Estimating Wallpaper

There is a common misconception among home improvement enthusiasts that you need to know exactly how much wallpaper you are going to need when you wallpaper a room. The truth of the matter is that you don't need to know exactly how much wallpaper you will need, but rather an estimate of your needs. Estimating wallpaper can actually be fairly easy to do. In fact, there are two ways of estimating wallpaper, and figuring out what you will need. These two options are to do either quick estimates, or a more technical estimate. Before you make your final decision, make sure that you completely understand your options.

Quick estimates:

The key to quickly estimating wallpaper needs is to first measure each wall. Write these dimensions down on a piece of paper. For each wall, you need to divide the total area by 50, and then add 1. This will give you a rough idea of what you will need for each wall. For example, if you have a room that has a wall 14 feet long, and 8 feet high, you will have an area of 112 square feet for one wall. Divide this number by 50, and you get 2.24. Add 1 (3.24) and round to the nearest whole number, and you will get a total of 3 rolls for that one wall. Not only will this give you the amount that you need but will also give you a little bit extra incase of mistakes.

Detailed estimates:

For a more detailed estimate, you need to get the detailed measurements for each wall. Figure out the area for each wall, and then add the total area together. When you are doing this don't worry about any windows, doors, or other kind of obstructions. This will allow you to have more than enough wallpaper for your needs. If we figure our room has two walls that are 14 feet long and 8 feet high, and two walls that are 10 feet long and 8 feet high, you will have a total area of 384 square feet. Once again, divide this total area by 50, and you get a total of 7.68. To this total, you will once again add 1 (for 8.68) and then round up. This will mean that you need to get a total of 9 rolls of wallpaper.

While this method will ensure that you end up with more wallpaper than you need, don't worry. If you have any rolls of wallpaper left over, you can simply return it to the store. The reason that you want more wallpaper than you will actually need is two fold. First, because you want extra just incase of any mistakes. The second reason is that wallpaper manufacturers often discontinue patterns, and this will ensure that you have enough of the correct pattern for your job.