Wallpaper vs Paint Cost Calculator
Compare the material cost of wallpapering a room against painting it, from your wall area, coverage and prices — with the cheaper option flagged.
How it works
Paint gallons = ⌈area × coats ÷ coverage⌉ · Paint cost = gallons × price · Rolls = ⌈area × 1.15 ÷ roll coverage⌉ · Wallpaper cost = rolls × price
Paint is priced by the gallon and each gallon covers a set area per coat, so total gallons scale with wall area times the number of coats. Wallpaper is priced by the roll, but never covers its full nominal area once you allow for trimming and matching the pattern, so a 15% waste allowance is built in. Comparing the rounded-up material totals shows which finish is cheaper before labor — wallpaper usually costs more in material but changes the calculus if you hire out painting.
Worked example
A 400 sq ft room in 2 coats needs 400 × 2 ÷ 350 = 2.3, rounded to 3 gallons, so $105 at $35/gal. Wallpaper needs 400 × 1.15 ÷ 56 = 8.2, rounded to 9 rolls, so $360 at $40/roll — paint is cheaper by $255 on materials.
Frequently asked questions
Does this include labor or supplies?
No — it compares only the paint and wallpaper materials. Brushes, rollers, primer, paste, trays and especially professional labor can shift the total, and wallpaper install is usually the more labor-intensive of the two.
How is the wallpaper waste factor set?
The calculator adds 15% to the wall area before dividing into rolls, covering trimming at the ceiling and baseboard and matching repeating patterns. Large-repeat patterns can waste more, so round up a roll for busy designs.
What roll coverage should I enter?
Use the usable, not nominal, coverage. US double rolls print about 56 sq ft of paper but yield less after matching; single rolls are roughly 28 sq ft. European rolls differ, so check the label and enter its usable figure.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.