The wall planning series / 01
How to measure a wall for wallpaper
Measure the width and height of each wall in several places, then record the widest width and tallest height of the area you want to cover. Keep windows and doors in your initial measurements. Use those dimensions to discuss quantities with the wallpaper manufacturer.
1. Start with the area you will cover.
Give each wall a name, such as “living room, sofa wall.” Sketch its outline on paper and mark the edges where the wallpaper will begin and end. A labeled sketch is easier to check later than a single number in a phone note.
Use a tape measure, pencil and a notebook. Keep one unit throughout the record, either inches or centimeters. Write the unit beside every measurement so it cannot be mistaken for another unit when you share the plan.
Mark any baseboards and crown molding on your sketch. Make it clear whether the wallpaper will stop at the trim, and measure the area you actually intend to cover.
- Measure width across the top and bottom of the intended area. Add a middle reading if the wall changes shape. Record each reading, then circle the widest.
- Measure height on the left and right. Check the middle too when the ceiling or trim is uneven. Circle the tallest reading.
- Take a second pass and compare the numbers. Resolve a mismatch before moving on to another wall.
- Label any dimension you could not reach reliably. Ask for help measuring it rather than estimating.
2. Keep the readings, not just the result.
| Measurement | Readings | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 143½ top; 144 bottom | 144 in |
| Height | 95¾ left; 96 right | 96 in |
This example produces a gross rectangle of 144 × 96 inches, or 12 × 8 feet. Its area is 96 square feet. That describes the wall outline; it does not determine how many rolls or panels to buy. A pattern’s repeat, panel dimensions and cutting requirements can change the order.
3. Map openings and changes in shape.
Should you subtract windows and doors?
Keep them in the initial wall dimensions and label them on your sketch. Do not deduct their area from an order without checking the selected product’s layout rules. Photograph the wall straight on and mark each opening’s position so the supplier can see the full arrangement.
What about sloped ceilings, stairs or several walls?
Draw the actual outline and label the highest and lowest points. A maximum-width rectangle alone does not explain a slope or recess. Give each wall its own record and note which edges meet; ask the manufacturer how the pattern should continue around those corners.
4. Make a wall record you can share.
Copy this checklist into your notes or print this guide. Keep the sketch and photograph with it.
- Room, wall name and date measured.
- Units and all width and height readings.
- Widest width and tallest height clearly identified.
- Windows, doors, trim, outlets, recesses and slopes marked.
- Adjacent walls and the intended wallpaper boundaries.
- Uncertain measurements and questions for the manufacturer.
5. Confirm the ordering rules.
Before purchasing, ask for the exact panel or roll width and length, pattern repeat and matching method, required trimming allowance, and treatment of openings. Share the wall record instead of only its square footage.
WallJoy’s shop is coming soon. This guide helps you record a wall. It is not a quantity quote or an instruction to use a particular allowance. Final ordering details must come from the selected wallpaper’s current specifications.
Next, check the surface itself. Dimensions describe the space; paint and wall condition need their own assessment.