diff --git a/xrspatial/templates.py b/xrspatial/templates.py
index 177dc4efa..7509f1011 100644
--- a/xrspatial/templates.py
+++ b/xrspatial/templates.py
@@ -65,18 +65,47 @@ def _balanced_axis(size, block):
     return tuple(base + 1 if i < rem else base for i in range(n))
 
 
-def _neighborhood_chunks(shape):
+def _block_edge(cells):
+    """Block edge (cells) for the default tiling of a ``cells``-cell grid.
+
+    A fixed ``_DASK_BLOCK`` edge, grown for very large grids so the block count
+    stays near ``_DASK_MAX_BLOCKS`` instead of exploding the task graph.
+    """
+    import math
+    return max(_DASK_BLOCK, math.ceil(math.sqrt(cells / _DASK_MAX_BLOCKS)))
+
+
+def _neighborhood_chunks(shape, block=None):
     """Even, square-ish dask chunks for the default tiling.
 
     Uses a ~``_DASK_BLOCK`` block, growing it for very large grids so the block
     count stays near ``_DASK_MAX_BLOCKS`` instead of exploding the task graph.
+    Pass ``block`` to reuse an edge already computed (so a padded shape tiles
+    into the same blocks it was padded to).
     """
-    import math
-    cells = shape[0] * shape[1]
-    block = max(_DASK_BLOCK, math.ceil(math.sqrt(cells / _DASK_MAX_BLOCKS)))
+    if block is None:
+        block = _block_edge(shape[0] * shape[1])
     return tuple(_balanced_axis(size, block) for size in shape)
 
 
+def _pad_to_tiles(shape, block):
+    """Grow each axis up to a whole multiple of ``block``.
+
+    An axis that already fits in a single block (``_balanced_axis`` would keep
+    it one chunk) is left alone, so a small template is not bloated out to a
+    full block. A multi-block axis is padded up to the next ``block`` multiple
+    so its tiling has no ragged remainder chunk.
+    """
+    import math
+    out = []
+    for size in shape:
+        if round(size / block) >= 2:
+            out.append(int(math.ceil(size / block) * block))
+        else:
+            out.append(size)
+    return tuple(out)
+
+
 def _resolve(name):
     """Resolve a name to a spec dict.
 
@@ -319,7 +348,8 @@ def list_templates(kind: Optional[str] = None) -> Union[Dict[str, List[str]], Li
 
 def from_template(name: str,
                   resolution: Optional[Union[float, Tuple[float, float]]] = None,
-                  *, preserve: Optional[str] = None, backend: str = "numpy",
+                  *, height: Optional[int] = None, width: Optional[int] = None,
+                  preserve: Optional[str] = None, backend: str = "numpy",
                   fill: float = np.nan,
                   chunks: Optional[Union[int, str, Tuple]] = None) -> xr.DataArray:
     """Create an empty DataArray for a common study area.
@@ -357,7 +387,16 @@ def from_template(name: str,
         Cell size in the template's CRS units (metres for projected regions,
         degrees for country codes). A scalar gives square cells; a
         ``(res_x, res_y)`` tuple sets each axis. Defaults to a per-template
-        value so a bare ``from_template('conus')`` works.
+        value so a bare ``from_template('conus')`` works. Ignored on the
+        ``height`` / ``width`` path unless given (see below).
+    height, width : int, optional
+        Grid shape in cells. Supply both (or neither). When given, the result
+        is exactly ``height`` x ``width`` cells anchored at the region's
+        lower-left corner, and the extent floats off that anchor rather than
+        snapping to the study-area box: with ``resolution`` the extent is
+        ``shape x resolution``; without it the resolution is derived so the
+        exact shape spans the region bbox. Use this to ask for a
+        tiling-friendly shape directly.
     preserve : {'area', 'shape'}, optional
         Reproject the template into an EPSG-coded projection chosen for the
         property it preserves, instead of the template's default CRS. ``'area'``
@@ -381,9 +420,14 @@ def from_template(name: str,
         longer applies. When omitted (or ``'auto'``), the dask backends tile
         the grid into even, square-ish blocks (~2048 cells per side) tuned for
         the neighborhood ops -- ``slope``, ``hillshade``, ``focal`` -- that run
-        on the result through ``map_overlap``. That gives a parallel,
-        well-formed task graph instead of one giant block or thin ragged edges.
-        A grid small enough to not be worth splitting stays a single chunk.
+        on the result through ``map_overlap``. To make that tiling exact, a
+        multi-block grid has its extent padded out from the lower-left anchor
+        so each axis is a whole number of blocks: every chunk is full-size with
+        no ragged remainder, the requested ``resolution`` is unchanged, and the
+        padded grid still covers the study area (it only grows). The padding is
+        dask-only -- eager grids and explicit ``height`` / ``width`` keep the
+        exact bbox-derived shape -- and a grid small enough to not be worth
+        splitting stays a single chunk, unpadded.
         Pass an explicit value to override the tiling. The data stays lazy, but
         a very fine resolution still builds one task per chunk, so an extreme
         shape with small explicit chunks can make a task graph large enough to
@@ -439,6 +483,9 @@ def from_template(name: str,
         >>> agg = from_template("new_england", resolution=10, chunks=512)
         >>> type(agg.data).__name__
         'Array'
+        >>> # ask for an exact tiling-friendly shape; the extent floats
+        >>> from_template("conus", resolution=1000, height=4096, width=6144).shape
+        (4096, 6144)
 
