Wallpaper Calculator
Rolls of wallpaper needed for a room or accent wall.
Add all walls being papered. A 12 x 10 room's full perimeter is 44 ft.
You need
6 rolls
Order all rolls at once so they come from the same dye lot.
- Wall area to cover
- 269 sq ft
Estimates only. Verify quantities before ordering.
How this is calculated
Wall area = total wall width x height, minus 21 sq ft per door and 15 sq ft per window. Rolls = area / usable coverage per roll, rounded up. Usable coverage assumes about 50 sq ft per double roll with a standard repeat and 44 sq ft with a large repeat.
Add up the width of every wall you plan to paper (the full perimeter for a whole room, or just one wall for an accent), enter the ceiling height and the openings, and this calculator converts the area into rolls. It works in usable coverage rather than raw roll size, because pattern matching wastes a meaningful fraction of every roll.
American wallpaper is priced by the single roll but almost always sold packaged as double rolls. A double roll contains 55 to 70 square feet of paper, but after trimming and matching a typical repeat you can count on roughly 50 usable square feet, and closer to 44 with a large repeat over 18 inches. When in doubt, choose the larger-repeat option and let the calculator be conservative.
Wallpaper rolls for common rooms
Rows assume 8 ft ceilings and double rolls with a standard repeat (about 50 sq ft usable). Full rooms include one door and two windows; the accent wall has no openings.
| Space | Rolls to buy | Wall area |
|---|---|---|
| 12 ft accent wall | 2 rolls | 96 sq ft |
| 10 x 10 ft room (40 ft of wall) | 6 rolls | 269 sq ft |
| 12 x 10 ft room (44 ft of wall) | 7 rolls | 301 sq ft |
| 12 x 12 ft room (48 ft of wall) | 7 rolls | 333 sq ft |
| 15 x 12 ft room (54 ft of wall) | 8 rolls | 381 sq ft |
Common questions
What is the difference between a single and double roll?
They are the same width of paper; a double roll is simply twice as long. In the US, prices are usually quoted per single roll but the product ships as double rolls, so a quote of $40 per single roll means $80 per physical roll. This trips up almost everyone budgeting their first wallpaper job.
Why does the pattern repeat matter?
Every strip must be cut so its pattern lines up with the strip beside it, and the paper trimmed off to achieve that is wasted. The larger the vertical repeat, the more waste per strip. A repeat over about 18 inches can cut a roll's usable coverage by 10 to 20 percent, which is why the calculator offers a large-repeat option.
Should I subtract doors and windows from the area?
Yes, but conservatively. This calculator uses standard allowances of 21 sq ft per door and 15 sq ft per window. For very large openings like sliding doors or picture windows, measure them and subtract the real area, but never subtract more than the openings actually cover.
Why do all rolls need to be from the same batch?
Wallpaper is printed in dye lots, and color can shift slightly between batches. Two rolls from different lots can look obviously mismatched side by side on a wall. Order everything at once, check the batch numbers on delivery, and order one spare roll for future repairs.