How To Measure Wallpaper
Measuring how much wallpaper you need is an important task when planning a room redecoration. You don’t want to find out mid-way-through you’re short a roll or two, or be left with lots of spares at the end! Our step-by-step guide is here to talk you through the entire process, so you can calculate the exact number of rolls needed and complete your room's makeover without any fuss or wastage.
Measuring your room
If you have one, measure your room with a retractable metal measuring tape; otherwise, use a standard tape measure. Measure the total perimeter of your room (or the area you want to wallpaper) in metres, and be sure to include any doors and windows. Note down the height of the room or area, in metres and centimetres.
Step by Step
Use our fail-safe guide to ensure you get the right number of wallpaper rolls for your home wallpapering project.
- The most accurate way to measure a room is with a retractable metal measuring tape but you can also use a fabric tape measure if this is all you have.
- Measure the total perimeter of your room. If you are only wallpapering part of it, just measure the perimeter of this area. Be sure to include any doors and windows.
- Divide this measurement by the width of the wallpaper you are buying. For example, if the room you want to wallpaper is 10m wide and the wallpaper is 0.53m wide, divide 10 by 0.53 to get 18.9.
- Now measure the height of the room or the area you are wallpapering in metres.
- Multiply this by the number of widths you need (see previous calculation).
- Divide this number by the length of the wallpaper roll (usually 10m) to find the number of rolls required.
Here's an example:
2.4m (height of room) x 18.9 (room width ÷ by wallpaper roll width) = 45.36
45.36 ÷ 10m (length of the wallpaper roll) = 4.53
Total Rolls Needed: 5- If your wallpaper has a repeating pattern, we recommend getting a couple of extra rolls. As per our return policy, you can always return any unopened rolls at a later date.
- If you haven’t got a calculator to hand, apply your measurements to our calculator below and it’ll do the work for you. Alternatively, use it as a second opinion for your calculations.
Frequently asked questions
How many drops do you get from one roll?
In an average sized home, with walls approximately 2.4m high, a wallpaper with no repeat pattern should give you four drops. If your room has unusually high or low ceilings, you will need fewer or more rolls, but use this as an average baseline to work from. A wallpaper with a pattern repeat will also give you fewer drops as there’s trimming and wastage from matching the pattern. If you have a pattern repeat of up to 64 cm, you should get three drops from a roll.
How wide is a roll of wallpaper?
The average width and length of a wallpaper roll depends on many factors, including the type of wallpaper, the design of the pattern, and the texture of the paper. However, most of our rolls have a width of 52cm and length of 10.05m.
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