     Recipes
     -------
@@ -485,10 +532,33 @@ def from_template(name: str,
         default_res = spec["default_resolution"]
 
     left, bottom, right, top = bounds
-    res_x, res_y = _normalize_resolution(resolution, default_res)
 
-    width = max(1, int(round((right - left) / res_x)))
-    height = max(1, int(round((top - bottom) / res_y)))
+    # height/width are an all-or-nothing pair that fixes the grid shape exactly.
+    explicit_shape = height is not None or width is not None
+    if explicit_shape and (height is None or width is None):
+        raise ValueError(
+            "supply both height and width together, or neither"
+        )
+
+    if explicit_shape:
+        # Exact shape: the grid is height x width cells anchored at the region's
+        # lower-left corner, and the extent floats off that anchor. With a
+        # resolution the extent is shape x resolution; without one the
+        # resolution is derived so the exact shape spans the region bbox.
+        height, width = int(height), int(width)
+        if height <= 0 or width <= 0:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"height and width must be positive, got {(height, width)}"
+            )
+        if resolution is None:
+            res_x = (right - left) / width
+            res_y = (top - bottom) / height
+        else:
+            res_x, res_y = _normalize_resolution(resolution, default_res)
+    else:
+        res_x, res_y = _normalize_resolution(resolution, default_res)
+        width = max(1, int(round((right - left) / res_x)))
+        height = max(1, int(round((top - bottom) / res_y)))
 
     # Supplying `chunks` signals intent for a lazy, chunked grid: promote an
     # eager backend to its dask variant so the result never materializes.
@@ -497,20 +567,40 @@ def from_template(name: str,
         backend = "dask+numpy" if backend == "numpy" else "dask+cupy"
     is_dask = backend in ("dask", "dask+numpy", "dask+cupy")
 
+    # Default dask tiling pads the shape out to whole blocks so every chunk is
+    # full-size with no ragged remainder. Only on a dask backend under the
+    # default tiling, and never when the caller fixed the shape with
+    # height/width or drove the tiling with an explicit chunks=. Reuse the same
+    # block edge for the padding and the chunking so they agree exactly.
+    default_tiling = chunks is None or chunks == "auto"
+    block = None
+    if is_dask and default_tiling and not explicit_shape:
+        block = _block_edge(height * width)
+        height, width = _pad_to_tiles((height, width), block)
+
+    # Name the knob the caller actually set when a cap is hit: height/width on
+    # the explicit-shape path (its resolution is derived), resolution otherwise.
+    if explicit_shape:
+        shape_desc = f"height={height}, width={width}"
+        coarsen = "Use a smaller height/width"
+    else:
+        shape_desc = f"resolution {(res_x, res_y)}"
+        coarsen = "Use a coarser resolution"
+
     n_cells = width * height
     if not is_dask and n_cells > _MAX_CELLS:
         raise ValueError(
-            f"resolution {(res_x, res_y)} produces a {height} x {width} grid "
+            f"{shape_desc} produces a {height} x {width} grid "
             f"({n_cells:,} cells), exceeding the {_MAX_CELLS:,}-cell limit. "
-            f"Use a coarser resolution, or pass chunks=... for a lazy dask grid."
+            f"{coarsen}, or pass chunks=... for a lazy dask grid."
         )
 
