By Wall & Form Studio, Art, pattern and interiors · October 2026
To order a custom wall mural, you need the full width and height of the wall in inches, measured at the widest and tallest points. Outlets, switches and windows stay in the image — the printer cuts around them using your panel layout. Measure twice, note every obstacle, and submit exact dimensions: murals are printed to order and cannot be resized after production.
What measurements does a mural printer actually need?
A mural printer needs three numbers: total wall width, total wall height, and — if your wall has any breaks — the position of those breaks from the nearest edge. Width and height drive the print size. The break positions tell the production team where to place panel seams so they land in inconspicuous spots rather than across a focal point.
You do not need to subtract outlets, switches or windows from the overall dimensions. The mural image prints across the full rectangle; individual panels are then cut to route around obstacles. What matters is the outer boundary of the area you want covered.
- Total width — measured horizontally at baseboard level and again at ceiling height (walls are rarely perfectly plumb)
- Total height — floor to ceiling, measured at the left edge, center and right edge
- Obstacle positions — distance of each outlet, switch, window or door from the left wall edge and from the floor
- Ceiling and baseboard heights — note if you have a tall baseboard or crown molding you do not want the mural to cover
How to measure width and height accurately
Use a steel tape measure, not a fabric one — fabric stretches. Work with a second person if the wall is wider than eight feet.
- Clear the wall. Move furniture at least a foot back so you can reach the corners cleanly.
- Measure width at three heights. Run the tape from the left corner to the right corner at floor level, at mid-wall, and at ceiling height. Record all three; use the largest number.
- Measure height at three points. Measure floor to ceiling at the left edge, center and right edge. Use the largest number. If you have baseboard trim, measure from the top of the baseboard (where the mural will actually start) rather than from the raw floor.
- Round up, not down. If the tape reads 143⅝ inches, submit 144 inches. A mural that is a fraction too wide can be trimmed on site; one that is a fraction too narrow leaves a gap.
- Write both dimensions as whole inches. Most mural order forms expect width × height in inches.
For guidance on how large a mural should feel relative to the room — not just the wall — see our art size and scale guide, which covers proportion rules that apply equally to murals and framed prints.
What to do about outlets, switches and wall plates
Outlets and switches stay where they are — you do not cut them out of your measurements. The mural image prints over that area as if the outlet did not exist; a panel seam or a precise cut-out is made during finishing so the plate sits flush over the printed surface.
What you do need to record:
- Distance from the left wall edge to the center of each outlet or switch box
- Distance from the floor (or top of baseboard) to the center of each outlet or switch box
- The plate size — standard US plates are roughly 2¾ × 4½ inches; oversized decorator plates are larger
During installation, you will remove the wall plate, hang the mural panel, score the paper over the box opening with a utility knife, fold the edges behind the box, and replace the plate. The plate covers the cut edge. This is standard mural installation practice and requires no special tools beyond a utility knife and a straight edge.
One practical note: if an outlet sits very close to a panel seam — within two inches — let the printer know. They can shift the seam slightly so the cut lands in a less fussy spot.
Measuring around windows and doors
Windows and doors are handled differently depending on whether the mural wraps the full wall or stops at the frame.
If the mural covers the full wall (including the area above and beside a window): measure the full wall rectangle as described above. Note the window's position — distance from the left edge to the window frame, and from the floor to the sill and to the top of the frame. The mural prints across the whole rectangle; panels that fall over the window opening are trimmed to the frame edge during installation. The image continues seamlessly above and to the sides of the window.
If the mural stops at the window and you want two separate fields of wallcovering (left of the window, right of the window): measure each field as its own rectangle. Submit them as two separate dimensions. The printer will match the image so the pattern aligns at the same vertical position on both sides — but you must tell them that is the intent.
For doors, the logic is the same. A mural that wraps a wall with a door typically prints the full rectangle; the door panel is trimmed away during installation. Measure the full wall, note the door position, and the production team handles the rest.
Corners and returns: should the mural wrap?
A mural can turn an inside corner and continue onto an adjacent wall — this is called a "return" or "wrap." It works well in alcoves, reading nooks and dining rooms where you want the image to envelop the space.
If you want a wrap, measure each wall face separately and note that they are connected at a corner. The printer will produce the panels so the image flows continuously around the turn. The key measurement is how far onto the second wall you want the mural to extend — even two or three inches of wrap eliminates the visible edge at the corner and makes the installation look intentional.
