Wallpaper Calculator
Count rolls of wallpaper by the strip method from wall width and height, roll size, pattern repeat and straight or half-drop match, with spare rolls and cost.
The interactive tool loads here when JavaScript runs.
About this toolWhat is the Wallpaper Calculator?
Dividing wall area by roll area underestimates wallpaper, sometimes by a third. Paper goes up in full-height strips, each strip has to line up with the pattern on the strip next to it, and whatever is left at the end of a roll that is too short for another strip is waste. This wallpaper calculator uses the strip method decorators use: count the strips across the walls, work out how long each cut has to be once the pattern repeat is honoured, and see how many of those cuts each roll really gives.
Enter the room size or the total width of the walls you are papering, the height and the doorways to skip. Choose a roll size, the pattern match printed on the label (free, straight or half-drop) and the repeat. The result shows the strips, the cut length, the strips per roll, the rolls to buy plus a spare, and the waste each strip carries.
Presets cover the standard European roll of 0.53 by 10.05 metres, wide 0.70 metre rolls, and US double rolls; a custom size handles anything else.
- Strip method with straight, half-drop and free matches
- Euro, wide and US double roll presets plus custom sizes
- Cut length, strips per roll and waste per strip shown
- Spare rolls and cost per roll
- Imperial and metric, runs in the browser with a share link
How to use the Wallpaper Calculator
- Choose imperial or metric. Walls are in feet or metres; roll width, repeat and trim are in inches or centimetres.
- Enter the room length and width, or switch to total wall width for an accent wall or an odd-shaped room.
- Enter the height to paper and the width of doors and full-height openings you will not paper.
- Pick the roll size, the pattern match and the repeat from the roll label, and adjust the trim allowance.
- Read the rolls to buy, set the number of spare rolls and a price per roll, and copy the result.
Worked examples
14 x 12 ft room, US double rolls
Input
52 ft of wall, 8 ft high, 3 ft door, 20.5 in x 33 ft rolls, straight match, 21 in repeat, 4 in trim
Output
29 strips cut at 105 in, 3 per roll, 10 rolls plus 1 spare
Area alone suggests 392 / 56 = 7 rolls. The repeat pushes each cut to 105 inches, so only three come out of a 396 inch roll.
Euro rolls in a 4 x 3.5 m room
Input
15 m of wall, 2.4 m high, 0.9 m door, 0.53 x 10.05 m rolls, 53 cm straight repeat, 10 cm trim
Output
27 strips at 2.65 m, 3 per roll, 9 rolls
With a plain, free-match paper the same room needs only 7 rolls because each roll then gives four 2.5 m strips.
One accent wall
Input
Total wall width 3.6 m, 2.4 m high, free match
Output
7 strips, 4 per roll, 2 rolls
Switch the wall input to total width for a single wall. Two rolls cover it with a strip to spare.
Background and insight
The standard European roll is 10.05 metres long and 0.53 metres wide, about 5.3 square metres, the size most papers sold in Europe and the UK are made to. American papers are usually priced per single roll but sold as double rolls, and the common 20.5 inch by 33 foot double roll covers about 56 square feet before waste. Always check the label: widths of 0.52, 0.68 and 0.70 metres and 27 inch American rolls are common too.
Pattern repeat is the vertical distance before the design repeats. With a straight match every strip starts at the same point of the pattern, so each cut is the wall height plus trim, rounded up to whole repeats. With a half-drop match alternate strips are offset by half a repeat, which on average costs half a repeat more per strip. A free or random match, such as a texture or stripe, has no repeat to honour and wastes the least.
This is why large repeats are expensive. On an 8 foot wall with a 21 inch repeat each cut is 105 inches, so a 33 foot double roll gives three strips and 81 inches of offcut. The same roll with no repeat gives three strips of 100 inches; a 2.5 metre cut from a Euro roll gives four strips with a free match but only three with a 53 cm repeat.
Common use cases
Whole rooms
Order the right number of rolls from one batch before the first strip goes up.
Feature walls
Price a single wall in a bold pattern, where the repeat often decides the roll count.
Comparing papers
See how a large-repeat design changes the cost against a plain one at the same roll price.
Murals and custom rolls
Enter any roll width and length for papers sold off the bolt.
Tips and limitations
- Buy every roll from the same batch (lot) number. Different batches can differ visibly in colour.
- Keep a spare roll for repairs; it is hard to match the batch later.
- Only skip doors and floor-to-ceiling openings. Short strips above and below windows still use most of a strip.
- Measure the height in several places; old ceilings are rarely level.
- Allow more trim on walls that are out of plumb or where the ceiling line is uneven.
Frequently asked questions
How many rolls of wallpaper do I need for a 12 x 14 room?
With 8 foot walls, one door and US double rolls with a 21 inch straight repeat, about 10 rolls plus a spare. A paper with no repeat needs fewer. The strip method in the calculator gives the exact count for your roll and repeat.
What is the difference between straight match and half-drop?
In a straight match the pattern lines up horizontally across every strip, so each strip starts at the same point of the design. In a half-drop, every other strip is shifted down by half a repeat, which uses about half a repeat more paper per strip.
How big is a standard roll of wallpaper?
In Europe and the UK, 0.53 m wide and 10.05 m long, about 5.3 m². In the US, papers are often sold as double rolls of about 20.5 inches by 33 feet, about 56 square feet, while prices are quoted per single roll.
Why does pattern repeat increase how much wallpaper I need?
Each strip must start at the same point in the pattern, so the cut length is rounded up to whole repeats. On an 8 foot wall, a 21 inch repeat makes each cut 105 inches instead of 100, and the leftover at the end of each roll grows.
Should I deduct windows when measuring for wallpaper?
Deduct doors and floor-to-ceiling openings. Do not deduct ordinary windows; the short pieces above and below them still need most of a strip to keep the pattern matched.
How many strips can I cut from one roll of wallpaper?
Divide the roll length by the cut length and round down. A 10.05 m Euro roll gives four 2.5 m strips with no repeat, but only three 2.65 m strips once a 53 cm repeat is honoured.
Is there an in-depth guide to the Wallpaper Calculator?
Yes. “How Many Rolls of Wallpaper? The Strip Method Explained” covers the background, how it works, common pitfalls and worked examples. Read the full guide.
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