100 sq ft of 12×24 tile needs 4 bags of VersaBond with a 3/4 × 9/16 × 3/8 U-notch held at 30°, back-buttering included.
| Trowel | Sq ft / bag | Bags |
|---|---|---|
| 3/16 × 5/32 V-notch | 110* | 2 |
| 1/4 × 1/4 square-notch | 85 | 2 |
| 1/4 × 3/8 square-notch | 60 | 3 |
| 1/2 × 1/2 square-notch | 42 | 4 |
| 3/4 × 9/16 × 3/8 U-notch held at 45° | 34 | 4 |
| 3/4 × 9/16 × 3/8 U-notch held at 30° | 42 | 4 |
| Mortar | Sq ft each | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Store-brand thinset (50 lb) | 25 | 5 | $69.95 |
| VersaBond (50 lb) | 42 | 4 | $79.96 |
| VersaBond LHT (50 lb) | 42 | 4 | — |
| VersaBond LITE (35 lb) | 36 | 4 | — |
| ProLite (30 lb) | 45 | 3 | $111 |
| MegaLite (30 lb) | 45 | 3 | — |
| SimpleSet pre-mix (1 gal) | 10* | 13 | — |
| Ultraflex 2 (50 lb) | 38* | 4 | $119 |
| Ultraflex LFT (50 lb) | 35 | 4 | $120 |
| Ultraflex LHT SG (50 lb) | 25 | 5 | $125 |
| Keraflex Super (44 lb) | 34 | 4 | $148 |
| 253 Gold (50 lb) | 40* | 4 | $98.24 |
| 254 Platinum (50 lb) | 40* | 4 | $206 |
| MultiMax Lite (25 lb) | 43* | 3 | $147 |
| TEC 3N1 (30 lb) | 30 | 5 | — |
* not published for this trowel — estimated. Lightweight 25–35 lb bags cover what a 50-lb bag does.
Floor & Decor and Do it Best prices checked October 2026.
| Trowel | Store brand | VersaBond | Ultraflex LFT | ProLite (30 lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/16 × 5/32 V-notch | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1/4 × 1/4 square-notch | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1/4 × 3/8 square-notch | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 1/2 × 1/2 square-notch | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 3/4 × 9/16 × 3/8 U-notch held at 45° | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 3/4 × 9/16 × 3/8 U-notch held at 30° | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
12×24 tile is past the 15-in mark where Custom calls for an LHT-rated mortar and back-buttering, and most installers reach for a 3/4 in U-notch or a 1/2 in notch to fill the slight cup in long porcelain.
Back-buttering is included here. Coverage charts leave it out, so large-format jobs that skip it on paper run short in practice.
The full method, material data and tips are on the main thinset calculator page.