wall decor

Buying Wallpaper
How Many Rolls Do You Need?



So you decided on the wallpaper you want to buy! Before doing the actual purchase, try it out in your home!

Pick up a sample, take it home, and tape it on the wall. See how it looks in natural daylight and with artificial light.
Colors on the wallpaper should blend well with the color scheme you had in mind for the room.


How Many Rolls Is Enough? Plan Before Buying

Make a generous estimate for the number of wallpaper rolls you need for your wallcovering.

  • After all, you don't want to run short in the middle of the wallpaper installation and need to order an extra roll.
  • Or, if, for whatever reason, you will need to do a repair later on, you may not be able to obtain an exact color match, even though the wholeseller has wallpaper with the same pattern you ordered the first time.
    Why is this? Each time, the manufacturer prints using fresh batches of ink. every new mixed batch of color is identified by a run number/ or sample lot printed on the package of each roll of wallpaper.
    So, check that all your rolls have the same number before you even unpack them.
  • Choosing the correct adhesive is equally important. So don't forget to use the adhesive recommended for the type of wallpaper you have bought.




    How Many Rolls? Random Pattern

    To decide how much wallpaper you need you will have to take some basic measurements for the width and height, and do not forget to consider the openings:doors, windows, etc.
    Steps below apply to a random pattern - a pattern doesn't repeat in any pre-determined way.

    1. Measure the width and height of each wall you want to cover using a steel tape measure.
    2. Multiply the height and the width per wall to determine the total area of the wall in square feet.
    3. Add the square footage of all the walls to get the total area.
    4. When you got the total square footage, including the openings, deduct an average 15 square feet for every door or window.
      Quick Tip - for an unusual shaped opening or a very large one, measure its height and width,and deduct the exact square footage from your total.
    5. Add all figures together and get the total square footage for the room.
    6. Once you have that number ready( with openings deducted), you will need to determine the number of single rolls of wallpaper needed.
      When buying wallpaper, you need to know that their width can vary from 21 it 36 inches, but they have the same total square footage, depending on whether they're American or European rolls.
    7. An American roll has 36 square feet of material. Considering cutting and trimming, you'll have to deduct about 6 square feet, so you will end up with 30 square feet of usable wallpaper from each roll you buy.
      An European roll has 29 square feet. After cutting and trimming, you will get 25 square feet of usable wallpaper per roll.
    8. To figure the total number of rolls you need, divide the total square footage of wall space by 30 (25 for European rolls) square feet. If you have a fractional remainder of square feet, consider buying an additional roll.

    How Many Rolls? Pattern Repeat

    If you decided on buying wallpaper with a pattern you will have either a straight match or a drop match.

    What is a Straight Match?A wallpaper has a straight match if the design flows directly across strips and design elements along the top of the strips are alike.

    What is Drop Match?

    Drp Match means that you have an alike top design on alternate strips. In other words, pattern at strip's left is half repeat lower than the right edge. If you have pattern repeat consider these steps when buying wallpaper:

    1. Measure the repeat height of the pattern.
    2. Divide the wall height by the pattern repeat. If you get a fractional remainder, round it up to the next highest number.
      Quick Tip - consider measuring in inches!
    3. Multiply this number by the length of the repeat, and you will get theworking height.
    4. Getting the square footage based on the working height, will yield the number of wallpaper rolls you need to buy.



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