How much thinset do I need?

Larger tiles need a bigger trowel notch, which uses more thinset.

Area length (ft)Area width (ft)Tile size

Thinset (50 lb bags)

2 bags

Trowel1/4 x 3/8 in square notch

Estimated material cost

Thinset

2 x $$25.00 per 50 lb bag

$50.00

Estimated total$50.00

Typical store prices before tax and delivery. Change any price to match your store.

How to measure

Measure the area to tile and pick your tile size.

Tips from the field

Back-butter large tiles too. That can add up to a third more thinset.
Pull up a tile now and then to check that the back is fully covered.

What you'll need

Thinset mortarNotched trowelMixing paddleTile leveling clips

Common questions

What trowel size do I need for tile?

1/4 x 1/4 inch for small tile, 1/4 x 3/8 inch for medium, and 1/2 x 1/2 inch for large format.

Should I back-butter tile?

Yes for tiles over 15 inches, so the back is fully covered.

Modified or unmodified thinset?

Follow the tile and membrane maker's instructions. Modified is common for most floor tile.

Add this calculator to your websiteFree

Contractors, bloggers, and real estate agents can put this calculator on their own site for free. Copy the code below and paste it into any page.

<iframe id="hc-thinset-calculator" src="https://housecalcs.com/embed/thinset-calculator" title="Thinset mortar calculator" width="100%" height="640" style="border:0;max-width:640px" loading="lazy"></iframe>
<p style="font:14px sans-serif">Free <a href="https://housecalcs.com/tools/thinset-calculator">thinset mortar calculator</a> from HouseCalcs</p>
<script>window.addEventListener("message",function(e){if(e.origin==="https://housecalcs.com"&&e.data&&e.data.hcSlug==="thinset-calculator"){var f=document.getElementById("hc-thinset-calculator");if(f)f.style.height=e.data.hcHeight+"px"}});</script>

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