Free Wallpaper Calculator (with Pattern Repeat)

Here's how to use the calculator above to get an accurate roll count for your project.

Step 1: Find your pattern's vertical repeat. On any Pine + Feather product page, this is listed in the Wallpaper Repeat Dimensions section. For wallpapers from other brands, it should be on the product listing or the back of the sample. Most of our patterned wallpapers use a 24-inch or 36-inch vertical repeat. Solid colors and textures have no repeat.

Step 2: Measure your walls. Use the tallest wall for your height measurement, even if other walls are shorter. For width, measure each wall separately. Include the full wall width, even where doors and windows interrupt the wall, because pattern matching means the wallpaper still needs to flow across those openings.

Step 3: Choose your roll length. Pine + Feather wallpaper is available in 12-foot rolls (all substrates) and 27-foot rolls (Non-Pasted Traditional Paper and Commercial Vinyl only). Longer rolls reduce seams but cost more per roll.

Step 4: Read your result. The calculator returns the number of rolls you need, plus a 10% buffer for waste and pattern matching. The breakdown below the result shows you exactly how that number was calculated.

What Is a Vertical Repeat (and Why It Matters)

A vertical repeat is the height of one full cycle of a wallpaper pattern. If you look at a roll of patterned wallpaper and measure from one identifiable point in the design to where that same point appears again going down the roll, that measurement is the vertical repeat.

Why this matters for your order:

When you install patterned wallpaper, each panel needs to match the panel next to it. That means the pattern has to line up across seams. The taller the wall you're papering, the more panels you'll need, and the more pattern-matching waste accumulates between them.

A pattern with a 24-inch repeat wastes less material per panel than a pattern with a 36-inch repeat, because each panel cut from the roll has to be sized to a multiple of the repeat height. If your wall is 9 feet tall (108 inches), a 24-inch repeat means each panel needs to be 120 inches (the next multiple of 24 above 108). A 36-inch repeat means each panel needs to be 144 inches. That extra 24 inches of waste per panel adds up across a whole wall.

This is the most common reason people order too little wallpaper. They measure their wall, multiply by width, and forget that the pattern repeat costs material on every panel.

How to Measure Your Walls for Wallpaper

Accurate measurements are the foundation of an accurate order. Here's how to do it right.

Measure the tallest wall for your height. Even if you're only papering one wall, use the tallest dimension as your height input. This ensures every panel is cut tall enough.

Measure each wall's width separately. If you're papering a whole room, add each wall as a separate width in the calculator. Wall heights can vary by an inch or two due to settling, sagging ceilings, or non-square framing. Adding each wall separately handles those variations.

Include doors and windows in your width measurement. This feels wrong, but it's correct. The pattern still has to flow across those openings to maintain pattern match at the seams above and below. You'll trim the excess at the door and window frames during installation. Subtracting doors and windows from your measurement is the most common reason people short-order wallpaper.

Don't include baseboards or molding in your height. Measure floor to ceiling of the finished wall surface only. Baseboards and crown molding don't get wallpapered.

Round up everywhere. Round up your measurements. Round up the panel count. Round up the roll count. Wallpaper is one of the few materials where having extra is much better than having too little, because the next batch may have a slightly different dye lot.

Common Wallpaper Calculation Mistakes

These are the mistakes we see most often when people order without a calculator.

Forgetting the pattern repeat. Standard square footage math (wall height times wall width) doesn't account for pattern matching waste. Always add 15 to 20 percent on top of square footage when calculating patterned wallpaper, or use a calculator that handles repeat math for you.

Subtracting doors and windows. As above. Include them in your width measurement.

Using the shortest wall instead of the tallest. Each panel needs to be cut to handle the tallest wall in the room. Using the shortest wall will short-order every panel.

Forgetting overage. Even with a calculator, order with 10 to 15 percent extra. Mistakes happen during installation. Walls can have surprises. Dye lots can shift between orders.

Ordering in stages. Always order all the wallpaper for a project in a single order. Wallpaper is printed in batches, and even small dye-lot variations between batches can be visible on the same wall.

Not ordering a swatch first. Color and scale read differently on a screen than they do on a wall. Order a swatch, hold it up in the room you're papering, look at it at different times of day. Then order rolls.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much wallpaper do I need?

It depends on three things: the height of your tallest wall, the total width of all walls being papered, and the vertical repeat of the pattern. The calculator above handles all three. As a rough rule of thumb, expect to need about 15 to 20 percent more material than the raw square footage of your walls, due to pattern matching waste.

What is a vertical repeat?

A vertical repeat is the height of one full cycle of a wallpaper pattern, measured from any point in the design to where that same point appears again going down the roll. Most patterned wallpapers have a vertical repeat between 12 and 36 inches.

Why does pattern repeat affect how much wallpaper I need?

Each panel cut from a roll has to be sized to a whole multiple of the repeat height, so the pattern matches at the seam between panels. The taller the repeat, the more material is wasted per panel. A pattern with a 36-inch repeat needs more material than a pattern with a 24-inch repeat for the same wall.

How much extra wallpaper should I order?

Our calculator automatically adds a 10 percent buffer. For complicated rooms (lots of cuts around windows, doors, or angled ceilings), or for novice installers, we recommend a 15 to 20 percent buffer to be safe.

Can I use this calculator for wallpapers from other brands?

Yes. The math is the same regardless of who printed the wallpaper. You'll need to know the vertical repeat of the pattern (usually on the product listing or the back of a sample) and the length of the roll the brand sells.

How do I find the vertical repeat on a Pine + Feather wallpaper?

On any product page, look for the Wallpaper Repeat Dimensions section, which lists both horizontal and vertical repeat measurements in inches. Most of our patterns use a 24-inch or 36-inch vertical repeat.

Should I order all my wallpaper at the same time?

Yes. Wallpaper is printed in dye lots, and even small color variations between batches can be visible on the same wall. Calculate your full project, add a buffer, and order it all at once.

What if my walls are different heights?

Use the tallest wall as your height measurement in the calculator. Each panel will be cut to handle that height, and you'll trim excess at the top or bottom of shorter walls during installation.

How long are Pine + Feather wallpaper rolls?

We offer 12-foot rolls (available on all substrates) and 27-foot rolls (available on Non-Pasted Traditional Paper and Commercial Vinyl only). All rolls are 24 inches wide when trimmed.

What is the difference between 12-foot and 27-foot rolls?

12-foot rolls are easier to handle and ship, and they minimize waste on shorter walls. 27-foot rolls reduce the number of seams on tall walls and can be more economical per square foot for large installations. For commercial and hospitality projects, 27-foot rolls are usually the better choice.

Order a Swatch Before You Order Rolls

Color and scale read very differently on a screen than they do on a wall. Every Pine + Feather wallpaper is printed to order, which means once you order rolls, the order goes into production. A 12-inch swatch costs less than a coffee and shows you exactly what the wallpaper will look like in your space at your light, at your time of day.