How many tiles you need for a kitchen or bathroom splashback. Deducts rangehood cutouts and GPO powerpoints. Works with mosaic, subway and standard tile sizes.
The calculator works out your net tiled area by starting with the full splashback dimensions, then subtracting any rangehood cutout, GPO powerpoints and windows. It then calculates how many individual tiles fit that area, accounting for the grout joint spacing, and adds your chosen waste margin for cuts.
Unlike large floor areas where most tiles lay whole, splashbacks involve a lot of cutting — around rangehoods, power points, window sills and the edge of the bench. 15% is the standard recommendation for a kitchen splashback. If you're laying tiles diagonally or using a herringbone pattern, allow 20%.
| Style | Size | Typical grout joint | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mosaic | 25×25 mm or 48×48 mm | 2–3 mm | Usually sold on 300×300 mm mesh sheets |
| Subway (classic) | 75×150 mm | 3–5 mm | Most popular AU kitchen splashback tile |
| Subway (large) | 100×200 mm or 100×300 mm | 3–5 mm | Modern look, fewer grout lines |
| Square | 200×200 mm | 3–5 mm | Versatile, suits both kitchen and bathroom |
| Large format | 600×300 mm | 3 mm | Minimal grout lines, easier to clean |
Each standard Australian double GPO powerpoint covers approximately 90 × 50 mm — a tiny area. The main reason to account for them is cut complexity rather than area saved. The calculator uses this standard size automatically for each GPO you specify.
The area behind and above a rangehood typically isn't tiled to the same height as the rest of the splashback. A standard 600 mm rangehood with a 100 mm clearance behind it represents 0.06 m² of saving. For larger rangehoods, measure the actual face plate and enter the dimensions.
Grout joints affect how many tiles fit in a given area. A 3 mm joint around a 75×150 mm subway tile reduces the number of tiles needed compared to a 10 mm joint because the effective footprint of each tile-plus-grout unit is larger. The difference is small on a splashback but adds up with mosaic tiles.