Wallpaper Calculator - How Many Rolls Do You Need? (UK)
Tell us how far your walls run, how tall they are and the pattern repeat, and this works out how many rolls to order.
Interested? Then → Quotato for Painters & Decorators · More advice on the Blog & Chips guides.
How to use this calculator
Measure the total run of every wall you're papering (add them up) for the wall run. Add the ceiling height and the pattern repeat printed on the roll label - for a plain paper, leave the repeat at 0.
How we calculate this
- Standard UK wallpaper rolls are 10.05 m long and 0.53 m wide.
- Drop length = wall height + pattern repeat + 0.1 m for trimming top and bottom.
- Drops per roll = floor(10.05 ÷ drop length); total drops = ceil(wall run ÷ 0.53 m).
- Rolls = ceil(total drops ÷ drops per roll), rounded up to whole rolls.
Worked example
A 10 m run at 2.4 m high with no repeat gives a 2.5 m drop. Each 10.05 m roll yields 4 drops. You need 19 drops to cover the run (10 ÷ 0.53). That's 19 ÷ 4 = 4.75, so order 5 rolls.
UK notes & gotchas
- A standard UK roll is 10.05 m × 0.53 m - always check the label as feature papers differ.
- A large pattern repeat means more waste, as each drop has to line up - it can push you up a roll or two.
- Buy all rolls in one go and check the batch number matches, as colours shift between print runs.
FAQ
Does this include wastage?
Yes - we add 0.1 m to each drop for trimming and factor the pattern repeat in, then round up to whole rolls so there's a little spare.
What if my paper has no pattern repeat?
Leave it at 0. Plain and random-match papers don't need lining up, so you get more usable drops per roll.
Should I keep a spare roll?
Yes - buying one extra from the same batch lets you patch damage later without a colour mismatch.
Does this cover ceilings?
It's set up for walls. A ceiling is best measured by a decorator for an accurate figure.