Wallpaper Pattern Repeat Calculator

Exact rolls for straight, half-drop and random match patterns, with cut lengths and waste.

Project Details
Enter your measurements and requirements

Trim is split top and bottom (2 in each by default). A door takes its full width out of the strip count; a window only half, since you still hang short pieces above and below it.

Results
Calculated estimates for your project

Rolls to buy

9 rolls

24 strips, 3 per roll, each using 120.0 in of roll for a 100.0 in drop. About $405.

Buy every roll from the same batch (lot) number; colors vary between runs.

Strips
24
Roll used per strip
120.0 in
Strips per roll
3
Waste
27%
Cost
$405
Leftover per roll
56.0 in
#1#2#3Roll startLeftover
Blue: strips. Red: skipped to match the pattern. Grey: leftover for small pieces.

Your cut list: 24 strips. Hanging takes a few days; keep the list on your phone, tick off each strip and save the lot number.

Save this cut list to your room

Plain or random-match paper? Use the wallpaper calculator. Painting the other walls? Paint calculator.

Turn these numbers into a build plan.

  • 24 @ 10.00 ft strips
  • 3 strips per roll
  • 9 (8 + 1 spare) rolls

Next you will need

Wallpaper Calculator

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Project plan · built from your numbers

Hang patterned wallpaper, 9 rolls with a 24" repeat

Straight match: 24 strips using 10.00 ft of roll each so the 24" repeat lines up on 44 ft of 8 ft wall. 8 rolls by the math plus 1 spare, about 27% waste.

Materials
$535
Time
1 day
Level
Intermediate
7 steps 8 tools 6 materials
  1. 1

    Check the rolls

    Confirm all 9 rolls share a batch number, note whether the match is straight or drop, and unroll one to check the 24" repeat against the label.

    • Match batch numbers
    • Identify straight vs drop match
    • Measure the actual repeat
  2. 2

    Prep and prime

    Patch, sand, and prime 352 sq ft with 2 gal of wallpaper primer. Let it cure overnight.

    • Remove plates and old paper
    • Patch and sand
    • Prime and cure
  3. 3

    Set the pattern height

    Decide where a strong motif sits just below the ceiling line; every strip starts at this same point in the pattern.

    • Hold a strip up to the ceiling
    • Mark the motif start on the back of strip 1
01 · Your numbers
Strips
24 @ 10.00 ft
Strips per roll
3
Rolls
9 (8 + 1 spare)
Est. cost
$535
02 · The plan

7 steps · 8 tools · 6 materials

4 more steps, the full tool list and a shopping list you can check off as you go.

03 · Finished

Your plan is 60% built. Save it.

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Hang patterned wallpaper, 9 rolls with a 24" repeat

Finished in 1 day · $535 DIY

Built for your strips of 24 @ 10.00 ft. Your first plan saves free. No card needed.

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Worked examples

12x14 ft bedroom, 8 ft ceiling, 20.5 in roll, 24 in straight match

  1. Strips. 52 ft of wall = 624 in, minus a door and half a window = 570 in. 570 / 20.5 = 28 strips.
  2. Cut length. 96 in + 4 in trim = 100 in, rounded up to the 24 in repeat = 120 in.
  3. Strips per roll. 396 / 120 = 3.
  4. Rolls. 28 / 3 = 10 rolls, 11 with a spare.

The same room in half-drop

Each strip uses 108 in of roll (3 per roll): 10 rolls against 10 for straight match. Half-drop does not always cost more; it depends where the drop lands against the half repeat.

A 25 in repeat on an 8 ft wall

With 4 in trim the drop is 100 in, exactly four 25 in repeats, so each strip uses 100 in. A 24 in repeat needs 120 in: a fifth repeat for 4 in of wall, nearly 20 in of waste on every strip.

Cut length and strips per 33 ft roll by repeat

Straight match, 4 in trim, 20.5 in x 33 ft roll
Repeat8 ft cut8 ft strips9 ft cut9 ft strips10 ft cut10 ft strips
None100 in3112 in3124 in3
6 in102 in3114 in3126 in3
12 in108 in3120 in3132 in3
18 in108 in3126 in3126 in3
21 in105 in3126 in3126 in3
24 in120 in3120 in3144 in2
27 in108 in3135 in2135 in2

Where to find the repeat on the label

  • The repeat is printed as a number with a double-headed arrow, in cm and in (for example 53 cm / 21 in).
  • Straight match: an arrow pointing across to a matching line at the same height.
  • Half-drop: an arrow across to a line set lower, often with the repeat written as a fraction like 64/32.
  • Free match: an arrow with 0 or a crossed-out pattern symbol. Strips can start anywhere.

Plain or random-match paper is quicker in the wallpaper calculator. Painting the other walls? Use the paint calculator.

Wallpaper pattern repeat FAQ

How do I calculate wallpaper with a half-drop pattern repeat?

Every other strip starts half a repeat lower. Cut from one roll, each strip uses the drop rounded up to the next odd multiple of half the repeat: a 100 in drop with a 24 in repeat uses 108 in. Some hangers cut from two rolls at once to keep both starts handy.

Does pattern repeat affect how many rolls I need?

Yes. A 100 in drop with a 25 in repeat uses 100 in per strip; with a 24 in repeat it uses 120 in, so a 33 ft roll gives 3 strips instead of 3.

What is the pattern repeat on a standard wallpaper roll?

Most US papers repeat every 18 to 27 in; 21 in and 24 in are the most common. Small prints run 6 to 12 in, and stripes and grasscloth have no repeat at all.

How many strips do I get from one roll?

Roll length divided by the cut length, rounded down. A 33 ft roll gives three 8 ft strips with a 24 in or smaller repeat, but only two once the cut length passes 132 in.

Should all rolls be from the same batch or lot number?

Yes. Rolls printed in different runs can differ in color. Check the batch number on every roll before hanging, and keep the spare from the same batch.

What is pattern repeat in wallpaper?

The vertical distance before the design starts over. Each strip must start at the same point in it, so strips are cut longer than the wall.

What is the difference between straight and drop match?

Straight match lines up at the same height across the seam. Drop match offsets every other strip by half the repeat, which makes a diagonal flow.

How much extra wallpaper should I buy?

The cut lengths already include the pattern waste and trim. Add one spare roll from the same batch for repairs.

Should I deduct for windows and doors?

Deduct doors at their full width and windows at about half, since short strips still go above and below a window.

Why does the same pattern repeat waste more in some rooms?

Waste depends on how the drop (height plus trim) lands against the repeat. Just over a multiple wastes almost a whole repeat per strip; just under wastes almost nothing.

What wallpaper width should I choose?

US rolls are 20.5 to 21 in, Euro rolls 53 cm, wide rolls 27 in. Wider rolls mean fewer seams but are heavier to handle.

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