Measuring your wall is the quiet but essential first step in ordering a mural that fits beautifully. Because Muralora murals are made to measure, printed on demand to your wall dimensions and priced per square metre, accurate measurements help the design arrive at the right scale for your room.
This guide explains how to measure width and height in centimetres, how to work out the area in square metres, and how to handle common details such as skirting boards, sockets, alcoves and sloped ceilings. It applies whether you choose our smooth matte Classic paste-the-wall finish or our removable Peel & Stick self-adhesive finish at checkout.
What you need before you measure
You do not need specialist equipment, but a few simple tools will make the process easier and more accurate.
- A metal tape measure, ideally long enough to span most of the wall
- A pencil and paper, or the notes app on your phone
- A step ladder for tall walls
- A second person to hold the tape measure steady, if possible
- A spirit level, useful for checking whether ceilings and floors are straight
Always measure in centimetres. This keeps the numbers clear and avoids the small conversion errors that can happen when switching between millimetres, inches and metres.
Step 1: Measure the full width of the wall
Start with the width. Measure horizontally from the far left edge of the wall to the far right edge, at roughly the height where the mural will sit. Keep the tape measure straight and taut, rather than following bumps or curves in the plaster.
It is sensible to take the width in three places: near the top, across the middle and near the bottom. Older walls are often not perfectly square, and even newer walls can vary slightly from one point to another.
Write down the largest width measurement. For made-to-measure wallpaper, it is usually safer to work from the widest point of the wall, because any slight excess can be trimmed during installation. If you order to the smallest point, you may find yourself short at one edge.
Step 2: Measure the full height of the wall
Next, measure the height from the top of the skirting board, or from the floor if there is no skirting, up to the ceiling or cornice. Again, take several measurements: left side, centre and right side.
Use the largest height measurement when entering your mural size. Ceilings and floors are rarely perfectly parallel, so a single height measurement can be misleading. Measuring in several places gives you a more realistic picture of the wall.
If you plan to remove skirting boards before decorating, measure from the floor to the ceiling. If your skirting boards will remain in place, measure from the top of the skirting to the ceiling. The key is to measure the actual area that will be covered by the mural.
Should you add extra for trimming?
With a made-to-measure mural, the design is printed to the dimensions you provide. That means your width and height matter. In many rooms, especially where walls are not perfectly square, allowing a small amount of extra material can make installation more forgiving.
If you are unsure, use the largest width and height measurements you have taken, rather than averaging them. This naturally gives you a little working room where the wall varies. Your installer can then trim neatly at the ceiling line, skirting or side edge.
Do not subtract for small interruptions such as sockets, light switches or radiators. The mural should be ordered to cover the overall wall area, and openings or fittings can be cut around during installation.
How to calculate square metres
Muralora murals are priced per square metre, so it is useful to understand how the area is calculated. The formula is simple:
Width in centimetres × height in centimetres ÷ 10,000 = area in square metres
For example, if your wall is 360 cm wide and 240 cm high:
360 × 240 ÷ 10,000 = 8.64 m²
You do not need to be a maths expert, but knowing the approximate square metre area helps you understand how wall mural sizing works. It is also useful when comparing one wall with another, or deciding whether to cover a full wall, a smaller feature area, or a larger room-facing surface.
When browsing made-to-measure murals, remember that the final mural is produced to your own measurements, not pulled from a standard roll size. This is what allows the design to be scaled and cropped for your wall.
Measuring around skirting boards and coving
Skirting boards and coving can change where your mural begins and ends. The simplest rule is to measure the surface you want covered.
If the mural will start above the skirting board, place the tape measure on the top edge of the skirting and measure up to the ceiling or the underside of the coving. If the mural will go behind newly fitted skirting, measure from the floor.
For coving, picture the top edge of the mural. If it will finish below the coving, measure to that point. If the wall meets the ceiling without coving, measure to the ceiling line. Take the height in more than one place, as coving and ceilings are often slightly uneven.
