × 610 (often 300 × 600) | 50 | The most popular floor size today; shower walls |
| 16 × 16 | 406 × 406 | 56 | Floors (older styles) |
| 18 × 18 | 457 × 457 | 44 | Floors in larger rooms |
| 24 × 24 | 610 × 610 (often 600 × 600) | 25 | Open-plan floors, commercial |
| 24 × 48 | 610 × 1219 (often 600 × 1200) | 12.5 | Large floors, feature walls |
| 48 × 48 | 1219 × 1219 (often 1200 × 1200) | 6.25 | Large-format floors and walls |
Above 48 in, porcelain is sold as panels or slabs, for example 1,200 × 2,400 mm or 1,600 × 3,200 mm, often in thin 3-6 mm gauged porcelain for walls and countertops.
Nominal vs actual tile size
Most porcelain and much ceramic tile is made in metric factories in Italy, Spain, China, India and Brazil and then labeled in round inches. The real size can be up to 3/16 in smaller than the name.
| Metric size (mm) | Actual inches | Usually sold as | Tiles per m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| 300 × 300 | 11.81 × 11.81 | 12 × 12 | 11.1 |
| 300 × 600 | 11.81 × 23.62 | 12 × 24 | 5.56 |
| 600 × 600 | 23.62 × 23.62 | 24 × 24 | 2.78 |
| 200 × 1200 | 7.87 × 47.24 | 8 × 48 | 4.17 |
| 600 × 1200 | 23.62 × 47.24 | 24 × 48 | 1.39 |
| 750 × 750 | 29.53 × 29.53 | 30 × 30 | 1.78 |
| 800 × 800 | 31.50 × 31.50 | 32 × 32 | 1.56 |
| 1200 × 1200 | 47.24 × 47.24 | 48 × 48 | 0.69 |
The difference adds up: ten 300 mm tiles laid in a row with 1/8 in joints cover 119.2 in, not the 121.1 in you would get from true 12 in tiles. Lay out with the real size from the box.
- Rectified tiles are ground to exact size with square edges after firing, so they allow narrow grout joints.
- Calibrated (non-rectified) tiles are sorted into size batches; check that every box shows the same caliber or shade code.
Tile sizes in India, the UK and Europe
Outside the US, tiles are named in mm or, in India, in feet and inches for the most common floor formats.
| Name used in stores | Size (mm) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 × 1 ft (India) | 300 × 300 | Bathroom floors (anti-skid), terraces |
| 2 × 2 ft (India) | 600 × 600 | Living rooms and bedrooms; the standard vitrified floor tile |
| 2 × 4 ft (India) | 600 × 1200 | Large rooms, slab-look floors |
| 12 × 18 in (India) | 300 × 450 | Bathroom and kitchen walls |
| 10 × 15 in (India) | 250 × 375 | Bathroom walls |
| 8 × 12 in (India) | 200 × 300 | Bathroom walls, dados |
| UK and Europe, wall | 200 × 250, 250 × 400, 300 × 600 | Bathrooms and kitchens |
| UK and Europe, floor | 600 × 600, 600 × 1200, 1200 × 1200 | Living areas, kitchens |
For bathroom floors in hot, wet climates, a smaller anti-skid tile such as 300 × 300 mm is common because the extra grout lines add grip and let the floor slope toward the drain.
Which tile size for which room
- Shower floors: 2 × 2 in or smaller mosaics with a center drain, because each tile must follow the slope toward the drain (typically 1/4 in per foot). Large tiles work only with a linear drain and a single-plane slope. See shower sizes.
- Shower and tub walls: 3 × 6, 4 × 12 or 12 × 24 in. Over a bathtub, plan the courses so a full tile, not a sliver, meets the tub deck.
- Kitchen backsplash: 3 × 6 in subway or mosaics. The standard 18 in (457 mm) gap between countertop and upper cabinets takes six rows of subway tile: most "3 × 6" tiles are really 75 × 150 mm, and six 75 mm rows with 1/16 in joints come to 458 mm, almost exactly 18 in.
- Bathroom floors: 12 × 12 to 12 × 24 in. In a small room, a larger tile means fewer grout lines; it must still fit around the toilet and vanity without tiny cuts.
- Living areas and open plans: 24 × 24 in, 24 × 48 in or planks. Large-format tiles need a very flat floor (see below).
