Pool Square Footage Calculator
Work out the square footage of your swimming pool, then how many boxes of tile, sheets and grout you need for a waterline band or a full pool interior. Pick your pool shape, enter a few measurements and get a material list you can send to us for an exact quote.
- Surface area, waterline and full interior
- Ezarri 25 mm glass mosaic
- 10% waste added by default
- $5 tile samples
- Real people at 800-866-0695
Get an exact quote
Your estimate is already in the message box. Add your name, email and phone, then press Submit. We reply with exact quantities, adhesive and membrane included. Prefer to talk? Call 800-866-0695 or use our contact page.
How to calculate pool tile
For a waterline band, multiply the pool’s perimeter by the band height: a 16 × 32 ft pool has a 96 ft perimeter, so a 6-inch band is 96 × 0.5 = 48 sq ft. For a full interior, add the floor area to the wall area (perimeter × average depth). Then add 10% for cuts and waste and divide by 21.5 sq ft per box of Ezarri 25 mm mosaic, rounding up. Order one 2.5 kg container of epoxy grout for every box.
Worked examples (10% waste)
| Pool | Tile area | With 10% waste | Boxes | Grout (2.5 kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 × 32 ft rectangle, 6-inch waterline band | 48 sq ft (96 ft perimeter × 0.5 ft) | 52.8 sq ft | 3 boxes | 3 |
| 16 × 32 ft rectangle, full interior, 4 to 6 ft deep | 993 sq ft (floor 513 + walls 480 (96 ft × 5 ft)) | 1,092.3 sq ft | 51 boxes | 51 |
| 18 ft round pool, 6-inch waterline band | 28.3 sq ft (56.5 ft perimeter × 0.5 ft) | 31.1 sq ft | 2 boxes | 2 |
| Kidney 32 ft long, 16 / 12 ft wide, 90 ft perimeter, 4 to 6 ft deep | 854 sq ft (floor 404 + walls 450) | 939.4 sq ft | 44 boxes | 44 |
| Any pool, 800 sq ft of tile | 800 sq ft (given) | 880 sq ft | 41 boxes | 41 |
How to calculate pool square footage
Using the following principles, you can measure and calculate your pool size and how many tiles you will need to order. You will need a few simple tools to get accurate pool measurements: a measuring tape (digital or laser is fine), a pen and paper to write the numbers down, and a calculator. Or skip the manual math and use the pool square footage calculator at the top of this page.
Calculating your pool’s square footage and required tile quantity
Knowing the square footage of a swimming pool is essential when you are deciding how many tiles to buy. Use the information below to estimate the total square footage of your swimming pool’s interior.
This formula is a solid guideline for the number of tiles required to finish a pool, but most pools have rounded corners and steps, so the result is an approximation. Round the measurements up and add an extra 5 to 8 percent more tiles to account for waste, so you do not run short at the end of the job. Extra tiles also cover unexpected cuts or mistakes, and they are useful later for repairs.
The formula is as follows:
To find the average depth of a pool with a sloping floor: measure the shallow end and the deep end, add them together and divide by 2. That is the average depth of your pool.
Here is an example using a 16 × 32 ft pool with a shallow depth of 4 ft, a deep depth of 8 ft, and an average depth of 6 ft:
L × W = (32 × 16) = 512
L × average depth × 2 = (32 × 6 × 2) = 384
W × shallow depth = (16 × 4) = 64
W × deep depth = (16 × 8) = 128
512 sq ft for the pool floor + 384 sq ft (the two long sides) + 64 sq ft (shallow end) + 128 sq ft (deep end) = 1,088 sq ft of surface area.
Calculating the square footage of your swimming pool’s waterline
To calculate the square footage of the waterline, measure the pool’s perimeter at the waterline and the height of the waterline. Follow these steps:
- Measure the perimeter of the pool at the waterline with a tape measure. You can follow the steps in the section below to calculate the perimeter.
- To find the height of the waterline, measure from the bottom of the coping to a point just below where the water meets the wall at its highest point. You can use the skimmer as a guide. The water level is usually kept between one third and one half of the skimmer opening, because the skimmer works best when it is about halfway covered. Homeowners typically tile from the coping to a few inches below it, or they multiply the tile’s height by the perimeter to get the square footage of the waterline materials.
- Multiply the perimeter by the height to get the square footage of the waterline. For example, if the perimeter is 80 feet and the waterline height is 1.5 feet, the square footage of the waterline is 120 square feet (80 × 1.5 = 120).
Determining the perimeter of your swimming pool
The perimeter is the distance around the pool’s edge, measured at the waterline. Follow these steps:
- Measure the length and width of the pool at the waterline with a tape measure. Measure the longest parts of the pool so the numbers are accurate.
- Add the length and the width together to get the total distance across the pool.
- Multiply that total (A + B) by 2 to get the distance around the pool. That is because a rectangle has two long sides and two short sides.
- If the pool has a complex shape or irregular edges, measure each section separately and add them together to get the total perimeter.
For example, if your pool is 30 feet long and 20 feet wide at the waterline, the total across the pool is 50 feet (30 + 20 = 50). Multiplying 50 by 2 gives you a perimeter of 100 feet.