What to do about sockets, switches and radiators
Do not reduce your mural measurements because of sockets, switches, wall lights or radiators. Measure the full wall rectangle first. These items are normally worked around during hanging, with careful cuts made on site.
It can still be helpful to note where features sit, especially if the mural has an important focal point. For instance, you may not want the face in a portrait, a key architectural detail or the centre of a landscape to sit directly behind a large radiator.
If the position of a feature matters visually, make a quick sketch of the wall with approximate socket and switch positions. This can help you choose a crop or composition with more confidence.
How to measure a wall with a sloped ceiling
Sloped ceilings, loft rooms and stair walls need a slightly different approach. Instead of trying to measure the angled shape only, start by measuring the widest width and the tallest height of the overall area. This creates the rectangular size needed to print the mural.
The angled section can then be trimmed during installation. As with a standard wall, measure in several places and keep the largest dimensions. If the slope is significant, make a simple sketch with the high point, low point and full width marked in centimetres.
For designs with a strong horizon line, such as landscapes or panoramic wall murals, consider how the slope will cut into the image. A softer pattern may be more forgiving in awkward spaces, while a scenic mural may need more careful cropping.
Alcoves, chimney breasts and partial walls
For an alcove, measure the back wall only if that is the area you plan to cover. Take the width at the back of the alcove, not across the front opening, as side walls may not be perfectly straight.
For a chimney breast, measure the front face from left edge to right edge, then from the top of the skirting to the ceiling or chosen finishing point. If you want the mural to wrap around the returns, measure each return separately and think carefully about how the design will continue around the corners.
For a partial feature wall, measure the exact width and height of the area you want to decorate. Mark the intended edges lightly with pencil or low-tack tape, then measure between those marks. This is especially useful if the mural will sit behind a bed, above panelling, or within a framed section of wall.
Classic or Peel & Stick: does the measuring change?
The measuring process is the same for both finishes. At Muralora, each design is available in Classic, a smooth matte paste-the-wall non-woven wallpaper, and Peel & Stick, a self-adhesive removable option that is particularly useful for renters or temporary spaces.
Whichever finish you choose, the mural is printed to the wall dimensions you enter. Good measuring is therefore more important than the installation method. The difference comes later, when you prepare the wall and hang the panels.
A quick measuring checklist
- Measure in centimetres.
- Measure the width at the top, middle and bottom.
- Measure the height at the left, centre and right.
- Use the largest width and largest height.
- Measure the actual surface you want covered, including decisions around skirting and coving.
- Do not subtract for sockets, switches or radiators.
- For sloped ceilings, measure the widest and tallest points and make a sketch.
- Calculate m² using width × height ÷ 10,000.
- Check your numbers twice before ordering.
FAQ
How do I measure a wall for a mural accurately?
Measure the full width and height in centimetres, taking each measurement in three places. Use the largest width and the largest height, as walls are not always perfectly square. This helps ensure the mural can be trimmed neatly to fit.
Should I include skirting boards in my measurements?
Only include the area the mural will actually cover. If the mural starts above the skirting board, measure from the top of the skirting to the ceiling. If the skirting will be removed and the mural will run to the floor, measure from the floor.
How do I work out the square metres for made to measure wallpaper?
Multiply the width in centimetres by the height in centimetres, then divide by 10,000. For example, a wall measuring 300 cm wide by 250 cm high is 7.5 m².
Do I need to subtract windows, sockets or radiators?
No. Order to the full wall size or the full area you want covered. Features such as sockets and switches are cut around during installation, and subtracting them from the order size can interrupt the design.
Measure twice, order once
A well-measured wall makes the whole mural process calmer. Take your time, write down every number clearly, and check the final width and height before ordering. Because your mural is printed on demand to your own dimensions and priced per m², those measurements are the foundation of a better fit and a more considered result.