Wallpaper Sizing and Calculations

One of the most important tasks in hanging wallpaper is getting the measurements and calculations right.

Find out more about wallpaper measurements and sizes and making your calculations. Get it right...!

After choosing your wallpaper (See the wallpaper primer for help in choosing a type of wallpaper)...

...you need to know how much wallpaper you actually need to complete your whole decorating with wallpaper project.

Wallpaper sizes and measuring up can be a confusing task, but it is worth taking your time to get an accurate estimate, and doing it right.

It is always best to buy all your wallpaper in one go.

If you have done your measuring, wallpaper sizing, calculations and estimations correctly, you can buy everything you need in one trip:

• You save time on unnecessary journeys
• You don’t need to worry about your pattern or color being discontinued.
• Buying from the same batch should ensure a good color match (always check the bath numbers are the same on every roll).

Standard Wallpaper Sizes are:

• Width: 520mm (1ft 9 inches)
• Length: 10.05m (33ft)

Calculations in the table below are based on these standard measurements.

Always check the size of the wallpaper you intend to buy, and re-do your calculations if necessary.

The most important part of the whole wallpaper sizing, calculations and estimation process is, of course, to measure the room carefully and correctly.

Measuring Walls

1. Measure the maximum height of your room.
2. If you choose a patterned wallpaper, add the size of the ‘pattern repeat’ to this figure, to allow for matching the pattern.
3. Divide the length of a roll by this number, to find out how many full-height ‘drops’ you can cut from a roll. (Round this down to a whole number.)
4. Measure the total width of the room. (This means measure the total width of all the walls. If your chosen wallpaper is not too expensive, you can just ignore gaps for windows and doors, otherwise, work these into your calculations).
5. Divide this total by the width of a roll, to find out how many wallpaper ‘widths’ you need in your room.
6. Then, divide this number by the number of full-height ‘drops’ you can get from each roll. This should tell you approximately how many rolls of wallpaper you need.
7. Make sure that you allow a little extra for trimming, mistakes, and short lengths around windows and doors.

Check the table below to help you with your calculations.

Ceilings

For wallpaper sizing and calculations for ceilings:

1. Check how many roll widths will fit across the ceilings.
2. Check the length of paper required for the other axis of the room.
3. Multiply these 2 numbers
4. Then, divide this total by the length of a roll, to get the number of rolls you will need.
5. Allow a little extra for wastage, mistakes etc.
6. Done like this you may have lengths joined in the middle of the ceiling.

Check the wallpaper sizing tables below to help you with your calculations.

Remember that these figures are based on a standard size roll. Always check the size of the roll you intend to buy, and recalculate your requirements accordingly.

Wallpaper Sizing and Calculations Tables

When you have bought your wallpaper, you should always check your order thoroughly.

The next step in hanging wallpaper is to prepare your room properly…

Discover how to remove wallpaper the easy way.

Have you chosen your wallpaper yet? Take a look at this wallpaper primer to assist you with your decision.

Get easy instructions for how to wallpaper, here...

Return to the main How to Wallpaper Guide.

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