The are a number of ways to calculate the required amounts of borders or wallcoverings. Guessing what quantities you require is the easiest way to order too much or insufficient product. When ordering wallpaper and borders from your retailer they can help calculate the quantity required. The following methods will give you some help with calculating how much you require.
Calculating Border Requirements
Action |
Example |
| Measure around the room omitting the sections such as windows and doors to calculate the total length required. | 5.65 metres |
| Check the length of the roll of border you have selected. | 4.57 metres |
| Divide the total length by the length of a roll to get the number of rolls required. | 15.65m / 4.57 = 3.42 rolls |
| Round up to obtain a whole rolls. | 4 rolls |
| For some situations, especially when long continuous sections are required, additional length is required to allow joins to match with a continuous pattern. To calculate the total length required first find out how long the pattern repeat is for the border. | 52 cm pattern repeat |
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If you require the look of one continuous length of border, calculate the extra length required for matching patterns by taking the number of rolls required less one. Multiply this by the pattern repeat length. If you require many smaller pieces of border because of the room having windows, doors, etc, it may not be necessary to have extra to allow for pattern repeat if there is no joins. |
4- 1 = 3 3 x 52cm = 1.56m |
| To check if the number of whole rolls calculated earlier is sufficient, take the original total length measurement and add the pattern repeat requirement. | 15.60m + 1.56m = 17.16m |
| Divide the new total length by the length of a roll to get the number of rolls required. |
17.16cm / 4.57 = 3.75 In this example 4 rolls is still the correct quantity. |
Calculating how much wallpaper you need?
Method 1 |
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Action |
Example – no pattern repeat | Example – with pattern repeat |
| Measure the distance in metres around the room, (A). | A room 5m by 4m = 18m | As for no pattern repeat. 18m |
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Measure the height in metres from floor to ceiling, (B). Add pattern repeat if necessary. |
2.4 metres | Pattern repeat = 0.3m 2.4m + 0.3 = 2.7m |
| Multiply the width by height of each opening (doors & windows). |
Window: 1.8m x 1.3m = 2.4sq. m Door: 0.9m x 2.0m = 1.8sq. m |
As for no pattern repeat. |
| Total up these openings, (C). | 2.4 + 1.8 = 4.2sq. m | As for no pattern repeat. 4.2sq. m |
| Multiple distance (A) by height (B) to give approximate square metres required (D). | 18m x 2.4m = 43.2sq. m | 18m x 2.7m = 48.6sq. m |
| From approximate square metres required (D), subtract (C) the openings total, to give a more accurate calculation, (E) | 43.2m – 4.2m = 39sq. m | 48.6m – 4.2m = 44.4sq. m |
| To determine the number of individual rolls required divide this last total, (E) by 5. | 39sq. m / 5 = 7.8rolls | 44.4sq. m / 5 = 8.9 rolls |
| Round up to the nearest whole roll. | 8 rolls required | 9 rolls required |
Calculating how much wallpaper you need – Method 2
This method estimates the wallpaper required based on averages. If you have many doors and windows, cupboards, etc., that will not require wallpaper, Method 1 takes consideration for these. Designs with long distances between pattern repeats may take additional rolls.
Distance Around Room in Metres |
Height of the room
|
|
| 2.4 metres | 2.7 metres | |
| 6 | 3 | 4 |
| 10 | 5 | 6 |
| 12 | 6 | 7 |
| 15 | 8 | 9 |
| 18 | 9 | 10 |
| 20 | 10 | 11 |
| 24 | 12 | 13 |
These are just approximate methods of calculating requirements.
When you do receive your order, check that the number of rolls correspond correctly with your order quantity and that the order has the same pattern and run or lot numbers for matching patterns.