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Caulk coverage calculator
How far does one tube of caulk go? Enter the tube size, bead width and depth, job length and waste allowance to see the linear feet per tube, the tubes you need, and the volume to buy.
★ CONSTRUCTION · CAULKING · REFERENCE TABLE #243
Caulk Coverage Chart: Linear Feet Per Tube by Bead Size
24.06 ft per tube — 5 tubes for 100 ft. A 10-ounce tube of caulk covers 24 feet at a 1/4-inch bead — but a 1/2-inch bead gets you only 6 feet. Enter your bead size and job length to see your tubes.
A tube is a fixed volume — the bead size sets the coverage
A tube of caulk holds a fixed volume: a 10-oz tube holds 18.046875 cu in (1 US fluid ounce is 1.8046875 cu in) and a 28-oz tube holds 50.53125 cu in. The bead is a long bar of that volume — its cross-section is width × depth, so the length you get is the volume divided by the cross-section. On the defaults — tube size 10 oz, bead width 1/4 in, bead depth 1/4 in, job length 100 ft, waste 10% — the linear feet per tube are 24.06 ft (exact 24.0625), the caulk needed is 110.00 ft, the needed volume is 82.50 cu in, the tubes needed are 5, and five tubes hold 90.23 cu in.
Caulk coverage chart — linear feet per tube (square beads)
| Bead size (width = depth) | 10-oz tube | 28-oz tube |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8 in | 96.25 ft | 269.50 ft |
| 3/16 in | 42.78 ft | 119.78 ft |
| 1/4 in | 24.06 ft | 67.38 ft |
| 5/16 in | 15.40 ft | 43.12 ft |
| 3/8 in | 10.69 ft | 29.94 ft |
| 1/2 in | 6.02 ft | 16.84 ft |
At the defaults — tube size 10 oz, bead width 1/4 in, bead depth 1/4 in, job length 100 ft, waste 10% — the linear feet per tube are 24.06 ft, the caulk needed is 110.00 ft, the needed volume is 82.50 cu in, the tubes needed are 5, and the volume in those tubes is 90.23 cu in. Check the identities: feet per tube = tube volume ÷ (width × depth × 12); caulk needed = job length × (1 + waste ÷ 100); needed volume = caulk needed × 12 × width × depth; tubes = ceil(caulk needed ÷ feet per tube). Rounding convention: totals are computed from unrounded values, so rounded parts may differ by a cent from their rounded sum.
| Scenario | Feet per tube | Caulk needed | Tubes | Needed volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Default (10-oz tube, 1/4 in x 1/4 in bead, 100 ft, 10% waste) | 24.06 ft | 110.00 ft | 5 | 82.50 cu in |
| 1/8 in x 1/8 in bead | 96.25 ft | 110.00 ft | 2 | 20.63 cu in |
| 1/2 in x 1/2 in bead | 6.02 ft | 110.00 ft | 19 | 330.00 cu in |
| 28-oz tube | 67.38 ft | 110.00 ft | 2 | 82.50 cu in |
| Job 200 ft | 24.06 ft | 220.00 ft | 10 | 165.00 cu in |
| Waste 0% | 24.06 ft | 100.00 ft | 5 | 75.00 cu in |
| Waste 20% | 24.06 ft | 120.00 ft | 5 | 90.00 cu in |
| 1/4 in x 1/8 in bead | 48.13 ft | 110.00 ft | 3 | 41.25 cu in |
| 3/8 in x 1/4 in bead | 16.04 ft | 110.00 ft | 7 | 123.75 cu in |
The worked example, line by line
Setup: tube size 10 oz, bead width 1/4 in, bead depth 1/4 in, job length 100 ft, waste 10%.
Line 1 — the tube volume. 10 oz × 1.8046875 cu in per oz = 18.046875 cu in.
Line 2 — the bead cross-section. 1/4 in × 1/4 in = 0.0625 sq in.
Line 3 — the feet per tube. 18.046875 cu in ÷ (0.0625 sq in × 12 in per ft) = 18.046875 ÷ 0.75 = 24.06 ft (exact 24.0625).
Line 4 — the caulk needed. 100 ft × 1.10 = 110.00 ft.
Line 5 — the tubes. 110.00 ft ÷ 24.0625 ft per tube = 4.57, rounded up to 5 tubes. Five tubes hold 5 × 18.046875 = 90.23 cu in.
