Quick answer
To measure for a wall mural, measure the wall's width and height in three places each and use the largest numbers. Add bleed, commonly a few inches in each dimension, unless the maker adds it for you. Check whether panels butt or overlap, then have Wallpaper Installer Seattle confirm the size on site before ordering a custom print.
Key facts
- Measure width and height in three places each and keep the largest numbers.
- Add bleed so the installer can trim cleanly on out-of-square walls; check the maker's guidance.
- Know whether your mural is butt seam or overlap; overlap panels add width per panel.
- Keep focal points out of corners and away from furniture.
- Custom murals are often non-returnable, so confirm measurements before ordering.
- Inspect panel numbering and color before installation day.
Why does measuring matter more for a mural than for regular wallpaper?
A mural is one large image printed to a specific size, so a measuring mistake cannot be fixed by ordering another roll. With repeating wallpaper, a short order means buying one more roll. With a custom mural, a short order often means reprinting the whole thing, and many made-to-order murals are not returnable.
Good measurements also decide where the important parts of the image land. A horizon line, a tree trunk or a bird in flight should not end up hidden behind a headboard or folded into a corner. That planning is a big part of professional wall mural installation.
What tools do you need to measure a wall for a mural?
You need a steel tape measure, a pencil and paper, and ideally a level or a laser measure. A helper makes measuring wide walls far more accurate.
- Steel tape measure (25 feet or longer for big walls)
- Laser distance measure, if you have one, for tall or wide walls
- Four-foot level or laser level to check plumb and level
- Notepad for a simple sketch of the wall with doors, windows and outlets marked
- Your phone camera, to photograph the wall straight on
How do you measure a wall for a mural, step by step?
Measure the width and height in several places, use the largest numbers, and then add bleed. Here is the process we follow.
- Decide the exact coverage area. Will the mural run floor to ceiling, or stop at a chair rail, baseboard or crown molding? Will it wrap a corner? Measure only the area that will actually be covered.
- Measure the width in three places. Take the width near the ceiling, at mid-height and near the floor. Walls are rarely perfectly square, especially in older homes. Write down the largest number.
- Measure the height in three places. Measure at the left edge, the center and the right edge. Floors and ceilings slope more than people expect. Again, keep the largest number.
- Check for out-of-square walls. If the left and right heights differ by more than about half an inch, note it. The installer will need to plan which edge to start from and how the image will be trimmed.
- Sketch the obstacles. Mark windows, doors, outlets, switches, vents, thermostats and built-ins with their distances from the floor and side walls.
- Add bleed. Add extra to both the width and the height before ordering (see below).
- Measure twice. Repeat the key measurements, or have someone else take them independently, before you place a custom order.
How much bleed should you add to a mural?
Add a few inches to both the width and the height, then follow the mural maker's specific recommendation. Many manufacturers suggest roughly 2 to 4 inches extra in each dimension, split between the edges, and some add bleed automatically when you enter your wall size.
Bleed is the extra image beyond the finished edges. It gives the installer room to plumb the first panel, follow an uneven ceiling or crooked corner, and trim cleanly at the baseboard and ceiling. Without bleed, any wall that is slightly out of square leaves a gap or cuts off part of the image.
Always check whether the size you are entering is your wall size or the final print size. Ordering the bare wall size when the maker does not add bleed is one of the most common mural mistakes. If the wall is badly out of square, more bleed is cheap insurance.
Should mural panels overlap or butt together?
It depends on how the mural was printed and what material it is, so check the instructions before hanging. Murals are generally produced in one of two ways.
| Panel style | How it works | Typical materials | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butt seam | Panels meet edge to edge with no overlap; the image continues exactly across the joint | Most paste-the-wall non-woven and traditional paper murals | Requires accurate plumb lines and a smooth wall; seams are nearly invisible when done well |
| Overlap | Each panel has extra printed image that laps over the neighbor | Many peel-and-stick murals; some vinyls | Overlap is either left in place or double-cut through both layers for a flush seam |
With overlapped murals, the overlap adds width to each panel, so the printed panels together are wider than the finished image. That matters if you are comparing panel counts to your wall width. With double cutting, the installer slices through both layers along a straightedge and removes the waste strips, which requires care not to score the drywall underneath.
