Tile mortar bed material estimator

Floor Mud Calculator

Estimate dry-pack floor mud or mortar bed bags from floor length, width, average thickness, bag yield, waste, and cost. Use it for tile prep, shower pans, and small mortar-bed material checks before reading product instructions.

Units

Floor length (ft)Floor width (ft)Average mud thickness (in)Bag yield (ft³)Waste / screed loss (%)Cost per bag ($)

Mud bags to buy

Mortar bed volume

Floor area

Rough cost

Mortar beds need slope and waterproofing checks

This estimates material quantity only. Shower pans, drains, slope, waterproofing, reinforcement, substrate prep, cure time, and product ratios must be verified before placing floor mud.

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Shower Tile Calculator

Estimate shower tile after the mortar bed scope is known.

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Floor mud formula

Floor area = length × width

Mud volume ft³ = area × thickness in ÷ 12

Order volume = volume × (1 + waste %)

Bags = order volume ÷ bag yield

Sample takeoff

A 6 ft by 8 ft floor with 1.5 in average mud thickness, 10% waste, and 0.5 ft³ bag yield needs about 14 bags from 6.6 ft³ of order volume.A 1.8 m by 2.4 m floor with 38 mm average mud thickness, 10% waste, and 0.014 m³ bag yield needs about 13 bags from 0.18 m³ of order volume.

Floor Mud Calculator FAQ

How do I calculate floor mud bags?+

Multiply area by average thickness to get volume, add waste, then divide by the yield printed on the bag.Multiply area by average thickness to get volume, add waste, then divide by the yield printed on the bag.

Can this calculate a sloped shower pan?+

Use average thickness for a quick material estimate, then verify drain height, perimeter height, slope, and waterproofing from the system instructions.Use average thickness for a quick material estimate, then verify drain height, perimeter height, slope, and waterproofing from the system instructions.

What bag yield should I enter?+

Use the dry-pack or mortar mix yield from the product label. Bag yields vary with mix ratio and water content.Use the dry-pack or mortar mix yield from the product label. Bag yields vary with mix ratio and water content.