How To Measure Your Walls For A Flawless Paper Fit

If you’ve decided to add a new wallpaper to your living space, the first step is to measure your walls accurately. Proper measurements are required for ensuring that your project goes smoothly and the end result looks professional.

In this article, we’ll walk you through measuring your walls for a flawless wallpaper for wall fit.

Prepare the tools:

Gather a metal tape measure, a pencil, and a piece of paper. Having a step ladder is also a good idea so you can reach the top of the room without stretching. It helps to have a friend hold the other end of the tape if the room is very wide. Clear the area around the baseboards so you can stand close to the surface.

Find the width:

Start at one corner and pull the tape to the next corner. Record the total width of every wall one by one. It is best to measure at the top, the middle, and the bottom. Walls are not always perfectly straight, so using the widest number ensures you have enough paper to cover the whole area.

Check the height:

Place the tape measure at the ceiling and drop it down to the floor. Do this at several spots along the wall to find the tallest point. If your floor or ceiling is a bit slanted, the largest height number is the one you need to use.

Account for openings:

Measure the size of every door and window in the room. Write down the height and width of these spots so you can subtract them from your total area. Some people prefer to order a little extra paper instead of subtracting these spots. This provides a safety net in case a piece of paper tears during the work.

Calculate the area:

Multiply the total width of your walls by the maximum height to find the total area. If you have a pattern that repeats, you might need to buy extra rolls to match the design at the seams. Look at the label on the rolls to see how much space each one covers.

Add a little extra:

Always buy ten percent beyond what your math suggests. This extra bit helps when you need to trim the edges or fix a small error. Having an extra roll in the closet is helpful if a section gets damaged later. It is better to have too much than to run out before the job is done.