- Outdoor patios: 24 × 24 in porcelain pavers 20 mm (3/4 in) thick can be laid on pedestals or gravel.
Tile thickness
| Tile type | Thickness (in) | Thickness (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Glass and stone mosaics | 1/8-5/16 | 3-8 |
| Ceramic wall tile | 1/4-5/16 | 6-8 |
| Porcelain floor tile | 5/16-7/16 | 8-11 |
| Gauged porcelain panels | 1/8-1/4 | 3-6 |
| Outdoor porcelain pavers | 3/4 | 20 |
| Natural stone tile | 3/8-1/2 | 10-12 |
The finished floor height is tile plus about 1/8 to 3/16 in of thinset, plus any backer board or membrane. A 3/8 in porcelain tile over 1/4 in cement board can raise a floor about 3/4 in, enough to need a transition strip and, sometimes, a trimmed door.
Grout joint width and layout rules
ANSI A108.02, the US installation standard, sets these minimums:
- Grout joints are never less than 1/16 in (1.6 mm). Joints must also be at least three times the tile's size variation, so calibrated (non-rectified) tile needs wider joints than rectified tile.
- Running bond with tiles over 15 in on any side: joints average at least 1/8 in for rectified tile and 3/16 in for calibrated tile.
- Offset: where the side being offset is longer than 18 in, the offset is limited to 33% (a one-third pattern) unless the manufacturer says otherwise. A 50% brick offset on 12 × 24 tiles shows every bit of warpage as lippage.
- Floor flatness: for tiles with all edges under 15 in, the substrate may vary no more than 1/4 in in 10 ft; for any edge 15 in or longer, 1/8 in in 10 ft (and 1/16 in in 24 in).
Wall tile: 1/16 in. Rectified floor tile: 1/16 to 1/8 in. Calibrated floor tile: 1/8 to 3/16 in. Rustic or handmade tile: 1/4 in or more.
How many tiles you need
- Measure the area. Multiply length × width of each rectangle in feet and add them up. A 5 × 8 ft bathroom floor is 40 sq ft.
- Divide by tile area. A 12 × 24 tile is 2 sq ft, so 40 ÷ 2 = 20 tiles. For a 3 × 6 tile (0.125 sq ft), 40 ÷ 0.125 = 320.
- Add waste. 10% for straight layouts, 15% for diagonal or herringbone, and up to 20% for large-format tile in a small, cut-heavy room. 20 × 1.10 = 22 tiles.
- Round up to full boxes, using the sq ft per box printed on the carton, and buy all boxes from the same lot.
Keep one or two spare tiles after the job. Discontinued colors and shifting lots make a matching replacement hard to find later. Tile backer boards and wall sheets for wet areas are covered in the drywall size guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a tile size like 12x24 or 6x4 mean?
It is width × length of one tile in the unit the seller uses. In the US that is inches, so 6 × 4 means 6 × 4 in (152 × 102 mm). In India and Europe, sizes are often given in mm or feet: "2x2" is 2 × 2 ft (600 × 600 mm). The exact size in mm is printed on the box.
How many 12x12 tiles do I need for a 7 by 4 foot bathroom wall?
The wall is 28 sq ft and each 12 × 12 tile covers about 1 sq ft, so 28 tiles. Add 10% for cuts and breakage and buy 31, or round up to whole boxes.
What size tile is best for a small bathroom floor?
12 × 24 in or 12 × 12 in tiles suit most bathroom floors and make a small room look less busy. Shower floors that slope to a center drain need small tiles, 2 × 2 in or smaller, so they can follow the slope; with a linear drain, larger tiles work.
What size tile for a 380 square foot space?
Any size works, but 12 × 24 or 24 × 24 in tiles mean fewer grout lines in a room of that size. At 12 × 24 in (2 sq ft each), 380 sq ft takes 190 tiles, or about 209 with 10% extra. At 24 × 24 in it takes 95, or 105 with extra.
A tile is advertised as 15 inches tall. What is that in cm?
15 in is 38.1 cm. Imported tiles described in inches are usually rounded from a metric size, so check the cm or mm size on the box or spec sheet before you plan a layout.
What are standard backsplash tile dimensions in mm?
Classic subway is 75 × 150 mm (3 × 6 in); 75 × 300 mm and 100 × 300 mm are common elongated versions. The usual backsplash height between a countertop and upper cabinets is 18 in (457 mm), which is six courses of 75 mm subway tile with 1/16 in grout joints.