How to use
- Measure the length of wall that will get panels. Subtract door openings now if those openings will not be paneled.
- Enter the panel width in inches.
- Set waste. Ten percent is a starting value for cuts at corners.
- Press Calculate. The hero is panels.
How it's calculated
Inches to cover = wall length × 12 × (1 + waste ÷ 100). Panels = that length ÷ panel width, rounded up.
Panel height is not an input. A taller panel does not change how many are needed along the wall. Rail and chair-rail molding are not included.
Worked example
Forty feet of wall is 480 inches. At 10 percent waste that is 528 inches. Panels that are 48 inches wide: 528 ÷ 48 = 11 panels. With zero waste the same wall is 10 panels exactly.
Assumptions
One panel width, and a waste percent instead of a drawn cut list. Inside corners, outside corners, and outlets that force an extra cut are why the waste box exists. The page does not draw them.
FAQ
Should doors be in the length?
Only if you will panel across them. Otherwise subtract the door width from the length before you type it.
Does panel height matter?
Not for the count along the wall. It matters for the product you buy, and for whether one panel reaches the chair rail.
How is this different from baseboard?
Baseboard is linear feet of trim after door deductions. This page is a count of panels of a width you type.
Can I mix panel widths?
Run each width separately and add the counts.