How to Calculate How Much Wallcovering You Will Need For Any Room.

Wall coverings can be costly. Properly calculating how much you need can result in significant savings.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Most rolls of wallcovering material s contain 30 feet of coverage, though they may be of different widths.
   
   Usually the rolls are from 15 to 54 inches wide.
   
   Borders are fold by the running foot.

2. To calculate how much covering you will nee, measure the lengths of all the walls. Add these lengths together.
   
   Next measure the room from floor to ceiling. Deduct from this measurement the height of baseboards and moldings.
   
   Multiply the length of all the walls together by the height of the room. (total length of all walls x height)
   
   Add together the area of all doors, windows and other openings and subtract this total from the figure above.
   
   If you want to cover the ceiling, multiply the length times the width.
   
   Add this to the total measurement for the walls.

3. To consider waste and trimmings that may be necessary, think of each roll as 30 feet instead of 36.
   
   When you have the total number of square feet that you will need, divide the number by 30 and you will have the number of rolls you must purchase.

4. If the covering has a very large pattern that repeats, add 10 percent to your estimate.
   
   If your pattern is very small and the repeat is more than 12 inches, add an extra half-roll to accommodate.

5. Check with the supplier to make sure that all your rolls are from the same press. If they are not, the colors may vary significantly, so calculate carefully.
   
   Inquire also if they will accept the return of unused rolls.

Tips & Warnings

• None.