The square footage of the waterline is what you use for the tile or other decorative material at the waterline. That is different from the total square footage of the pool, which includes the floor and the walls. The total square footage is what you use when you are tiling or resurfacing the whole interior.
The calculator and the formulas on this page are a general guideline. For a precise takeoff, send us your measurements or call 800-866-0695 and we will check the numbers with you.
Measure before you buy
A one minute guide to measuring your pool so you order the right number of boxes.
How this calculator works
Pool shapes
- Rectangle: L × W. Perimeter 2(L + W).
- Round: π × D² ÷ 4. Perimeter π × D.
- Oval: π × L × W ÷ 4 (an ellipse, about 0.785 × L × W). Perimeter by Ramanujan’s ellipse formula.
- Kidney: 0.45 × (A + B) × L, the standard pool-industry estimate. Perimeter is measured, because kidney curves vary.
- Roman: L1 × W plus a half-ellipse end, π × (L2 − L1) × W ÷ 4.
- L-shape: L1 × W1 + L2 × W2. Perimeter 2(L1 + W1 + W2).
Walls, floor and band
- Walls: perimeter × average depth, where average depth is (shallow + deep) ÷ 2.
- Floor: plan area, stretched slightly for the slope from shallow to deep end.
- Waterline band: perimeter × band height.
- Steps add their risers; benches add their front face.
- Interior + accent band: the band is taken out of the interior so you don’t pay for it twice.
Boxes, sheets and grout
- Waste: area × 1.05, 1.10 or 1.15.
- Boxes: area ÷ 21.5 sq ft, rounded up. Each box holds 13 sheets.
- Grout: one 2.5 kg container of Litokol Starlike® epoxy grout for every box of 25 mm tile, so grout = boxes.
- Adhesive (PowerGel S1+ or Pro Max) and SafetyGel membrane coverage depends on trowel and substrate, so we confirm those with you.
Pool square footage calculator questions
How do I calculate the square footage of a swimming pool?
For a rectangular pool, use (L × W) + (L × average depth × 2) + (W × shallow depth) + (W × deep depth). Average depth is the shallow end plus the deep end, divided by 2. A 16 × 32 ft pool that is 4 ft at the shallow end and 8 ft at the deep end has 1,088 sq ft of surface area. You can also enter the same measurements in the calculator at the top of this page.
How do I calculate the square footage of a pool waterline?
Measure the perimeter at the waterline and multiply it by the height of the band. If the perimeter is 80 feet and the waterline is 1.5 feet high, the waterline area is 120 square feet. A 16 × 32 ft pool has a 96 ft perimeter, so a 6 inch band is 48 sq ft, or 52.8 sq ft with 10% waste, which is 3 boxes of 25 mm mosaic.
How do I measure the perimeter of a pool?
For a rectangle, add the length and the width, then multiply by 2. A 30 × 20 ft pool has a 100 ft perimeter. For a kidney or freeform pool, run a tape or a string around the edge at the waterline and measure that length.
How many boxes of tile do I need for a pool waterline?
Multiply the perimeter by the band height, add 10% and divide by 21.5 sq ft per box. A 16 × 32 ft pool with a 6-inch band needs 48 sq ft, or 52.8 sq ft with waste, which is 3 boxes of Ezarri 25 mm mosaic.
How much tile do I need to tile a whole pool?
Add the floor area to the wall area (perimeter × average depth), plus step risers and bench faces. A 16 × 32 ft pool that goes from 4 to 6 ft deep has about 993 sq ft of surface, 1,092 sq ft with 10% waste, which is 51 boxes.
How much extra tile should I order for waste?
We recommend 10% for most pools. Use 5% only for a simple rectangle with an experienced installer, and 15% for freeform pools, lots of curves or many cuts. Leftover sheets are useful for future repairs.
How much grout do I need for pool mosaic?
Order one 2.5 kg container of Litokol Starlike® epoxy grout for every box of 25 mm mosaic. A 16 × 32 ft pool with a 6-inch waterline band needs 3 boxes, so 3 containers of grout; a full interior of 51 boxes needs 51 containers.
How much adhesive and waterproofing membrane do I need?
PowerGel S1+ and PowerGel Pro Max adhesive and SafetyGel membrane coverage depends on the trowel and on your pool surface, so we confirm those quantities with you. Send us your estimate or call 800-866-0695.
How do I measure a kidney or freeform pool?
Measure the overall length, the width at the wide end (A) and at the narrow end (B), then run a tape or string around the edge at the water line for the perimeter. The calculator uses 0.45 × (A + B) × length for the floor. For unusual shapes, choose "I know my sq ft" or send us a drawing.
How many sheets are in a box of Ezarri tile?
A box of Ezarri 25 mm glass mosaic holds 13 sheets and covers 21.5 sq ft (2 m²), so each sheet covers about 1.65 sq ft. Tile is sold by the full box.
Can I see the tile before I order?
Yes. You can order a $5 sample of any Ezarri colour so you can see it in daylight and under water before you buy.
Want us to check your numbers?
Send your estimate and a photo or drawing of your pool. We’ll confirm tile, grout, adhesive and membrane quantities before you order.