Wallpaper Calculator (Rolls)
Enter the total length of the walls to paper, the wall height, the area of doors and windows, and the pattern repeat from the label.
How it works
Wall area = total wall length × height. Area to paper = wall area − doors and windows (× (1 + allowance)). Single rolls = area to paper ÷ usable sq ft per single roll, rounded up. Double rolls = single rolls ÷ 2, rounded up. This is the Wallcoverings Association's square-foot area method.
Worked example: Wallcoverings Association: 4 walls of 12 ft × 8 ft = 384 sq ft − 21 (door) − 12 − 12 (windows) = 339 sq ft. At 22 usable sq ft per single roll (8 in repeat): 339 ÷ 22 = 15.4 → 16 single rolls, 8 double rolls.
Assumptions
- Usable yields are the Wallcoverings Association's chart for a metric single roll: 25 sq ft for a 0-6 in repeat, 22 for 7-12 in, 20 for 13-18 in and 18 for 19-23 in. The association says these work for normal walls, not for walls under 3 ft or over 9 ft high.
- Roll sizes vary by brand. If your paper's label gives a usable coverage per roll, enter it as a custom yield.
- Typical openings (association figures): a door about 3 × 7 ft (21 sq ft), a window about 3 × 4 ft (12 sq ft). Measure your own.
- Extra allowance defaults to 0% because the yield chart already allows for pattern matching. The association suggests about 10% waste when working from exact yardage, and large-repeat or half-drop patterns need more.
- Stairways and sloped walls need a different method; see the association's guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many rolls of wallpaper for a 12 × 12 room?
With 8 ft walls: 48 × 8 = 384 sq ft. The Wallcoverings Association subtracts one door (21) and two windows (12 each) for 339 sq ft; with an 8 in repeat (22 usable sq ft per single roll), 339 ÷ 22 = 15.4, so 16 single rolls (8 double rolls).
How much does a single roll of wallpaper cover?
The Wallcoverings Association's usable-yield chart gives 25 sq ft for patterns with a repeat up to 6 in, down to 18 sq ft for a 19-23 in repeat.
What is the difference between a single and a double roll?
A double roll is two single rolls in one continuous length. Wallpaper is often priced per single roll and sold in double rolls.
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Sources
Formulas and reference values are from these sources. Page content last updated 2026-10-19.