How to Measure Up For A Mural
Checking the Mural for Fit
The first thing to do is look at the Layout Diagram that comes with each mural product. As well as showing the critical dimensions for the mural, it also explains how the mural is divided into wallpaper ‘drops’.
You can find a Layout Diagram for every mural on our website by clicking the ‘Layout Diagram’ image. Please note that for non-standard and bespoke murals, you will receive a Layout Diagram specific to your mural with your order.
You should use the information in the Layout Diagram to verify the fitting and setting out of your chosen mural on your wall space.
It is important to check that the overall width and height of the mural will fit your wall space. It is also important to determine that the width and height of your door frame and door all fit comfortably with the mural dimensions indicated.
The Layout Diagram in Detail
The coloured area inside the blue lines indicates the extent of the mural itself.
Mural Heights
Our full-height murals are available in two heights - 240cm for standard walls and 280cm for higher walls above 240cm. At installation, the wallpaper is trimmed at skirting and ceiling to fit the wall space perfectly.
Our Window murals are not full-height as they are intended for installation above the dado or handrail. These murals are also available in two heights - 150cm for standard walls and 190cm for higher walls.
Mural Widths
Our murals come in several different widths, depending on the type of mural. Generally speaking, our 1-drop murals are 120cm wide, our 2-drop murals are 235cm wide, and our 3-drop murals are 350cm wide.
Our 3-drop Shop Front murals are slightly different, being 338cm wide. And our Door Set murals are 218cm wide. Our Window murals have varying widths.
Wallpaper Drops
The blue lines within the coloured area indicate the wallpaper ‘drops’ in the mural, each ‘drop’ being 120cm wide (except those above a door frame which may be narrower).
Notice how the drops overlap. When you come to install the mural, you overlap the drops on the wall, and then cut through both drops on a line down the centre of the overlap. When you peel away the offcuts from both edges, you have a perfect and seamless joint.
The black lines on the Layout Diagram represent a notional wall, with a notional skirting level (10cm above the floor) and a ceiling height. The outline of a notional door frame may also be shown for your product.
Mural Excess for Fitting
Notice that the extent of the mural is shown 5cm below the notional skirting line and 5cm above the notional ceiling line. This is an excess. It is prudent to allow for some excess on the outside edges of a mural, to be trimmed away when the mural is installed, because the edges and corners of walls, floors and ceilings in a building are not always straight, horizontal or vertical (although they may appear to be).
Depending on the width of your wall space, or the width of your walls either side of a door frame if applicable, the side edges of your mural may lie on an open wall, or in or at a corner. If a mural edge lies in or at a corner, then you should allow for some excess here too.
If your mural is designed to fit around a door, you will notice that a 5cm excess is also shown around the door frame for the same purpose.
Although we advise a 5cm excess is sensible, you may decide that an allowance for more or less excess is quite acceptable for your particular application.
It is important to understand that your wall does not have to match these notional dimensions exactly - they are given simply for guidance.
Door Prints
All our Door Prints have a standard size of 98cm wide by 209cm high, and this size will fit standard doors. If you have non-standard doors, we are able to provide prints at 840cm wide for narrow doors and 122cm wide for wide doors.
Measuring up Your Wall Space
Whatever size of mural or print you are considering, the method for measuring-up is the same.
First, measure the height of your wall - from the top of the skirting up to the ceiling - or the cornice if you have one.
Then measure the width of your wall space.
You should compare these measurements with the specified height and width of the mural you are considering for your wall. Please refer to the Layout Diagram for the particular mural. (You can find this on the website Product page).
Considering the Size of a Mural
Mural Height
If your measured wall height is less than or equal to 240cm, then you should consider a 240cm high mural.
If your measured wall height is greater than 240cm but less than 280cm, then you have two options: You could consider a 240cm high mural and let the top edge finish neatly below the ceiling line. Alternatively, you could consider a 280cm high mural and trim off the excess at the top.
If your measured wall height is more than 280cm, then you should consider a 280cm high mural and let the top edge finish neatly below the ceiling line.
Mural Width
To determine the correct width of mural to select for your wall, you should simply consider what looks best for your application.
Depending on the width of your wall, you may decide to apply it with one or both side edges on an open wall (if the wall is wider than the mural), or in or at a corner. If finishing in or at a corner, remember to allow for some excess on that edge.
Considering Door Frames
Our Shop Front and Door Set murals are designed to fit around a standard door frame 108cm wide x 211.5cm high (above the floor).
But both the design of our murals, and the included excess, allow for plenty of flexibility with this.
Our murals will work well around narrower door frames down to 98cm wide. You just need to be sure that you can make do with less excess available for trimming off!
And if your door frame is wider than 108cm - say up to 112cm - then you might need to trim away a bit more of the mural on either side of the frame.
With regard to the height of your door frame, you will see on the Layout Diagram that our murals are intended to fit a notional dimension of 201.5cm from skirting to top of frame.
So, if your door frame is higher than 201.5cm, then you may need to trim away more of the mural above the door. Or you could raise the position of the mural on the wall (which will reduce the amount of excess you leave available along the bottom edge of the mural to trim off).
If your door frame is lower than 201.5cm, then you may consider lowering the position of the mural on the wall to compensate (which might necessitate trimming more off the bottom edge of the mural), or simply leaving a small gap above the door frame (that may be painted to match).
Consider an Alternative Mural?
If your door frame is narrower than 98cm, then you might consider using one of our 2-Drop Shop front murals on just one side and above the door.
Similarly, if your door frame is wider than, say 112cm wide, then you might consider using one of our 2-Drop Shop front murals on just one side and above the door. The ‘drop’ above the door is longer and will work for door frames up to 120cm wide.
If you have any questions or if you require any further assistance with measuring up and choosing the right mural for your wall space, then please do contact us. We are always happy to help.
These notes are intended for your general guidance. Care Home Murals cannot accept any liability with regard to the use of this information, or for any misinterpretation of the information provided.
Click here to download a copy of this Guide to Measuring Up.
For more information or guidance, please call us on 01827 383194 or email info@carehomemurals.co.uk