Wallpaper rolls usually measure 33 ′ (10 m) long and 21 ″ (535 mm) wide. Therefore, if the room you are decorating has a ceiling height of about 2760 mm, you will be able to cut three drops of wallpaper from each roll.
Remember to allow about 6 6 (150 mm) per cutting length to cut the top and bottom of the wallpaper strip when it is in place on the wall. You may need to allow more if the wallpaper has a large repetition of the pattern.
To calculate how many rolls you need to measure the walls of the room. If the room is a basic rectangle, you only need to measure two walls because opposite walls are the same length (remember to double the numbers in your final calculation).
Recommendation: Are you looking for home renovation or Custom home builders. Consult Green Earth Homes — Sunshine coast builders.
Although you can probably measure the room on your own, it is much easier, faster and more reliable if you have someone to help you. One person can hold the measuring tape, while the other checks the length and marks the numbers.
Note all measurements, rounding up to the nearest inch. Now divide this by a total of either 21 ″ or 535mm.
This number shows how many drops of wallpaper you need.
If you then get three lengths from each roll, divide the number of drops by three to find out how many rolls you need.
The final calculation
- The walls measure 756 ″ (18900 mm) in total and the ceiling height is 960 (2760 mm) which allows three drops from each roll
- 756 ″ (18900mm) ÷ 21 ″ (535mm) = 36 drops of wallpaper
- 36 drops of wallpaper ÷ 3 drops per roll = 12 rolls
Based on this calculation, I would buy 13 rolls of wallpaper that include a spare roll for any mishaps etc.
It is always better to have too much wallpaper
I always buy an extra roll to make any mistakes or if the wallpaper is damaged in the future. I do not tend to pull too much paper for doors and windows from the total because it is always better to have more than you need. Most DIY stores will credit you for all the rolls you return and there is nothing worse than the store having no stock of your chosen paper should you have a card.
Planning where to start wallpapering depends on the room itself, if you have a main function in the room such as a fireplace this is your starting point (this applies more to patterned paper, but it is something I have always done regardless of the paper used).
The first strip of wallpaper that you hang should be centrally in the stove and must be perfectly vertical (this is where the plum line is invaluable) as this strip determines how straight the other strips will be.
In an empty room with no function, you can start paper from any point. I usually start from the edge of an architrave, again and make sure the first strip that is hung is completely vertical.
Watch out for batch numbers
When buying your chosen wallpaper, make sure that the batch numbers and / or color number codes on each roll are the same . The reason for this is to make sure that all rolls have the same pattern and color. Two rolls with different batch numbers may vary slightly because they were made at a different time, hence the term “batch”.
By the way, this does not apply to lining paper.
Online wallpaper counter
I appreciate that this is a pretty old school way of finding out how much wallpaper you need to decorate a room, but it works for me!
If you prefer to use an online wallpaper calculator that does everything that suits you, here are some worth checking out. You still need to measure your room before using them.
- Background directly
- Style Library
- B&Q
- Cole & Son
- Amara
