How Much Papel Picado To Order?

There are many amazing ways to hang papel picado. Choose your favourite hanging style from the options listed below, then follow the instructions to calculate the total length that you need to order.

How much bunting to order & papel picado hanging styles

Bunting Direction

First decide in which direction the bunting is going to face in your venue. As the papel picado flags often have words on the flags, you should hang them facing in the right direction, so that people can read them. You want the flags to face as many people as possible, and to face the direction where the photographer will be taking photos.

We make the garlands to the exact lengths that you need, so you just need to measure up, place your order, and let us do the rest!

How much bunting to order & papel picado hanging style: ALL STYLES

Papel Picado Hanging Styles

Now choose your hanging style! We explore the following 8 different hanging styles below:

  • ARCHING DOWN ON BOTH SIDES
  • ARCHING DOWN IN THE MIDDLE
  • HUNG STRAIGHT ACROSS
  • ARCHING OUT FROM CENTRAL ELEMENT
  • FILL THE CEILING - HORIZONTAL ROWS
  • FILL THE CEILING - CIRCULAR RINGS
  • CRISS CROSS
  • AROUND THE SPACE
How much bunting to order & papel picado hanging style: ARCHING DOWN ON BOTH SIDES

ARCHING DOWN ON BOTH SIDES

For the ARCHING DOWN ON BOTH SIDES style: add 17% onto your venue width (to do this multiply the width by 1.17), or for very high ceilings add 20%.

For example: if the width of the room is 8 metres, to add 17% (multiply 8 x 1.17) so garlands will be 9.36 metres long.

Let us know in your Personalisation notes if you want this style as we will actually divide this garland length into two to make two garlands per row for easier hanging.

How much bunting to order & papel picado hanging style: ARCHING DOWN IN THE MIDDLE

ARCHING DOWN IN THE MIDDLE

This style looks wonderful hung across the width of the venue, in consecutive parallel rows. facing the entrance.

1) Measure the width of your venue

2) for the drape, add 10% onto your venue width (to do this, multiply the width by 1.1). 

3) to calculate how many garlands you need, we recommend hanging the garlands with a gap of 1 metre between each garland, so divide the length of the venue by 1

For example: if the venue width is 8 metres, to add 10% (multiply 8 x 1.1) so garlands will be 8.80 metres long. If the venue length is 20 metres, (divide 20 by 1 = 20), so you will need 20 garlands, each 8.80 metres long = 176 metres total order.

How much bunting to order & papel picado hanging style: HUNG STRAIGHT ACROSS

HUNG STRAIGHT ACROSS

For the HUNG STRAIGHT ACROSS style just measure the width of your venue, that is your garland length, as all our garlands come with 20-30cm extra each end for hanging.

Now regarding the rows. We think papel picado looks great hung with a 1 metre gap between each row, but it can be a bit more if your budget doesn't stretch to that amount.

So for rows every 1 metre, now you divide the length of your venue by 1, so if it's 20 metres long, 20 / 1 = 20 = so you will have 20 rows, one garland making each row. 

So the total papel picado you need is: 8m x 20 = 160m

How much bunting to order & papel picado hanging style: ARCHING OUT FROM CENTRAL ELEMENT

ARCHING OUT FROM CENTRAL ELEMENT

An amazingly eye-catching event decor option for any venue with a chandelier in the centre of the space.

The best way to hang the garlands is to hang wire around the 4 walls, all at the same height, and attach the garlands to the wire. Aprylle can give you more detailed info if needed.

For high ceilings, you may need to add 60%+ onto the radius of the room (half the width).

Contact Aprylle via the instant chat button or by email with your venue dimensions, and a photo of the venue, and she will calculate the total quantity that you need.

How much bunting to order & papel picado hanging style: FILL THE CEILING - HORIZONTAL ROWS

FILL THE CEILING - HORIZONTAL ROWS

For this awe inspiring decor choice, perfect for large venues with vacuous ceilings all you need to do is measure the width of the venue and that gives your garland length, as every garland comes with an additional 20-30cm at each end for tying up.

To calculate the quantity of garlands that you need, divide the length of the venue by 2. This will mean you will hang a garland up in parallel rows, with 0.5 metres between each row. This quantity fills the ceiling beautifully with colour, or with your branding colours, to make an incredible impact.

For example: for a venue 10 metres wide, and 50 metres long. You will need 100 garlands, each 10 meres long = 1,000 metres total order.

How much bunting to order & papel picado hanging style: FILL THE CEILING - CIRCULAR RINGS

FILL THE CEILING - CIRCULAR RINGS

This hanging style will leave your guests in total awe! It is a certified show-stopping decor choice that will have people talking about your events for weeks to come!

We make every individual garland with the exact same order of colours, so when you hang them up in a circular formation, all the colours match in amazing concentric circles.

Contact Aprylle via the instant chat button or by email with your venue dimensions, and a photo of the venue, and she will calculate the total quantity that you need.

The best way to hang the garlands is to hang wire around the 4 walls, all at the same height, and attach the garlands to the wire. Aprylle can give you more detailed info if needed.

How much bunting to order & papel picado hanging style: CRISS CROSS

CRISS CROSS

A great hanging style for a lower budget, in a marquee or in a venue with lots of columns.

Measure the distances between all the marquee poles or columns, then add all these together to get your total. We can make your garlands to various different garlands lengths if necessary, just list them when you place your order.

For example: 250 metres total order. 10 x 5m garlands, 20 x 10m garlands.

Our clients at Soho House London used this hanging style to great effect for their Day of the Dead party.

How much bunting to order & papel picado hanging style: AROUND THE SPACE

AROUND THE SPACE

1) Measure all the lengths of the different walls, room widths/lengths where you would like the papel picado hang. Add all these lengths together to get your total length.

2) For a slight draping effect, add an extra 10% on to the total length (you can do this by multiplying the total length by 1.1). For a big draping effect (high ceilings), add an extra 15% on to the total length (you can do this by multiplying the total length by 1.15).

How much bunting to order & papel picado hanging styles, suitable for any budget.

We Cater To Any Budget

If once you have calculated the total quantity that you need, you feel it is over your budget, you can just hang less garlands/rows.

For example, if hanging your garlands in parallel rows, instead of dividing the length of the venue by 1, divide it by 1.25 (to hang them every 1.25m) or by 1.5 (to hang then every 1.5m) or by 2 (to hang then every 2m), until you get to a figure you are comfortable paying, then you will have found the right amount of bunting for your budget.

Even though papel picado looks incredible in abundance, it also looks amazing when you have less too!

How much bunting to order & papel picado hanging styles.

Need Help Deciding How Much To Order?

If you're still not sure how much papel picado to order; please contact us, and if you have them please include the dimensions of your venue, or a floor plan of your venue, and also a photo if possible and let me know if you would like a light, medium or full coverage and I will send you a papel picado length quote.

Find out more information about papel picado in our papel picado guide and also here how to hang papel picado.

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