Reverse: the square-bead width for 50.00 ft per tube is 0.1734 in (exact 0.1734); at 0.1734 in it is 50.0176 ft, at 0.1733 in it is 50.0753 ft. The job length where the tubes flip from 10 to 11 is 240.625 ft; at 240.625 ft it is 10 tubes, at 240.63 ft it is 11 tubes. The bead depth for 30.00 ft per tube at a 1/4 in width is 0.2005 in (exact 0.2005); at 0.2005 in it is 30.0031 ft, at 0.2004 in it is 30.0181 ft. The waste where the tubes flip from 5 to 6 is 20.31% (exact 20.3125%); at 20.31% it is 5 tubes, at 20.32% it is 6 tubes. The square-bead width for 100.00 ft per tube is 0.1226 in (exact 0.1226); at 0.1226 in it is 100.0552 ft, at 0.1225 in it is 100.2187 ft. The 28-oz tube at a 1/4 in bead covers 67.38 ft per tube (exact 67.375 ft); three tubes cover 202.13 ft at 0% waste (exact 202.125 ft).
Every branch, checked
1/8 in x 1/8 in bead: 96.25 ft per tube, 2 tubes. A thin bead goes four times as far as the 1/4 in default — the cross-section is a quarter of the size, so the same tube covers four times the length.
1/2 in x 1/2 in bead: 6.02 ft per tube, 19 tubes. A fat bead covers a quarter of the default length — the cross-section is four times the size — so a 100 ft job needs 19 tubes instead of 5.
28-oz tube: 67.38 ft per tube, 2 tubes. A sausage pack holds 2.8 times the volume of a cartridge, so it covers 67.38 ft instead of 24.06 ft at the same bead.
Job 200 ft: 24.06 ft per tube, 10 tubes. Doubling the job doubles the tubes — the feet per tube do not change, because the bead and the tube are the same.
Waste 0%: 24.06 ft per tube, 5 tubes. With no waste allowance the job needs exactly 100 ft — and 100 ft still takes 5 tubes, because 4 tubes only cover 96.25 ft.
Waste 20%: 24.06 ft per tube, 5 tubes. At 20% waste the job needs 120.00 ft — still 5 tubes, because 5 tubes cover 120.31 ft. The flip to 6 tubes comes at 20.3125% waste.
1/4 in x 1/8 in bead: 48.13 ft per tube, 3 tubes. Halving only the depth halves the cross-section, so the coverage doubles to 48.13 ft — a shallow bead goes twice as far.
3/8 in x 1/4 in bead: 16.04 ft per tube, 7 tubes. A 3/8 in wide, 1/4 in deep bead has a 0.09375 sq in cross-section — 1.5 times the default — so it covers 16.04 ft and a 100 ft job needs 7 tubes.
What the defaults assume
The model assumes the bead is a perfect rectangle of width × depth — a real bead is slightly rounded, so the true volume is a little less than the rectangle, and the chart is conservative. It assumes the tube holds its full labelled volume and the gun empties it completely — a little caulk always stays in the nozzle and the tube, which is what the waste allowance is for. It assumes the waste allowance covers cut-offs and rework — at 10% waste a 100 ft job needs 110.00 ft of caulk. With a 0 ft job the tubes are 0 (feet per tube still 24.06). With 100% waste the job needs 200.00 ft and the tubes are 9. Rounding convention: totals are computed from unrounded values, so rounded parts may differ by a cent from their rounded sum; the reverses are nearest-value solutions, and the exact unrounded figures (0.1734, 240.625, 0.2005, 20.3125%, 0.1226, 67.375) are stated wherever the rounded figures appear.
