Plan strips before buying rolls
A roll can have enough square footage yet be too short for another full-height strip. This planner works along the length of each roll, showing the material used by strips, the gaps needed for matching, and the remainder.
- Measure each full wall width and enter the common wall height.
- Copy the width, length and pattern repeat from the roll label. Choose free, straight or half-drop matching.
- Set top and bottom trimming separately. Add spare rolls only if you want a separate reserve.
- Review the strip order and print the plan. Verify the actual pattern before cutting.
How the cutting calculation works
Each wall needs its width divided by the roll width, rounded up to a whole strip. A strip is the wall height plus top and bottom trim. Straight-match strips start at the same position within a repeat; half-drop strips alternate positions separated by half a repeat. The next strip starts at the first matching position with room for its full length. No matching gap is added after the last strip.
One full repeat is reserved at the start of every patterned roll. Actual initial loss may be smaller. The plan starts each wall with phase A and does not maintain pattern continuity around corners. It supports rectangular walls of the same height, butt joints and ordinary identical rolls. It excludes murals, sloping ceilings, overlaps and custom offsets.
A worked example
Walls 3.5 m and 3 m wide need 7 + 6 = 13 strips from 53 cm wide rolls. At a 2.5 m height with 5 cm top and bottom trim, each cut is 260 cm. A 10.05 m roll with a 64 cm straight repeat fits three cuts after the 64 cm initial allowance, leaving 41 cm. The 13 strips require five rolls with no spare added. Half-drop leaves 105 cm on the first roll in the same example, but still needs five rolls.
Pattern matching references
The match definitions follow Graham & Brown’s measuring guide and Cole & Son’s hanging instructions. The sequential packing and initial reserve are this tool’s explicit planning assumptions.
Wallpaper calculator FAQ
How do I calculate wallpaper rolls with a pattern repeat?
Enter full wall widths, their shared height, the physical roll dimensions and the repeat on the label. The planner counts whole strips per wall and places them in wall order, leaving gaps for matching. It reserves one full repeat at the start of every patterned roll.
What does a 64/32 wallpaper label mean?
For a half-drop pattern with a 64 cm repeat and 32 cm offset, enter 64 cm as the repeat and choose Half-drop. Adjacent strips alternate between two pattern positions. Other offsets and special A/B product sets are not supported.
Should I subtract doors and windows?
This planner does not subtract openings. Full-height strips are counted across each wall, and offcuts are not automatically reused above doors or around windows. This can overestimate material for rooms with large openings.
Is this the minimum number of rolls?
No. This is a conservative sequential cutting estimate. Initial alignment, separate rounding for each wall and no offcut reuse can increase the count. Cutting alternating strips from separate rolls may produce a different result.
Does the result count single rolls or double rolls?
The result counts physical rolls with the width and length you entered. Use one actual roll, not a pricing unit or a multi-roll pack total. Check the product listing before ordering.
Can I cut at the exact positions shown?
The positions include an initial alignment allowance. The real pattern position at the start of a roll is unknown, so use the plan to estimate quantities and strip order. Match the actual pattern before each cut and follow the manufacturer instructions.