How to calculate wallpaper
When it comes to giving your space a fresh new look, hanging wallpaper is an excellent choice. Wallpaper can add instant charm and character to any room, but before you get started, you need to know how much wallpaper to buy. This guide will walk you through the process of calculating the correct amount of wallpaper for your project.
1. Measure the Room Dimensions
The first step in calculating wallpaper is measuring your room. You’ll need to know the height and length of each wall in the room where you plan to hang the wallpaper.
Use a tape measure to measure the height from floor to ceiling and the length of each wall. Be sure to measure any doors or windows on each wall, as well. Record these measurements, as you’ll need them for later steps.
2. Calculate Wall Area
Next, calculate the total area of each wall by multiplying its height by its length. For example, if a wall is 10 feet high and 15 feet long, its area would be 150 square feet (10 x 15 = 150). Remember to do this for each of your walls.
3. Calculate Door and Window Area
In order to determine how much wallpaper you’ll actually need, it’s important to subtract the areas of doors and windows from your calculations.
To do this, measure the height and width of each door or window within your room and multiply those dimensions together in order to find their respective areas. Once you’ve calculated the area for each door or window, add them together for a combined total.
4. Subtract Door and Window Area From Wall Area
Now that you have both the total area for your walls and the total area for your doors and windows, it’s time to subtract the latter from the former.
For example, if your walls have a combined area of 750 square feet and your doors and windows have a combined area of 50 square feet, you would subtract 50 from 750 to get a total area of 700 square feet.
5. Determine Wallpaper Coverage
To determine how much wallpaper you’ll need, you must take into consideration the coverage of each roll. Wallpaper rolls typically come in various widths and lengths, so be sure to reference the manufacturer’s specifications for coverage measurements.
Divide the total wall area (minus doors and windows) by the coverage per roll. For example, if your adjusted wall area is 700 square feet and one roll of wallpaper covers 56 square feet, divide 700 by 56 to get 12.5 rolls.
6. Add Extra for Allowance
When calculating wallpaper, it’s important to add extra rolls for allowance and potential mistakes or future needs. A general rule of thumb is to add an additional 15% to your total number of rolls.
For example, if you’re purchasing 12.5 rolls, you’d add an additional 1.88 rolls (rounded up to two rolls) as an allowance. In this case, you would purchase a total of 14 rolls.
In Conclusion
Calculating wallpaper correctly can save time and money by ensuring that you have enough material for your project without excessively overbuying. By following these steps, you can confidently tackle your wallpaper project with ease. Good luck!