If you do not want a wrap, plan to end the mural two to three inches before the corner, not flush with it. Ending flush at an inside corner is difficult to install cleanly because walls are rarely perfectly square. A slight return — even an inch — gives you material to work with.
How panels are numbered and why it matters for installation
Wall murals from Wall & Form are printed as one continuous image, then cut into numbered panels. Panels are numbered left to right: Panel 1 is always the leftmost strip, and you hang them in sequence across the wall.
Panel width varies by production run, but the numbering is always printed on the back of each panel so there is no guessing on install day. The sequence matters because the image is split along vertical lines — if you hang Panel 3 before Panel 2, the image will not align.
| Panel number | Position on wall | Install order |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Far left | First |
| 2 | Left of center | Second |
| 3 | Right of center | Third |
| 4 | Far right | Last |
The number of panels your mural ships in depends on the total width you order. Wider walls produce more panels; narrower walls may ship in as few as two. Each panel overlaps its neighbor by a small amount — typically a quarter to half an inch — so the seam can be aligned and trimmed cleanly without leaving a gap.
If your wall has a prominent obstacle (a large window, a fireplace) that you want to avoid splitting with a seam, note it when you order. We can often adjust the cut positions to keep the seam away from the focal point. This is one of the advantages of made-to-order production over pre-cut standard panels.
Our murals and wallpaper page shows current mural designs and walks through the order form where you enter your dimensions.
Double-checking before you submit your order
Murals are printed to your exact specifications and are final sale — the same policy that applies to all our made-to-order pieces. A few minutes of verification before you submit protects you from a costly reprint.
- Re-measure at least once on a different day. Fresh eyes catch transposed digits.
- Check your units. The order form expects inches. If you measured in feet and inches, convert everything to total inches before entering.
- Confirm ceiling height at the wall, not across the room. Vaulted or sloped ceilings can vary by several inches from one side to the other.
- Account for flooring you plan to add. If you are installing new hardwood before hanging the mural, measure from the finished floor height, not the subfloor.
- Photograph the wall. A photo with a tape measure in frame is useful if you need to contact us with a question after ordering.
- Review the obstacle list. Every outlet, switch, window and door noted, with its distance from the left edge and from the floor.
- Decide on wrap now, not later. Adding a corner return after the order is placed requires a new production run.
Murals ship in approximately 7 to 10 days with shipping included to US addresses. Once you have confirmed your measurements, the order form on the mural page will calculate the price based on your exact dimensions — there is no standard size to guess from.
If you are still deciding between a mural and a large framed print for the same wall, our framed paper vs canvas guide covers the practical differences in scale, installation and visual weight.
FAQ
Do I measure from floor to ceiling or just the area I want covered?
Measure from the top of your baseboard trim (or raw floor if there is no trim) to the ceiling, at the spot where the mural will hang. If you have crown molding and want the mural to stop below it, measure only to the bottom of the crown. Submit the height of the area you actually want covered, not the full structural ceiling height.
What if my wall is not a perfect rectangle — it has a sloped ceiling or an angled soffit?
Measure the tallest height and the full width, then note the angle or slope in the order comments. The production team can crop the image to fit a non-rectangular field, but they need to know about it before printing. A photo of the wall with dimensions marked is the clearest way to communicate an irregular shape.
Can I hang a mural over existing wallpaper?
Generally, no. Existing wallpaper creates an uneven surface that prevents the mural from adhering flat, and the seams telegraph through. Remove existing wallpaper and repair the wall surface before installation. Smooth, primed drywall gives the cleanest result.
How do I handle a wall with a large window in the middle — do I measure around it or through it?
Measure through it — treat the wall as a full rectangle from edge to edge, corner to corner. Note the window's position from the left edge and from the floor. The mural prints across the full rectangle; the panels that land over the window opening are trimmed to the frame during installation, and the image reads as continuous above and beside the glass.
What happens if I submit the wrong measurements?
Because murals are made to order, a reprint is required to correct a size error. Contact hello@wallandform.com as soon as you notice the mistake — if the order has not entered production yet, we can update the dimensions. Once printing has started, a new order is needed. This is why double-checking before you submit is worth the extra ten minutes.
Browse Wall & Form murals and wallpaper — enter your wall dimensions on the product page to see the exact price for your space.
Last updated: October 2026