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Wallpaper Pattern Repeat Waste Chart
A wallpaper's 'repeat' is the vertical distance before its pattern repeats. Longer repeats waste more material because each new strip has to be shifted further to align with the last one — this chart estimates the extra percentage to add to a basic square-footage calculation.
| Pattern repeat | Recommended waste allowance | Example patterns |
|---|---|---|
| No repeat / random match | 10% | Textures, small random prints, some grasscloth |
| Small repeat (under 6 in) | 15% | Small florals, geometric dots, stripes |
| Medium repeat (6-12 in) | 20% | Classic florals, mid-scale damasks |
| Large repeat (12-24 in) | 25-30% | Large-scale florals, murals with big motifs |
| Very large repeat (over 24 in) | 35%+ | Statement murals, oversized botanical prints |
Notes
- Always buy from the same dye lot for an entire room — lot-to-lot color variation can be visible even in a supposedly identical pattern.
- Order a bit more than the calculated total; running short mid-room and needing a new dye lot is a far bigger problem than a small material surplus.
- Straight-match patterns align at the same height across strips; drop-match patterns alternate, which typically wastes slightly less material for the same repeat length.
Put this into practice
- Wallpaper CalculatorHow many rolls of wallpaper do I need?
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