How to Measure Your Wall for Peel and Stick Wallpaper (And Never Order the Wrong Amount Again)

You’ve found the perfect wallpaper design. You’ve picked your colourway. And now you’re staring at a blank wall wondering — how many panels do I actually need?

Don’t worry — this is the question we get asked more than any other at Little Abodes Interiors, and the answer is much simpler than you might think. Whether you’re wallpapering a full bedroom wall, a feature panel behind a cot, or a cubby house, this guide will walk you through exactly what to measure and how to calculate your panels in just a few minutes.

And because we know life is busy, we’ve also built a free panel calculator right here on our website — just type in your wall width and get your answer instantly. No maths required.

What You’ll Need Before You Start

Before you grab your tape measure, here’s what you’ll need:

•        A metal tape measure (fabric measures can stretch and give inaccurate readings)

•        A pencil and paper — or just your phone to note things down

•        A friend to help if your wall is very wide or tall (optional but helpful!)

 

Step 1: Measure Your Wall Width

Start by measuring the width of your wall — that’s the horizontal measurement from one side to the other.

Important tips for getting your width right:

•        Measure at both the top and the bottom of the wall — walls aren’t always perfectly straight

•        Always use the larger of the two measurements

•        If you’re wallpapering two adjoining walls, add both wall widths together and treat it as one measurement

•        Include windows, doors and built-ins in your width measurement — you’ll trim panels around them during installation

Write this number down in centimetres — you’ll need it for the panel calculator.

Step 2: Choose Your Panel Height

Our peel and stick wallpaper panels are available in six heights to suit different ceiling heights and applications:

•        150cm — perfect for a half-wall or feature panel behind furniture

•        250cm — suits most standard ceiling heights

•        280cm — our most popular size for standard Australian ceilings

•        310cm — ideal for slightly higher ceilings

•        350cm — suits taller residential ceilings

•        370cm — for high ceilings or double-height spaces

 

How to choose the right height:

Measure both the left and right sides of your wall from floor to ceiling and use the tallest measurement. For pitched or raked ceilings, measure to the tallest point of the area you want to cover.

Always choose the panel height that is equal to or taller than your wall height — never shorter. You’ll trim any excess during installation.

Step 3: Calculate How Many Panels You Need

Here’s the simple formula:

 

Each of our wallpaper panels is 64cm wide. This formula divides your total wall width by 64 to tell you how many panels are needed to cover it side by side.

Worked example:

Wall width: 300cm

300 ÷ 64 = 4.6875

Round up to 5 panels

Always round up, never down. Even if the decimal is small, you need a full panel to cover the remaining width — and you’ll use the excess to trim around doors, windows or architraves.

Use Our Free Panel Calculator

Don’t want to do the maths yourself? We’ve made it even easier — our free panel calculator is built right into every wallpaper product page.

Simply type your wall width in centimetres and your answer appears instantly. You’ll also see the working shown step by step, just like the example above.

➤ Find the calculator on any of our removable wallpaper product pages — scroll down below the description to find it.

Measuring for Special Spaces

Cubby houses and play kitchens

Great news — you don’t need to measure at all! We offer made-to-fit wallpaper panels specifically designed for Hide & Seek Kids and Gumnut Kids cubby houses and mud kitchens. Simply select your cubby or kitchen model from the dropdown menu when ordering and we’ll cut your panels to fit. Each order includes a small bleed for easy trimming.

Dollhouses and IKEA hacks

For dollhouses and IKEA play kitchen hacks, we recommend ordering A4, A3 or A2 sheet sizes to maintain the correct scale. For IKEA DUKTIG splashbacks and Kmart Large Kitchen Playsets, we offer purpose-built sizing options — just select from the dropdown when ordering.

Pitched or raked ceilings

For rooms with pitched or raked ceilings, always measure to the tallest point of the wall you want to cover, even if it’s only at the peak. You’ll trim the angle during installation. Don’t be tempted to order a shorter panel height to save money — it will not reach the top of the wall.

The Most Common Measuring Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

•        Measuring in millimetres instead of centimetres. This is the most common mistake we see. Our panels are 64cm wide — always work in centimetres.

•        Forgetting to measure at both the top and bottom. Walls bow and flex over time. The two measurements can differ by several centimetres, especially in older homes.

•        Leaving out windows and doors. Always include them in your total wall width and trim around them during installation. Leaving them out means you’ll run short of panels.

•        Rounding down instead of up. You always need a complete panel to cover the remaining width. Rounding down leaves a gap.

•        Ordering the wrong panel height. Always choose a panel height equal to or taller than your wall. You can trim the excess; you can’t add to a panel that’s too short.

 

One More Thing — Prep Your Walls First

Getting your panel count right is the first step. Getting your walls ready is the second — and it’s just as important.

For the best and longest-lasting results, we strongly recommend applying Vipond’s Self Adhesive Prep Coat to your walls before installation. This creates the ideal surface for your peel-and-stick wallpaper to adhere to, and makes removal clean and damage-free when the time comes.

Full wall preparation and installation guides are available on our website — we recommend reading them before you order.

Still Not Sure? Order a Sample First

We always recommend ordering an A3 sample before committing to full panels. Each sample pack includes both a scale and not-to-scale sample so you can see the design, feel the quality and check the colours in your own space before placing your full order. Plus, your sample comes with a special discount code toward your wallpaper purchase.

Slight colour variations can occur between sample and final print runs — this is normal with made-to-order printing and something to keep in mind when viewing your sample.

Ready to Transform Your Little One’s Space?

Now that you know exactly how to measure, the fun part begins — choosing your wallpaper! Browse our full range of peel and stick kids’ wallpaper, or jump straight to our best sellers to find the design that feels like home.

•        Shop all removable wallpaper

•        Browse wallpaper for cubby houses

•        Order an A3 sample

 

Have a question about measuring or ordering? We’d love to help. Reach out to us on Instagram @littleabodesinteriors or send us a message through our website. We’re a small family-run team and we’re always happy to help you get it right.