If you are deciding between a peel-and-stick mural and a pasted one, our comparison of peel-and-stick vs traditional wallpaper covers durability and removal differences.
How do you plan the image placement?
Place the focal point where people will actually see it, and keep important details out of corners, seams that land on features, and areas blocked by furniture. A quick photo of the wall with a rough outline of furniture helps here.
- Furniture and fixtures. Note the height of the headboard, sofa, vanity or desk that will sit against the wall.
- Corners. When a mural wraps a corner, part of the image folds onto the next wall. Avoid putting a face, a key flower or text right in the corner.
- Windows and doors. Image areas that fall on a window opening are cut away. Some mural sites let you preview the crop.
- Eye level. In a hallway or powder room, the middle band of the image gets the most attention.
- Scaling. If you are cropping a large image to a small wall, check the crop so the subject is not lost.
How do you order a mural correctly?
Order the final size including bleed, confirm the panel layout and material, and have your installer review the order before you pay. A few minutes of checking avoids an expensive reprint.
- Confirm the width and height including bleed.
- Note whether the panels are butt seam or overlap, and the panel width.
- Check the material: non-woven paste-the-wall, traditional paper, vinyl, or peel-and-stick.
- Ask whether adhesive is included or must be bought separately, and which type is recommended.
- Review the color proof or preview if the maker offers one.
- Order everything at once so all panels print in the same run.
- Check the return policy on custom sizes.
When the panels arrive, unroll them and check the numbering, color and image continuity before installation day. Our guide on what to expect on installation day explains how to get the room ready.
How do you measure sloped ceilings, stairwells or multiple walls?
Measure each wall plane separately and use the tallest point of any sloped or stepped area as the height. A mural that runs under an attic slope or up a stairwell is still printed as a rectangle, and the installer trims away the parts that fall outside the wall.
- Attic and dormer walls. Measure the full width and the highest point of the slope, then sketch the angle so you can see how much of the image will be trimmed off.
- Stairwells. Measure from the lowest point of the wall (usually at the bottom landing) to the ceiling at its highest point. These walls can be surprisingly tall.
- Multiple walls. Decide whether one continuous image wraps the room or each wall gets its own section, and measure every wall in sequence from left to right.
Rooms like these are where an on-site measurement pays for itself, because a small error multiplies across a large image.
Does the wall need prep before a mural goes up?
Yes. A mural is only as smooth as the wall behind it, and large printed images show bumps, ridges and patches more than busy patterns do. The wall should be clean, smooth and primed with a wallcovering primer.
Heavy texture needs to be skim coated first; see wallpaper on textured walls. If the house was built before 1978, test for lead paint before any sanding. Before working near outlets or switches where water or paste is involved, turn the power off at the breaker. Our wall preparation service covers patching, skim coating and priming.
Want us to measure for you?
Wallpaper Installer Seattle measures murals as part of our free on-site written estimate. We come to your home or business, take accurate measurements, check the wall condition, and confirm the size and panel layout before you order. We have 10+ years of experience and are licensed and insured. Call or text (425) 500-6842, email seattlewallpaper@gmail.com, or request a free estimate. We reply within 24 hours.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I measure in feet or inches?
Use whatever the mural maker asks for, and convert carefully. Many sites accept inches or centimeters. Writing measurements in inches avoids rounding errors that come from mixing feet and inches.
Can a mural go on a wall with a window or door?
Yes. The image is printed for the full wall and the installer trims around openings. Plan the layout so key parts of the image do not fall on the opening and get cut away.
What if my mural arrives too small?
If it is only slightly short, an installer may be able to adjust the trim line at the ceiling or baseboard. If it is clearly short, the usual fix is a reprint, which is why measuring with bleed and confirming before ordering is so important.
Can a mural wrap around a corner?
It can. The installer usually splits the panel at the corner and overlaps slightly so the image wraps neatly without lifting. Avoid placing important details right in the corner.
Is a mural harder to install than regular wallpaper?
In some ways, yes. Panels must be hung in exact order and perfectly plumb, and there is little spare material if a panel is damaged. Image alignment across every seam leaves less room for error than a repeating pattern.
Do I need to remove baseboards or outlets?
Baseboards usually stay in place and the mural is trimmed to them. Outlet and switch covers are removed with the power off at the breaker, then reinstalled over the mural.
