How to Measure a Wall for a Salt Wall Project

To measure a wall for a salt wall, measure the width and height in inches at three points each, use the largest readings, multiply width by height and divide by 144 to get square feet, subtract large openings like doors, then multiply by 4.5 pieces per square foot and add about 10% for cuts. A wall 8 ft wide and 7 ft tall works out to about 278 tiles or bricks. This guide walks through each step, shows a worked example and gives approximate salt cost for three wall sizes.

What You Need Before You Measure

Have these ready before you start:

• A tape measure that reads in inches
• A level, to check whether the floor or ceiling line is out of level
• Pencil, notepad and painter's tape to mark the edges of a partial panel
• A phone camera, to photograph the wall with outlets, switches and trim in view

First decide what you are covering. A full wall runs corner to corner and floor to ceiling. A panel, such as a 4 x 6 ft section behind a bed or desk, needs its edges marked with tape so you measure the same area you plan to build. For layout help, see our salt wall planning guide.

How to Measure a Wall for a Salt Wall, Step by Step

Step 1: Measure the width at three heights

Measure across the wall near the bottom, at the middle and near the top. Walls and corners can be slightly out of square, so the three numbers may differ. Write all three down in inches.

Step 2: Measure the height at three points

Measure from floor (or the top of the baseboard, if the salt starts there) to ceiling at the left side, the center and the right side. Again, record all three.

Step 3: Use the largest numbers for ordering

Use the largest width and largest height to work out how much to order. Keep the smallest readings too: they tell you where the last row or end piece may need a cut to fit.

Step 4: Work out the square footage

Multiply width in inches by height in inches, then divide by 144. For a wall 96 in wide and 84 in tall: 96 x 84 = 8,064 sq in, and 8,064 / 144 = 56 sq ft.

Step 5: Subtract large openings, not small ones

Subtract doors, windows or built-in shelves that the salt goes around. Measure each opening the same way and subtract its area. Do not subtract outlets, switches or vents. Those still use full pieces that you cut to fit around the box.

Step 6: Convert square feet to pieces

Our salt tiles and salt bricks share the same 8 x 4 in face, which covers 32 sq in. Since 144 / 32 = 4.5, you need about 4.5 pieces per square foot laid flat, for tiles or bricks. This matches our product pages: a 50-tile pack lists about 11.11 sq ft and a 70-brick pack lists about 15.56 sq ft. Our salt tile size guide covers the dimensions in more detail.

Step 7: Add an allowance for cuts and breakage

Add about 10% and round up. That covers end cuts, cuts around outlets and the odd chipped piece. This is a planning range, not a rule. A wall with many openings or a pattern like herringbone can use more, and a simple stacked grid with no openings may use less. Our guide on cutting salt bricks and tiles explains where cuts usually happen.

Step 8: Map rows and columns

Laid horizontally, each piece is 4 in tall and 8 in long, so you get 3 rows per foot of height and 1.5 pieces per foot of width. Divide height by 4 and width by 8 to see whether the layout ends on a full piece. If it does not, decide now where the cut row goes. You might place it at the top or bottom, where trim can cover it; the right spot depends on your wall and finish.

Worked Example: an 8 x 7 ft Salt Wall

Here is a sample measurement sheet for one wall. The numbers are an example to show the method.

Measurement	Readings (in)	Used for ordering
Width (bottom, middle, top)	95.5, 96, 95.75	96 in (8 ft)
Height (left, center, right)	83.75, 84, 83.5	84 in (7 ft)
Area	96 x 84 / 144	56 sq ft
Openings	None (2 outlets, not subtracted)	56 sq ft
Pieces at 4.5 per sq ft	56 x 4.5	252
Plus 10% allowance	252 x 1.10 = 277.2	278 pieces
Layout check	84 / 4 = 21 rows; 96 / 8 = 12 per row	Whole rows and columns at the largest size; a staggered layout still needs half pieces at row ends

In this example the smallest height is 83.5 in, so the top row may need a slight trim on the right side. That is the kind of detail the three-point method catches before you start.

Salt Needed and Approximate Cost by Wall Size

These three examples use the steps above with a 10% allowance. Costs are Natural Salt Co. store prices for pink salt, using the lowest-cost mix of our listed loose packs we could find for each count. Sauna kits are not included.

Wall (net area)	Pieces needed	Pink tiles: pack mix	Approx. tile cost	Pink bricks: pack mix	Approx. brick cost
4 x 6 ft panel (24 sq ft)	119	100 + 10 + 4 + 4 + 1	approx. $684	70 + 50 (120 bricks)	approx. $674
8 x 7 ft wall (56 sq ft)	278	200 + 70 + 4 + 4	approx. $1,518	4 x 70 (280 bricks)	approx. $1,548
12 x 8 ft wall with a 3 x 7 ft doorway (75 sq ft)	372	200 + 150 + 20 + 2	approx. $2,010	5 x 70 + 20 + 2 singles	approx. $2,078

Prices checked October 18, 2026. All prices are approximate and can change; see the product page for the current price.

That works out to roughly $27 to $29 per sq ft of net wall area in pink salt for these examples. Per piece, pink tiles run from about $5.33 (300-pack) to about $5.99 (single tile), and pink bricks from about $5.53 (70-pack) to about $6.60 (single brick). Larger packs do not consistently cost less per piece: the 100-brick pack works out to about $5.77 per brick, higher than the 70-pack and 50-pack, and the 100-tile pack is about $5.72 per tile, slightly above the 70-tile pack at about $5.71. For the 24 sq ft panel, bricks come out slightly lower than tiles because a 70 + 50 brick mix lands close to the count needed.

Browse pack sizes in our salt wall collection, or compare formats in the salt tile collection and the salt brick collection.

Adhesive to Add to Your Order

Our 3-tube adhesive pack lists coverage of up to 120 salt bricks, which is up to 40 bricks per tube. We plan on 30 to 40 pieces per tube to leave room for a heavier bead. The product page does not list a tile figure, so treat the same range as an estimate for tiles. For the examples above, that means about 3 to 4 tubes for 119 pieces, 7 to 10 tubes for 278 pieces and 10 to 13 tubes for 372 pieces. Store prices for pink salt adhesive start at approx. $30 for a single tube, about $54 for 2 tubes, about $80 for 3 tubes and about $281 for 10 tubes.

Other Measurements to Take While You Are There

• Depth: tiles add about 1 in plus adhesive; bricks add about 2 in plus adhesive. Check door casings, outlet boxes and trim that the new surface meets.
• Weight: from our product pages, a tile weighs about 2.9 lb and a brick about 5.5 lb, which is about 13 lb of salt per sq ft for tiles and about 24.75 lb for bricks before adhesive. Ask a qualified contractor whether your wall and backing can carry that load. See our salt brick wall weight guide.
• Outlets and switches: note the position of each box from the floor and nearest corner. Box extensions may be needed after the salt goes on; a licensed electrician can advise.
• Backlighting: if you plan LEDs behind the salt, measure the cavity or framing depth before ordering, since lighting and framing are hard to change later.
• Room conditions: salt suits dry indoor rooms. Skip walls near showers, sinks or other water sources.

What This Measurement Does Not Cover

The counts and prices above cover salt and adhesive, based on Natural Salt Co. store data. Labor, framing, LED lighting, electrical work and shipping are not included and vary by location and project, so get local quotes for those. If you are unsure which format fits your wall, our product selection guide compares the options.

Get a Quote for Your Measurements

Send us your width, height, any openings and whether you prefer tiles or bricks, and we can help you check the count and pack mix. Request a project quote with your measurements, or browse Himalayan salt wall materials to start your order.