Output · formula · meaning
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Linear feet per tube | tube volume ÷ (bead width × bead depth × 12) | 24.06 ft. |
| Caulk needed | job length × (1 + waste ÷ 100) | 110.00 ft. |
| Needed volume | caulk needed × 12 × bead width × bead depth | 82.50 cu in. |
| Tubes needed | ceil(caulk needed ÷ feet per tube) | 5. |
| Volume in those tubes | tubes × tube volume | 90.23 cu in. |
| Bead width for 50.00 ft per tube | sqrt(tube volume ÷ (50 × 12)) | 0.1734 in → 0.1734 in. |
| Job length for 10 to 11 tubes | 10 × feet per tube | 240.625 ft → 240.63 ft. |
| Bead depth for 30.00 ft per tube | tube volume ÷ (30 × 12 × width) | 0.2005 in → 0.2005 in. |
| Waste where tubes flip 5 to 6 | (5 × feet per tube ÷ job length − 1) × 100 | 20.3125% → 20.31%. |
| Bead width for 100.00 ft per tube | sqrt(tube volume ÷ (100 × 12)) | 0.1226 in → 0.1226 in. |
| 28-oz tube at a 1/4 in bead | 28-oz volume ÷ (bead width × bead depth × 12) | 67.375 ft → 67.38 ft. |
| 1/8 in x 1/8 in bead | same model | 96.25 ft per tube — 2 tubes for 110.00 ft (20.63 cu in). |
| 1/2 in x 1/2 in bead | same model | 6.02 ft per tube — 19 tubes for 110.00 ft (330.00 cu in). |
| 28-oz tube | same model | 67.38 ft per tube — 2 tubes for 110.00 ft (82.50 cu in). |
| Job 200 ft | same model | 24.06 ft per tube — 10 tubes for 220.00 ft (165.00 cu in). |
| Waste 0% | same model | 24.06 ft per tube — 5 tubes for 100.00 ft (75.00 cu in). |
| Waste 20% | same model | 24.06 ft per tube — 5 tubes for 120.00 ft (90.00 cu in). |
| 1/4 in x 1/8 in bead | same model | 48.13 ft per tube — 3 tubes for 110.00 ft (41.25 cu in). |
| 3/8 in x 1/4 in bead | same model | 16.04 ft per tube — 7 tubes for 110.00 ft (123.75 cu in). |
Who uses this
- The homeowner caulking a tub: they learn one 10-oz tube covers 24.06 ft at a 1/4 in bead — and they check the 1/8 in branch (96.25 ft per tube) to see how far the same tube goes with a thinner bead.
- The contractor bidding a 200 ft job: they learn the job needs 10 tubes at a 1/4 in bead — and they check the 1/2 in branch (19 tubes) before pricing a job with wide joints.
- The buyer choosing between cartridges and sausage packs: they learn a 28-oz tube covers 67.38 ft against 24.06 ft for a cartridge — and they check the 3-tube reverse (202.13 ft) to see how far three sausage packs go.
- The DIYer with a half-empty tube: they learn the bead width for 50.00 ft per tube is 0.1734 in — and they check the 100.00 ft reverse (0.1226 in) to see how thin the bead must be to stretch the tube to 100 ft.
Accuracy & limitations
The math is first-principles volume: tube volume = ounces × 1.8046875 cu in; bead cross-section = width × depth sq in; feet per tube = tube volume ÷ (width × depth × 12); caulk needed = job length × (1 + waste ÷ 100); tubes = ceil(caulk needed ÷ feet per tube); needed volume = caulk needed × 12 × width × depth; volume in those tubes = tubes × tube volume. The 4-decimal exact is shown where the rounding matters: the bead width for 50.00 ft per tube is 0.1734 in (shown as 0.1734 in); at 0.1734 in it is 50.0176 ft, at 0.1733 in it is 50.0753 ft. The bead depth for 30.00 ft per tube is 0.2005 in (shown as 0.2005 in); at 0.2005 in it is 30.0031 ft, at 0.2004 in it is 30.0181 ft. The bead width for 100.00 ft per tube is 0.1226 in (shown as 0.1226 in); at 0.1226 in it is 100.0552 ft, at 0.1225 in it is 100.2187 ft. What the model cannot do is measure your bead: a bead laid by hand varies, the nozzle cut sets the width, and a rounded bead holds less than the rectangle the model assumes — buy one extra tube for a big job and return it if you do not open it. The table values are theoretical, before waste. For the grout on the tile, see the grout size chart; for the mortar in the wall, see the mortar mix chart; for the paint over it, see the paint coverage chart; for the tile itself, see the tile size chart; for the sanding between coats, see the sandpaper grit chart. This is a calculator, not a caulking guide.
