If you’re planning on installing wallpaper, it’s important to know how much material you will need. Otherwise, you risk running out midway through the project or ending up with a lot of excess material at the end.

While many online wallcovering retailers have tools that estimate how many rolls you need, they may not factor in pattern repeats or deductions for openings like doors and windows. Here’s how to get a more accurate measurement by doing it yourself.

Measure the Height

When purchasing wallpaper, you’ll want to ensure that you have enough for your walls. This means you’ll need to measure the height of each wall, including any trim, baseboards or crown molding. You’ll also want to account for any doors and windows, as these can impact your finished wall covering. For more info I’ll suggest you visit the website wallpaper singapore.

To determine how much wallpaper you’ll need for your room, you’ll need to divide the height of your walls by the coverage per roll (provided in the product specification). This will tell you the number of usable floor-to-ceiling strips of wallpaper you’ll need to buy.

Some wallpaper sellers advise subtracting the areas of your doors and windows from your height measurement, but we don’t recommend this. This can lead to you ordering too little wallpaper, as you’ll need to combine a leftover strip with another to create one continuous piece. Instead, consider rounding up to the nearest foot, as this will give you a bit of extra room.

Measure the Width

Most wallpaper measuring guides suggest calculating square footage, but Hogan advises using the width of your walls instead. Doing so will give you a more accurate measurement and ensure that your project ends with a seamless, floor-to-ceiling strip of wallpaper.

Start at one end of the wall and extend the tape measure horizontally to the other side, taking into account any doors, windows or architectural features that might play hide-and-seek with your measurements. Keep a pencil and paper nearby to jot down the dimensions you’re recording.

Now multiply the height and width to find your total square footage (TSF). This number will be used in the next step to adjust for pattern repeat. If you’re using a random match wallpaper, divide the TSF by 23; for a standard pattern repeat, divide by 28. The resulting number will tell you how many single rolls of wallpaper you need to complete your project. Ideally, you should purchase a few extra single rolls of wallpaper to allow for waste and to ensure that you have enough material in case of any miscalculations or unforeseen complications.

Measure the Perimeter

A great way to modernize a room or highlight an eye-catching feature wall, wallpaper is also a cost effective way to change a color scheme without the cost of painting. But it is important to make a liberal estimation of how much you need to avoid running out near the end of the installation process. Even though some wallpaper sellers offer basic measurement tools, taking your own measurements will give you more precision.

Using a metal tape measure (not a cloth one), add up the lengths of each wall, and write down your numbers as you go. For now, leave windows and doors out of the calculation – they will be cut around when you hang your wallpaper.

Most wallpaper measuring guides advise calculating square footage but Hogan recommends determining how many usable floor-to-ceiling strips are possible per roll of wallpaper, as this method allows you to minimize waste and maximize your investment. To do this, divide the total area of your walls by the width of a wallpaper roll (provided in the product specification). This will give you an estimate of how many rolls you need.

Measure the Ceiling

Adding wallpaper to your walls is a great way to modernize your home without the need for painting. Getting the measurements right is essential, though, to ensure your DIY project goes as smoothly as possible.

When you’re ready to start measuring, clear the room of furniture and have a pen and paper handy to jot down the dimensions as you go. Clearing the space before you begin will also make it easier to get a free run of wall where your first strip of wallpaper will be applied.

If your walls include doors or windows, subtract their areas from your totals. This will help you calculate your exact wall area and avoid ordering too much wallpaper, which can be expensive if it isn’t used. When you’re done, simply divide your wall’s width by the wallpaper’s width to determine how many rolls of wallpaper you’ll need. Typically, the number will be indicated on the wallpaper roll packaging.