1. Select your shape
Choose from rectangle, circle, triangle, trapezoid, L-shape, annulus, or wall-and-window layouts to match your project.
What is wallpaper square footage?
Wallpaper square footage is the total wall surface area that will be covered with wallpaper, measured in square feet. To find wallpaper square footage, multiply wall height by wall width for each wall, subtract windows and doors, and add all walls together. Factor in 15-20% extra for pattern matching and waste.
Getting started
How to Calculate Square Footage for Wallpaper
To calculate square footage for wallpaper, measure each wall (height x width), add all walls together, then subtract window and door areas. A standard single roll covers about 36 sq ft usable area (after accounting for pattern waste). Divide your total wall area by 36 to estimate rolls needed.
2. Enter your measurements
Input dimensions in feet, inches, yards, meters, or centimeters. The Square Foot Calculator converts units automatically.
3. Get area and cost
View results in square feet, square yards, square meters, and acres. Add a material price per unit to estimate total project cost.
Quick reference
Reference
1 acre = 43,560 square feet
1 square yard = 9 square feet
1 square meter = 10.764 square feet
1 square inch = 0.00064516 square feet
Material pricing
Calculate Cost of Materials
Enter the price per square foot of material to estimate total cost. The calculator accepts pricing in square feet, square inches, square yards, or square meters and converts to the correct total based on your area.
There are 2 steps to calculate material cost:
- Enter the price per unit area. For tiling projects, enter the price per box and the number of square feet each box covers. For carpet, enter the cost per square yard. For flooring installation with hardwood or laminate, enter the cost per square foot.
- Select the unit of area that matches your pricing. The Square Foot Calculator multiplies your total area by the unit price to produce an estimated material cost, including labor costs when added to the per-unit price.
To calculate the volume of bulk materials like mulch or gravel for landscaping, convert area to cubic yards or cubic meters by multiplying the area by the depth of material.
Core formula
Basic Formula for Area
Area is the amount of space occupied by a 2-dimensional shape. The shape could be a floor, a wall, a playground, or a field. The simplest formula for area applies to any rectangular shape:
Area = Length × Width
Measure the length and width of the space in feet. Multiply the two values to get the area in square feet. A rectangular room that is 12 feet (3.66 meters) long and 10 feet (3.05 meters) wide has an area of 120 sq ft (11.15 sq m).
Square yardage is area measured in yards, and square meters is area measured in meters. Measure in feet, find the area in square feet, then convert to the unit you need.
For an L-shape room, split the floor into 2 rectangular sections, calculate each area, and add the results. Convert all measurements to the same unit before multiplying, if your dimensions are in different units like inches and feet.
Calculating Square Footage for Walls
Measure the wall width and the wall height in feet. Multiply the width by the height to get the total wall area in square feet. Subtract the area of any doors or windows to find the exact paint coverage required. A wall that is 12 feet wide and 8 feet tall has a total area of 96 sq ft. A 3 ft × 4 ft window removes 12 sq ft, leaving 84 sq ft of paintable surface.
To subtract multiple windows of the same size from one wall, multiply the window width by the number of windows. Enter the total as the window width in the Square Foot Calculator. Height remains the height of one window.
Waste factor
Adding 10% Surplus for Materials
Add a 10% surplus to your calculated area to account for material waste during cutting, breakage, and pattern matching. This waste factor applies to flooring, carpet, tiling projects, and landscaping materials.
Original Area
100 sq ft
+10%
Order Amount
110 sq ft
Total Material = Area × 1.10
A room with 200 sq ft of floor area needs 220 sq ft of material: 200 × 1.10 = 220 sq ft. Increase the surplus to 15% (multiply by 1.15) for diagonal flooring installation patterns or complex tiling projects with many cuts. The Square Foot Calculator includes a waste factor field for this calculation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate how many rolls of wallpaper I need?
Measure total wall area (height x width for each wall), subtract openings, then divide by usable coverage per roll (about 36 sq ft for single rolls). Add 15% extra for pattern matching.
How many square feet does a roll of wallpaper cover?
A standard single roll covers about 36 square feet of usable wall area. The actual roll is 56 sq ft, but pattern repeat and trimming waste reduce usable coverage. Double rolls cover about 72 usable sq ft.
How do I calculate wallpaper for a room?
Measure room perimeter (total wall length around room) and multiply by ceiling height. For a 12x10 ft room with 8 ft ceilings: perimeter = 44 ft x 8 ft = 352 sq ft minus openings.
Should I subtract windows and doors from wallpaper area?
Yes, subtract all windows, doors, and other openings that will not be wallpapered. A standard window (15 sq ft) and door (21 sq ft) save about 1 roll each.
How much extra wallpaper should I buy for pattern repeats?
Add 15-20% extra for pattern matching and waste. Large pattern repeats (over 12 inches) create more waste. Add 25% for patterns with repeats over 24 inches.
How much does wallpaper cost per square foot?
Wallpaper costs $1-10 per sq ft for the material, plus $2-5 per sq ft for professional installation. A 350 sq ft room (walls only) with mid-range wallpaper at $4/sq ft costs about $1,400 for materials.