Cite this calculatorBright Side Kit. “Caulk Coverage Chart: Linear Feet Per Tube by Bead Size” brightoolbox.com, 2026. Method: 1 US fluid ounce = 1.8046875 cubic inches, so a 10-oz tube holds 18.046875 cu in and a 28-oz tube holds 50.53125 cu in. Bead cross-section = width × depth sq in; linear feet per tube = tube volume ÷ (width × depth × 12); caulk needed = job length × (1 + waste ÷ 100); tubes needed = ceil(caulk needed ÷ feet per tube); needed volume = caulk needed × 12 × width × depth cu in; volume in those tubes = tubes × tube volume. Every table cell is derived from the volume formula — no manufacturer table was copied. Key idea: one tube is a fixed volume, so the coverage falls as the square of the bead size — a 1/2 in bead covers a quarter of what a 1/4 in bead covers. Defaults: 10-oz tube, 1/4 in × 1/4 in bead, 100 ft job, 10% waste → linear feet per tube 24.06 ft (exact 24.0625), caulk needed 110.00 ft, needed volume 82.50 cu in, tubes needed 5, five tubes hold 90.23 cu in. Table (square beads, linear feet per tube, 10-oz / 28-oz): 1/8 in 96.25 / 269.50; 3/16 in 42.78 / 119.78; 1/4 in 24.06 / 67.38; 5/16 in 15.40 / 43.12; 3/8 in 10.69 / 29.94; 1/2 in 6.02 / 16.84. Branches: 1/8 in × 1/8 in bead → 96.25 ft per tube, 2 tubes; 1/2 in × 1/2 in bead → 6.02 ft per tube, 19 tubes; 28-oz tube → 67.38 ft per tube, 2 tubes; job 200 ft → 24.06 ft per tube, 10 tubes; waste 0% → 24.06 ft per tube, 5 tubes; waste 20% → 24.06 ft per tube, 5 tubes; 1/4 in × 1/8 in bead → 48.13 ft per tube, 3 tubes; 3/8 in × 1/4 in bead → 16.04 ft per tube, 7 tubes. Reverses: bead width for 50.00 ft per tube = 0.1734 in (exact 0.1734 in, 0.173432…; at 0.1734 in it is 50.0176 ft, at 0.1733 in it is 50.0753 ft); job length where tubes flip from 10 to 11 = 240.625 ft (at 240.625 ft it is 10 tubes, at 240.63 ft it is 11); bead depth for 30.00 ft per tube at 1/4 in width = 0.2005 in (exact 0.2005 in, 0.2005208333…; at 0.2005 in it is 30.0031 ft, at 0.2004 in it is 30.0181 ft); waste where tubes flip from 5 to 6 = 20.3125% (at 20.31% it is 5 tubes, at 20.32% it is 6); bead width for 100.00 ft per tube = 0.1226 in (exact 0.1226 in, 0.122632…; at 0.1226 in it is 100.0552 ft, at 0.1225 in it is 100.2187 ft); 28-oz tube at a 1/4 in bead = 67.38 ft per tube (exact 67.375 ft); job length for exactly 3 tubes at 0% waste = 202.13 ft (exact 202.125 ft). Edges: 0 ft job → 0 tubes (feet per tube still 24.06); waste 100% → 9 tubes.
Bright Side Kit. "Caulk Coverage Chart: Linear Feet Per Tube by Bead Size" https://brightoolbox.com/caulk-coverage-chart/ Accessed October 25, 2026.Frequently asked questions
How many linear feet does one tube of caulk cover?
24.06 ft at a 1/4 in bead. A 10-oz tube holds 18.046875 cu in, and a 1/4 in by 1/4 in bead is 0.0625 sq in in cross-section, so the tube stretches 24.06 ft. At a 1/8 in bead the same tube covers 96.25 ft; at a 1/2 in bead only 6.02 ft.
How many tubes of caulk do I need for 100 ft?
5 tubes. A 100 ft job with 10% waste needs 110.00 ft of caulk, and at 24.06 ft per tube that is 4.57 tubes — rounded up to 5. With no waste it is still 5 tubes, because 4 tubes only cover 96.25 ft.
Does a wider bead use much more caulk?
Yes — the coverage falls as the square of the bead size. Doubling the bead from 1/4 in to 1/2 in quadruples the cross-section, so the coverage falls from 24.06 ft to 6.02 ft per tube and a 100 ft job needs 19 tubes instead of 5.
How far does a 28-oz tube of caulk go?
67.38 ft at a 1/4 in bead. A 28-oz sausage pack holds 50.53125 cu in — 2.8 times a 10-oz cartridge — so it covers 67.38 ft instead of 24.06 ft. Three 28-oz tubes cover 202.13 ft at 0% waste.
What bead width gives 50 feet per tube?
0.1734 in. The square-bead width for 50.00 ft per tube is 0.1734 in (exact 0.1734). At 0.1734 in it is 50.0176 ft; at 0.1733 in it is 50.0753 ft.
How much waste should I allow for caulk?
10% is a good default. At 10% waste a 100 ft job needs 110.00 ft of caulk — 5 tubes. The flip to 6 tubes comes at 20.3125% waste, so anything up to about 20% still takes 5 tubes.