Wallpaper Square Footage Calculator
Use this calculator to estimate the total square footage of wallpaper you'll need for your room. Accurate measurements are key to a successful wallpaper project!
Understanding Wallpaper Square Footage
Calculating the correct amount of wallpaper for your project is crucial to avoid running out mid-job or having excessive waste. This calculator helps you determine the total square footage needed by considering your room's dimensions, openings like doors and windows, and an essential waste factor.
Why is Accurate Measurement Important?
- Cost Efficiency: Buying too much wallpaper means unnecessary expense. Buying too little can lead to delays, extra shipping costs, and the risk of not finding the exact same dye lot, resulting in color variations.
- Seamless Finish: Having enough material ensures you can match patterns correctly and cover all surfaces without unsightly seams or patchwork.
- Time Savings: Avoiding reorders saves valuable time and keeps your project on schedule.
How to Measure Your Room for Wallpaper
- Measure Room Length: Use a tape measure to find the length of your room in feet. Measure along the longest wall.
- Measure Room Width: Measure the width of your room in feet.
- Measure Room Height: Measure the height from the floor to the ceiling in feet. If your ceiling height varies, use the highest point or an average.
- Count Doors and Windows: Simply count the number of doors and windows in the room. Our calculator uses average sizes for these openings to subtract their area from the total wall space. For very large or unusually shaped openings, you might need to calculate their exact area and subtract it manually from the 'Total Wall Surface Area' before applying the waste factor.
The Importance of Waste Percentage
The waste percentage accounts for several factors:
- Pattern Matching: Wallpaper with a repeating pattern requires extra material to ensure the pattern aligns perfectly from one strip to the next. The larger the pattern repeat, the more waste you'll typically need.
- Trimming: You'll always trim excess wallpaper at the top and bottom of each strip, and sometimes along the sides.
- Mistakes: Accidents happen! Having a little extra allows for miscuts or damaged strips.
- Future Repairs: Keeping a roll or two of leftover wallpaper can be invaluable for future repairs or touch-ups.
A typical waste percentage ranges from 10% to 20%. For simple patterns or plain wallpaper, 10-15% might suffice. For large, intricate patterns with a significant repeat, consider 15-20% or even more.
How the Calculator Works
Our calculator follows these steps:
- It calculates the perimeter of your room:
2 * (Length + Width). - It determines the total wall surface area:
Perimeter * Height. - It estimates the area of doors and windows to be subtracted (using standard average sizes).
- It calculates the net wall area by subtracting the openings from the total wall surface area.
- Finally, it applies your specified waste percentage to the net wall area to give you the total estimated wallpaper needed.
Example Calculation:
Let's say you have a room with the following dimensions:
- Room Length: 12 feet
- Room Width: 10 feet
- Room Height: 8 feet
- Number of Doors: 1
- Number of Windows: 2
- Waste Percentage: 15%
Using the calculator:
- Perimeter = 2 * (12 + 10) = 44 feet
- Total Wall Surface Area = 44 feet * 8 feet = 352 sq ft
- Area to Subtract (1 door @ 21 sq ft + 2 windows @ 15 sq ft each) = 21 + (2 * 15) = 21 + 30 = 51 sq ft
- Net Wall Area = 352 sq ft – 51 sq ft = 301 sq ft
- Wallpaper Needed (including 15% waste) = 301 sq ft * (1 + 0.15) = 301 * 1.15 = 346.15 sq ft
You would need approximately 346.15 square feet of wallpaper for this room.
Always double-check your measurements and consider purchasing an extra roll if you are unsure, especially with unique or hard-to-find patterns.