How to Measure for Wallpaper: Step-by-Step

When it comes to wallpaper, accurate measurements are everything. One mismeasurement can throw off your entire design, resulting in mismatched seams, awkward gaps, or a frustrating reorder. Fortunately, measuring your space doesn't have to be complicated. With a few basic tools and a clear plan, you can set yourself up for a smooth, stress-free install.

Why Accurate Measurements Matter

Whether you're adding stripes to your powder room or a botanical accent wall to your kitchen, every successful wallpaper project starts with the same thing: accurate measurements.

Taking the time to measure carefully can help you:

Avoid mismatched seams or gaps

Wallpaper is typically installed in vertical panels that line up side by side. If your measurements are off, even by an inch, you may end up with narrow slivers at the edges, overlapping seams, or visible gaps between panels.

Keep your pattern perfectly aligned

If your design includes repeating elements, getting the measurements right makes it easier to match the pattern from one panel to the next.

Cut costs and minimize waste

Order too much, and you're left with extra wallpaper you might never use. Order too little, and you'll face delays and extra costs. Measuring accurately helps you get it just right.

Finish your install without eleventh-hour panic

Nothing stalls a project like realizing you're short on wallpaper halfway through. Precise measurements help you skip the scramble and avoid surprise reorders.

Tools You'll Need

Measuring a room for a custom wallpaper order doesn't require fancy equipment. Here's what we recommend:

Must-Haves

Metal measuring tape
Pen and paper (for jotting down notes)
Ladder or step stool

Nice-to-Haves

Laser measurer: A laser measurer is great for measuring tall walls or large rooms quickly.
Level or laser level: This helps you identify if the floor or ceiling is sloped, which can affect how your wallpaper lines up.
Graph paper or sketching app: Drawing a simple layout of your room makes it easier to track measurements and visualize how the wallpaper will be installed.

Step-by-Step Measuring Guide

When it comes to wallpaper, close enough isn't good enough. This step-by-step process will show you how to measure with precision, document every detail, and avoid costly slip-ups.

Step 1: Label and Document

Give each wall a clear label, like "Wall A" or "North Wall," to stay organized throughout the process. Then draw a simple sketch of the room layout showing where each wall is located in relation to doors, windows, built-ins, or other features. As you measure, add your notes directly to the sketch.

Step 2: Measure One Wall at a Time

Start with a single wall to keep things manageable.

Width: Measure from one corner of the wall to the other, right along the base of the wall.
Height: Measure from the floor to the ceiling in at least three places—left side, center, and right side. Walls and ceilings aren't always perfectly level, so you'll want to use the tallest measurement.

Step 3: Measure Around Features and Obstacles

Most walls have windows, vents, shelves, or other features that you'll want to account for when measuring.

Start by writing down the height and width of anything that interrupts the wall surface. Then, note the distance from each feature to the nearest edge—like how far a window is from the ceiling or how close an outlet is to the corner.

These extra details help you or your installer figure out the best way to place the wallpaper so the design lines up neatly.

Step 4: Double-Check Everything

Before you move on to calculating how much wallpaper you need, measure each wall one more time. If the numbers differ slightly, always use the larger measurement.

Pro Tip: Round your measurements up to the nearest quarter inch. It gives you just enough breathing room for adjustments.

Tips for Irregular Walls and Features

Not every wall is a perfect rectangle, especially in older homes. Irregular shapes, sloped ceilings, and quirky corners might look tricky, but with the right approach, they're easy to measure and even easier to plan for.

Here's how to measure for a custom wallpaper project when your walls have a little more character:

Sloped ceilings

You'll often find sloped ceilings in attics, lofts, or upstairs bedrooms. When measuring, go from the floor to the tallest point on the wall. It's better to have a little extra—you can always trim the excess when you hang the wallpaper.

Curved or arched walls

Treat curved walls like a rectangle. Measure the widest part of the curve (from side to side) and the tallest point (from floor to ceiling) to make sure you have enough wallpaper to cover the entire area.

Short returns

These are the narrow strips of wall that "return" into a doorway, hallway, or window opening. Remember to factor these spaces into your final calculations, even if they're just a few inches wide.

Staircase walls

These often slope as you ascend, making them tricky to calculate. Measure these walls in segments or use the highest point along the slope.

Common Measuring Mistakes to Avoid

Even small measuring mistakes can lead to big wallpaper headaches like mismatched patterns, awkward gaps, or panels that just don't fit. Here are a few common missteps to avoid:

Measuring from the trim instead of the wall

If you measure from the outside edge of baseboards, crown molding, or door frames, you'll order more custom wallpaper than you need and your panels might not line up.

Always measure the actual flat wall surface, from corner to corner.

Skipping the pattern repeat

If your wallpaper has a repeating design, like florals, stripes, or geometric shapes, those patterns need to match up from panel to panel. That means you'll need a little extra material (around 10 to 20%) to account for the repeat.

Assuming instead of measuring

It's tempting to measure one wall and assume other walls in the room are the same size, especially if they look identical. But since walls can vary by an inch or two, it's important to measure each individually.

Not double-checking your numbers

Once you've measured everything, go back and check your work. If you find any differences, use the larger measurement. Wallpaper can always be trimmed, but it can't be stretched.

How to Calculate Wallpaper Quantity

After measuring your walls (twice!), the next step is to calculate how much wallpaper you need to order.

Step 1: Calculate the square footage of each wall

For each wall, multiply the width by the height to get the area in square feet. Do this for every wall you're wallpapering, then add them all together.

Example:

Wall A: 12 ft × 8 ft = 96 sq ft
Wall B: 10 ft × 9 ft = 90 sq ft
Total = 186 sq ft

Step 2: Add extra for pattern repeat and trimming

If your wallpaper has a repeating design, you'll need a bit of overage to line everything up cleanly between panels. This extra also gives you a buffer for trimming during installation. As a general rule, add 10 to 20% to your total square footage to cover both needs.

Example:

186 sq ft + 15% = ~214 sq ft

Step 3: Determine how many rolls you need

Next, check how much area a single roll of your wallpaper covers. For example, grasscloth from Fabric On Demand often comes in rolls that are 2.7 feet wide by 33 feet long, which covers about 89 square feet per roll.

If your total (including pattern repeat and trimming buffer) is 214 square feet, you'd divide that by the coverage per roll:

214 sq ft ÷ 89 sq ft = ~2.4 rolls

Since having a little extra wallpaper on hand is better than coming up short, you'd order three rolls.

Final Checklist Before You Order

You've measured and calculated, and probably lost track of how many times you climbed up and down the ladder. But before you place your custom wallpaper order, take a moment to double-check the details:

All walls measured individually and clearly labeled
Heights measured in at least three spots per wall
Widths measured corner to corner (excluding trim)
Doors, windows, vents, and other features accounted for
Extra material added for pattern repeat and trimming
Total square footage calculated and rounded up
Notes and wall sketches organized and saved for reference
Measurements recorded using consistent units (inches or feet)

Think of this checklist as your final walkthrough before the fun part begins: transforming your walls with a custom design you love.

Design Your Custom Wallpaper Today

With accurate measurements and a little planning, you're ready to turn your walls into something completely your own. Fabric On Demand makes it easy to upload your design, choose your material, and order custom-printed wallpaper that fits your space perfectly.

Ready to get started? Design your custom wallpaper today.

How to Measure Your Room for Custom Wallpaper Orders: A Step-by-Step Guide

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