     # 'auto' (the default) tiles into even square blocks tuned for the
     # neighborhood ops that run on the result; an explicit chunks= is honored
     # verbatim. Either way the block count is checked against _MAX_CHUNKS below.
-    if chunks is None or chunks == "auto":
-        effective_chunks = _neighborhood_chunks((height, width)) if is_dask \
-            else "auto"
+    if default_tiling:
+        effective_chunks = _neighborhood_chunks((height, width), block) \
+            if is_dask else "auto"
     else:
         effective_chunks = chunks
     if is_dask:
@@ -521,12 +611,12 @@ def from_template(name: str,
             chunks_display = chunks if chunks not in (None, "auto") \
                 else f"the default ~{_DASK_BLOCK}-cell tiling"
             raise ValueError(
-                f"resolution {(res_x, res_y)} produces a {height} x {width} "
+                f"{shape_desc} produces a {height} x {width} "
                 f"grid that splits into {n_chunks:,} chunks with "
                 f"{chunks_display!r}, exceeding the "
                 f"{_MAX_CHUNKS:,}-chunk limit. A task graph this large can bog "
-                f"down the client even though no data is computed. Use a "
-                f"coarser resolution or larger chunks."
+                f"down the client even though no data is computed. "
+                f"{coarsen} or use larger chunks."
             )
 
     # Honor the requested resolution exactly: anchor the lower-left corner and
diff --git a/xrspatial/tests/test_templates.py b/xrspatial/tests/test_templates.py
index 7bac23ad0..af6bce1c8 100644
--- a/xrspatial/tests/test_templates.py
+++ b/xrspatial/tests/test_templates.py
@@ -929,3 +929,174 @@ def test_lite_crs_name_property():
 
