Wallpaper Sizes, Matches & Info
Wallpaper comes in different lengths and widths and, although usually priced by the single roll, it can be packaged either as double or triple rolls.
People may find this packaging versus pricing situation hard to understand. However, wallpaper is packaged this way because double and triple rolls provide more usable wallpaper than single rolls.
In addition, extra wallpaper allows for a margin of error during hanging, will help avoid the problem of finding the same dye lot or printing run when reordering to complete a project, or if the wallpaper on the wall has been damaged and needs repair.
Wallpaper is printed also in three standard widths, 21 inches, 27 inches and 42 inches. You can get wide-width wallpapers that come as 51-55 inches wide and these are normally bespoke.
Important things to note:
- Wallpapers can be manufactured in different widths — primarily due to different equipment
indifferent factories. - Metric, also called Euro, single rolls have between 27 ½ and 29 square feet. Double rolls
have 56 to 58 square feet.
Pattern Matches
All wallpapers, except some textures and murals, have a pattern repeat. The repeat is the vertical distance between one point on the pattern to the identical point vertically. This pattern repeat is an integral part of the design. The repeat can range anywhere from an inch — or even occasionally less – up to as much as the width of the wallpaper or more.
If the wallpaper to be hung has a pattern, find out what type of pattern matches it has. There are three major types of pattern matches – Free pattern match, Straight pattern match and Half drop match. See the illustration below:
Random Match – In this type of pattern, the pattern matches no matter how adjoining strips are positioned. Stripes are the best examples of this type of match. It is generally recommended to reverse every other strip to minimize visual effects such as shading or colour variations from edge-to-edge. Note that any random match will produce less waste since there is no repeat distance to take into account.
Straight Across Match – This match has design elements which match on adjoining strips. Every strip will be the same at the ceiling line.
Drop Match – This match has several different types:
Half-Drop Match – Every other strip is the same at the ceiling line and the design elements run diagonally. It takes three strips to repeat the vertical design. If you numbered the strips consecutively, the odd-numbered strips (1, 3, 5 and so on) would be identical and the even-numbered strips (2, 4, 6, and so on) would match one another. (Note that a drop match is simply a straight match split in half.)
Be sure to lightly number (in pencil) on the back of each strip the order in which they are to be hung to avoid confusion. Multiple drop Match – a match that takes four or more strips before the vertical design is repeated. Similar to drop match except it takes more strips to repeat the first strip.
