How To Measure Wallpaper

Are you considering wallpaper for your walls but aren't sure how to measure? Wallpaper can add a lot of personality and character to a room, but you need to take the time to get the measurements right or you may run out half way through the job. Here we'll show you four simple steps to take before you order your wallpaper. With these easy steps, you'll be able to confidently order wallpaper that will perfectly fit your walls!

A note about our wallpaper: All our wallpaper rolls come in two widths (52cm and 70cm) and ten metre lengths. All the information you need for the pattern repeat will be found in each product description.

Step 1: Measure your wall

First, measure the height and width of your wall in centimetres and don't forget to include windows and doors - however large or small they may be - so that you can ensure you have enough paper for your project. If you have any particularly wide openings you may want to take these off your measurements, but generally it’s best to include windows and doors to ensure you have enough wallpaper

If all walls are of equal height, then add the height and width measurements together, but if the heights vary then each wall should be measured individually. Taking care when measuring walls will set you up for success when hanging wallpaper, so take your time and cover all your bases to give yourself a smooth hanging experience!

Step 2: Work out the number of drops needed.

Step two involves working out how many drops of wallpaper are needed. To do this, divide your width of your wall measurement by the width of the wallpaper - either 70cm or 52cm for Minibeau wallpaper. 

For example, if you have a wall width of 1000cm and your wallpaper is 52cm wide, you would divide 1000 by 52 – meaning you need 19.2 drops, which should be rounded up to 20 drops.

Step 3: Calculate the number of rolls needed

The third step in measuring wallpaper is to calculate the number of rolls needed. To begin with, measure from skirting board to coving or top of wall, allowing 10cm extra for trimming.

Then, take that wall height measurement and multiply it by the number of drops, before finally dividing by the length of your chosen wallpaper roll – ours are 10 metres. Remember to always round up so you have an appropriate number of rolls to work with – this could be the difference between hanging the perfect wall covering or having to re-order more supplies!

Here’s a little example, taking an average wall height of 2.4m:

240cm + 10cm x 20 = 5000cm

5000cm ÷ 1000cm = 5 rolls

Step 4: Work out your pattern repeat allowance

Our wallpapers have a repeating pattern with a straight match to give a seamless look. Working out the pattern repeat allowance is a critical part of making sure you have enough wallpaper to cover the walls. To calculate this allowance, the first thing you want to do is locate the repeat size on your chosen paper’s product description. To allow for the repeat, you need to add in an ‘extra’ repeat for each drop.

So, for the above example we have 20 drops. We don’t need to count the first drop, so this would take it to 19. If we assume the repeat size is 52cm, the calculation would be as follows:

52cm x 19 = 988cm

Then, divide the figure by the length of the roll. Here it is just under one roll, so this means we would need to order an additional roll to account for the repeat match. 

Now all that's left to do is pick a beautiful design to put on your walls! What to do if you haven’t ordered enough paper. If you don't order enough paper for the job, it can be tricky to know how to proceed. The best approach is to stop hanging wallpaper when you reach the end of the wall or corner and order new paper for finishing off any remaining walls. This way, any variation in colour will not be as noticeable. However, if you’re papering only one wall and run out of paper, there is a risk that the new batch won’t match in hue and tone with the old one. Therefore, we suggest taking extra care when measuring up wallpaper so that you avoid this potential issue altogether. If done properly and artfully, hanging wallpaper should give you a beautiful finish to your room!