     assert LiteCRS(5070).name == "NAD83 / Conus Albers"
     assert LiteCRS(4326).name == "WGS 84"
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# tiling-optimized extents: the default dask grid pads its shape out to whole
+# blocks so every chunk is full-size, and explicit height/width set the grid
+# shape exactly (extent floats off the region anchor).
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+@dask_array_available
+def test_default_dask_extent_padded_to_whole_tiles():
+    import dask.array as da
+    from xrspatial.templates import _DASK_BLOCK
+    # conus @ 1 km is a multi-block grid (~3105 x 5865). The default tiling pads
+    # the shape up to exact multiples of the block edge so every chunk is a full
+    # _DASK_BLOCK square -- no ragged remainder block on the far edge.
+    agg = from_template("conus", resolution=1000, backend="dask")
+    assert isinstance(agg.data, da.Array)
+    assert agg.shape[0] % _DASK_BLOCK == 0
+    assert agg.shape[1] % _DASK_BLOCK == 0
+    for axis in agg.data.chunks:
+        assert set(axis) == {_DASK_BLOCK}
+
+
+@dask_array_available
+def test_padding_keeps_resolution_exact_and_covers_region():
+    # Padding grows the grid by whole cells out from the lower-left anchor, so
+    # the requested resolution comes back unchanged and the padded extent still
+    # covers the original study-area box (it only ever grows).
+    agg = from_template("conus", resolution=1000, backend="dask")
+    assert agg.attrs["res"] == (1000.0, 1000.0)
+    left, bottom, right, top = _REGIONS["conus"]["bounds"]
+    # half-cell pixel-center inset, then the padded edges reach at/past the box
+    assert agg.x.values.min() <= left + 1000.0
+    assert agg.y.values.max() >= top - 1000.0
+    assert agg.x.values.max() >= right - 1000.0
+    assert agg.y.values.min() <= bottom + 1000.0
+
+
+@dask_array_available
+def test_padding_skipped_for_single_chunk_grid():
+    # A grid that stays a single chunk (nyc @ default, ~1760 x 1850) is not
+    # padded -- its dask coords match the eager grid cell-for-cell, so backend
+    # stays a pure execution detail for templates small enough not to tile.
+    eager = from_template("nyc")
+    lazy = from_template("nyc", backend="dask+numpy")
+    assert lazy.data.npartitions == 1
+    np.testing.assert_array_equal(lazy.x.values, eager.x.values)
+    np.testing.assert_array_equal(lazy.y.values, eager.y.values)
+
+
+def test_padding_skipped_for_eager_backend():
+    # Padding is a dask tiling concern; the eager numpy grid keeps the exact
+    # bbox-derived shape (no point bloating a materialized array).
+    from xrspatial.templates import _resolve, _normalize_resolution
+    spec = _resolve("conus")
+    left, bottom, right, top = spec["bounds"]
+    rx, ry = _normalize_resolution(1000, spec["default_resolution"])
+    w = max(1, round((right - left) / rx))
+    h = max(1, round((top - bottom) / ry))
+    agg = from_template("conus", resolution=1000)  # numpy
+    assert agg.shape == (h, w)
+
+
+@dask_array_available
+def test_padding_skipped_for_explicit_chunks():
+    # An explicit chunks= means the caller is driving the tiling, so the shape
+    # is left at the exact bbox-derived size (today's honored-verbatim contract).
+    from xrspatial.templates import _resolve, _normalize_resolution
+    spec = _resolve("conus")
+    left, bottom, right, top = spec["bounds"]
+    rx, ry = _normalize_resolution(1000, spec["default_resolution"])
+    w = max(1, round((right - left) / rx))
+    h = max(1, round((top - bottom) / ry))
+    agg = from_template("conus", resolution=1000, chunks=512)
+    assert agg.shape == (h, w)
+
+
+def test_explicit_height_width_exact_shape():
+    # Supplying height and width sets the grid shape exactly; the extent floats
+    # off the region's lower-left anchor instead of the bbox.
+    agg = from_template("conus", height=4096, width=6144)
+    assert agg.shape == (4096, 6144)
+    assert agg.dims == ("y", "x")
+    assert agg.attrs["crs"] == 5070
+
+
+def test_explicit_height_width_with_resolution_floats_extent():
+    # height/width + resolution => extent = shape x resolution, anchored at the
+    # region origin. Resolution is honored exactly.
+    agg = from_template("conus", resolution=1000, height=4096, width=6144)
+    assert agg.shape == (4096, 6144)
+    assert agg.attrs["res"] == (1000.0, 1000.0)
+    left, bottom, right, top = _REGIONS["conus"]["bounds"]
+    # width * res out from the left anchor (pixel centers inset by half a cell)
+    assert np.isclose(agg.x.values[0], left + 1000.0 / 2)
+    assert np.isclose(agg.x.values[-1], left + (6144 - 0.5) * 1000.0)
+
+
+def test_explicit_height_width_without_resolution_covers_bbox():
+    # height/width alone => resolution is derived so the exact shape spans the
+    # region bbox (the grid still covers the named study area).
+    agg = from_template("conus", height=600, width=1200)
+    assert agg.shape == (600, 1200)
+    left, bottom, right, top = _REGIONS["conus"]["bounds"]
+    res_x, res_y = agg.attrs["res"]
+    assert np.isclose(res_x, (right - left) / 1200)
+    assert np.isclose(res_y, (top - bottom) / 600)
+
+
+@dask_array_available
+def test_explicit_height_width_not_padded_on_dask():
+    # The user picked the exact (tile-friendly) shape; the dask path tiles it
+    # but does not pad it back out to a different size.
+    import dask.array as da
+    agg = from_template("conus", resolution=1000, height=4096, width=6144,
+                        backend="dask")
+    assert isinstance(agg.data, da.Array)
+    assert agg.shape == (4096, 6144)
+
+
+def test_partial_height_width_raises():
+    # height and width are an all-or-nothing pair.
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="both height and width"):
+        from_template("conus", height=4096)
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="both height and width"):
+        from_template("conus", width=6144)
+
+
+def test_non_positive_height_width_raises():
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="height and width must be positive"):
+        from_template("conus", height=0, width=10)
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="height and width must be positive"):
+        from_template("conus", height=10, width=-5)
+
+
+def test_oversized_explicit_shape_cap_message_names_height_width():
+    # The cell-cap message must point at the knob the caller actually set: on
+    # the height/width path that is height/width, not the derived resolution.
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="exceeding") as exc:
+        from_template("conus", height=30000, width=30000)  # 9e8 cells, eager
+    assert "height=30000" in str(exc.value)
+    assert "width=30000" in str(exc.value)
+    assert "resolution" not in str(exc.value)
+
+
+@dask_array_available
+def test_explicit_height_width_with_preserve():
+    # height/width compose with preserve=: the exact shape is anchored at the
+    # reprojected bbox and the CRS is the chosen EPSG, resolution derived.
+    agg = from_template("FRA", preserve="shape", height=300, width=400)
+    assert agg.shape == (300, 400)
+    assert agg.attrs["crs"] == 32630  # FRA centroid UTM 30N
+    assert agg.x.attrs["units"] == "m"
+    res_x, res_y = agg.attrs["res"]
+    assert res_x > 0 and res_y > 0
+
+
+@dask_array_available
+def test_explicit_height_width_dask_ragged_shape_stays_exact():
+    import dask.array as da
+    # An explicit shape that is not a block multiple is left exactly as asked
+    # (not padded); the dask path still tiles it into balanced blocks.
+    agg = from_template("conus", resolution=1000, height=5000, width=5000,
+                        backend="dask")
+    assert isinstance(agg.data, da.Array)
+    assert agg.shape == (5000, 5000)
+    assert agg.data.npartitions > 1
+    for axis in agg.data.chunks:
+        assert sum(axis) == 5000
+        assert max(axis) - min(axis) <= 1  # balanced, no ragged sliver