How Much Wallpaper Do I Need?

With wallpaper sold by the standard roll, the wall area alone is not enough to calculate how much you need. Ceiling height, drop width, roll length and pattern match all affect the number of full rolls required.

At Linlava, you enter the full width and height of each wall instead. The calculator gives you an initial estimate of the wallpaper area and price. When the final layout is prepared, we use the actual dimensions of windows, doors and any sloping or angled sections. Areas that will not be wallpapered are deducted, so the final price is based on the wall area you will actually cover.

Estimate the Wallpaper Area and Price

The calculator uses the width and greatest height of each wall, together with the number of windows and doors. Openings are initially calculated using standard dimensions, giving you an early estimate of the wallpaper area and the approximate cost of your chosen design.

The estimated price is based on the wallpaper’s price per m² and the calculated area to be covered. You do not need to work out the square metres, number of drops, pattern match or allowance for waste yourself.

Once you continue with your chosen wallpaper, you can enter the actual dimensions and positions of all openings in the configurator on the product page. It will then calculate the exact wallpaper area, drop layout and final price.

How to Measure Your Walls, Step by Step

1. Decide Which Walls Will Be Wallpapered

Start at a clear point in the room and work clockwise. Measure each wall separately, even when two walls appear to be the same length.

It is helpful to give each wall a name you will recognise, such as Window Wall, Behind the Sofa or Wall by the Tiled Stove. This makes the room easier to check when you move on to placing the order.

2. Measure the Full Width of Each Wall

Measure from corner to corner across the entire wall. Measure across windows and doors, rather than stopping at each opening.

Keep the tape measure horizontal and note the measurement straight away. In older houses, two walls that appear identical can easily differ by a few centimetres.

3. Measure the Height of the Wall

Measure between the lower and upper edges where the wallpaper will begin and end. If the room has skirting boards and cornices, you would normally measure the wall surface between them.

Measure the height on the left, in the centre and on the right. Use the greatest measurement. Floors and ceilings are not always perfectly parallel, particularly in older rooms.

Record the wall as it is. If the greatest height is 265 cm, enter 265 cm rather than rounding it up to 270 cm.

4. Count the Windows and Doors

Note the number of windows and doors on each wall. The calculator uses these figures to estimate how much of the wall will not be wallpapered.

The exact dimensions and positions are only needed when you create the final order in the configurator.

5. Check Your Measurements

Make sure that every wall has the correct width and height, and that all windows and doors have been included. The aim is to create a reliable picture of the room. The calculator takes care of the estimate itself.

Why Linlava Calculates by Wall Area, Not by Roll

Wallpaper is traditionally sold by the standard roll. The number of rolls required depends not only on the wall area, but also on ceiling height, drop width, roll length and pattern match. Because wallpaper must be bought in whole rolls, windows, doors and sloping ceilings rarely reduce the amount you need to purchase by as much as they reduce the actual wall area. The remainder becomes waste.

Linlava starts with the room instead. When the final layout is prepared, we use the actual dimensions of the walls and openings. Windows, doors and any other areas that will not be wallpapered are deducted.

You therefore do not need to convert the room into standard rolls or add your own allowance for waste. The wallpaper is prepared as the individual drops required for your walls, and you pay for the area that will actually be covered.

What About Sloping Ceilings and Other Irregular Shapes?

A sloping ceiling or another irregular shape means that part of the imagined rectangle is not wall at all. Those areas should not be included in the final wallpaper area or price.

For the initial estimate, enter the full width and greatest height of the wall in the calculator. When the final layout is prepared, Linlava will help you describe the shape of the sloping section. The areas around it that will not be wallpapered are then deducted from both the wallpaper area and the price.

You should not need to calculate the area of angled sections yourself or pay for material intended for a wall surface that is not there.

Common Measuring Mistakes

Adding Your Own Allowance

Enter the actual dimensions of the wall. Do not add extra centimetres or an allowance for waste.

Measuring Only as Far as a Window

Measure the full wall from corner to corner. Windows and doors are openings within that wall.

Measuring the Height in Only One Place

Take several height measurements and use the greatest one. Small differences between the floor and ceiling are common.

Forgetting an Opening

Count every window and door on each wall. They affect the estimate produced by the calculator.

Combining Several Walls into One Width

Measure each wall separately. This makes the room easier to check and the final order more reliable.

Rounding Up Too Early

Record the actual measurements in whole centimetres. Do not round them up.