Trade & construction Australia
Wallpaper Calculator Australia
Wallpaper is cut into strips from the ceiling to the skirting, so the number of rolls depends on the height of the room, the width of the roll and the pattern repeat that wastes paper between strips. Enter the room and the roll details to see how many rolls to buy.
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Add up the width of each wall, or the perimeter for a whole room.
Check the label; 0.53 m is common.
Check the label; 10 m is common.
0 for a plain or random pattern; see the label for a match.
Rolls to buy
โStrips needed
โ
Length of each strip
โ
Strips from one roll
โ
Area covered
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The working
How many rolls of wallpaper do I need?
Work out how many strips the walls need, how many strips one roll yields, then divide. A room with 14 m of wall and 2.4 m high needs 27 strips of 53 cm paper. A 10 m roll gives 4 strips, so you need 7 rolls. A pattern repeat reduces the strips per roll and raises the total.
Measuring the room
Measure the wall height from skirting to ceiling at a few points and use the biggest. Measure the width of each wall you will paper, and add them together. If you will paper only a feature wall, enter just that wall. Windows and doors reduce the paper needed, but only if they are large enough to save a whole strip, so be cautious about deducting them.
Choosing and hanging
Match the paper to the room: moisture-resistant vinyl suits kitchens and bathrooms, and textured or non-woven papers hide imperfect walls. Prepare the wall by filling holes, sanding smooth and sealing, because paper shows every flaw. Hang the first strip with a plumb line, not against the corner, since walls are rarely square.
To paint instead, use the paint calculator.
How this is calculated
The rule, step by step, so you can check any figure by hand.
strips = wall length รท roll width, rounded uplength of a strip = wall height + pattern repeatstrips from one roll = roll length รท strip length, rounded downrolls = strips รท strips per roll, rounded updoors and windows reduce the strips by their area รท (roll width ร wall height), rounded down
The pattern repeat is the distance before the pattern starts again, and each strip has to be cut so the pattern matches the one beside it. A bigger repeat wastes more paper at the end of each strip, which is why a patterned paper needs more rolls than a plain one for the same room.
Roll sizes differ by brand and by where the paper is made: European and UK rolls are often about 10 metres by 53 cm, while some papers come in different widths, so always use the figures printed on the label. Buy all the rolls from one batch, because shades vary between print runs, and keep a spare roll for repairs.
A worked example
A room with 14 m of wall, 2.4 m high, 0.53 m wide rolls of 10 m, no repeat, 3 mยฒ of openings.
- Strips needed27
- Strips per roll4
- Rolls7
- With openings deducted7
7 rolls.
Buy one extra roll in case of mistakes.
Buying enough
Always buy an extra roll or two if the pattern is large, because discontinued papers can be impossible to match later. Check the batch number on every roll. Do not cut until you have confirmed the match on a rolled-out strip.
What it leaves out
Walls that are not a standard height, sloping ceilings and stairwells are not modelled. For these, measure the longest strip and treat the room as separate sections.
What this calculator does not do
- Rectangular walls
- Roll size from the label
- Deducts whole strips only for openings
- An estimate for buying
Common questions
How many rolls of wallpaper do I need?
Strips needed divided by strips from one roll, rounded up.
What is a pattern repeat?
The distance between one point of the pattern and where it repeats.
Should I buy extra?
Yes, at least one spare roll for patterned paper.
Do I deduct windows?
Only if they save a whole strip.
Why do batches matter?
Colours can vary between print runs.
Where these numbers come from
- Wolfram MathWorld โ area Fixed formulas for area and coverage; nothing to go out of date
Method last reviewed 2026-10-28 This calculator uses fixed rules rather than rates that change, and its method is re-checked against the sources above at least once a year. Out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.
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