How to measure a room for wallpaper
Measure the total width of the walls you will paper and the height from skirting to ceiling. Add the pattern repeat plus 10 cm trim to the height to get the drop length, divide 10 m by that drop length (round down) for drops per roll, divide the wall width by 0.52 m (round up) for drops needed, then divide and round up – and add a spare roll.
You will need
- Steel tape measure
- Notepad
- Calculator
Step by step
- Measure widths Measure each wall at its widest point and add them together.
- Measure height Measure skirting to ceiling in several places and use the largest.
- Work out drop length Height + pattern repeat + 10 cm trim.
- Drops per roll 1,000 cm ÷ drop length, rounded down.
- Drops needed Total width ÷ 52 cm, rounded up.
- Rolls Drops needed ÷ drops per roll, rounded up. Add a spare.
Worked example
A 3.6 m wide wall, 2.4 m high, with a 53 cm repeat: drop length 2.4 + 0.53 + 0.10 = 3.03 m. 10 ÷ 3.03 = 3 drops per roll. 3.6 ÷ 0.52 = 6.9, so 7 drops. 7 ÷ 3 = 2.33, so 3 rolls (plus one spare if you want repair stock).
Designs to try
Stafford Diamond Wallpaper
Kerrigan Garden Birds Wallpaper
Rossiter Scattered Leaf Wallpaper
Edmund Bamboo Trellis Wallpaper
Cambrey Rainforest Wallpaper
Trerice Willow Court Wallpaper
Magnolia Leaf Sprig Wallpaper
Hammond Atomic Star Wallpaper
Questions & answers
Should I subtract doors and windows?
For most rooms, no – paper straight across and trim. The offcuts are rarely long enough to reuse because of the pattern repeat, so subtracting openings often leaves you short.
Why does the pattern repeat matter?
Each drop must start at the same point in the pattern as its neighbour, so you lose up to one repeat per drop. Bigger repeats mean fewer drops per roll.