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Ordering coving is a five-minute job once you know the method. This guide walks through measuring any room, allowing for corners and waste, and choosing the right Decovision pack size - with two worked examples. The method in three steps Step 1: measure the perimeter Measure the length of every wall at ceiling height and add them together. For a rectangular room that is simply (length + width) x 2. Step 2: add an allowance for cuts Add 10 percent to the perimeter for cutting waste. If your room has many corners, alcoves or a chimney breast, add 15 percent instead. Step 3: round up to the next pack Decovision coving ships in 2 m lengths, in packs from a single length up to 30 metres (and 50 metres in the VLS range). Round your figure up to the next pack size - a little spare is far better than one length short, and offcuts are useful for testing paint. Worked example 1: standard living room Room: 4.5 m x 3.6 m. Perimeter = (4.5 + 3.6) x 2 = 16.2 m. Add 10 percent = 17.8 m. Next pack size up: 20 metres (10 x 2 m lengths). Worked example 2: L-shaped open-plan space Walls: 6.2 + 4.0 + 2.8 + 2.5 + 3.4 + 6.5 = 25.4 m. Complex shape, so add 15 percent = 29.2 m. Next pack size up: 30 metres (16 x 2 m lengths). Do not forget the corners Count your corners: every internal corner (the usual kind) and external corner (around a chimney breast or boxed pipework) can be ordered as a ready-made corner set, cut at 45 degrees in the factory. Fit corners first, straights after - the joints come out cleaner and you avoid the hardest mitre cuts entirely. Common questions Should I order extra for mistakes? The 10-15 percent allowance covers normal cutting waste. First-time fitters may want one spare 2 m length for peace of mind. My room has a bay window - how do I measure it? Measure each flat section of the bay separately and count each angle change as a corner. Shallow bay angles can be cut on site; ask us if unsure. Do LED coving and plain coving measure differently? No - the method is identical. For LED coving, also measure where your LED strip will run and where the driver will sit. What if I get stuck? Send us your room measurements through the custom order page and we calculate it for you - it is one of our standard free services. Before you order the full room Order a 20 cm sample of your chosen profile first. Check the scale against your ceiling, test your paint on it, then order the packs with confidence - and use code SAMPLE10 within 30 days.

Search for coving in the UK and the term XPS appears everywhere - usually without explanation. This guide covers what XPS (extruded polystyrene) actually is, how it differs from the materials it replaces, and why it has become the practical choice for British ceilings. What does XPS actually stand for? XPS is extruded polystyrene: polystyrene that has been melted and forced through an extrusion die under pressure. The process produces a dense, closed-cell foam with a fine, smooth surface. That is the crucial difference from the bead-style expanded polystyrene (EPS) most people picture - the white bobbly foam of packaging. Extrusion gives XPS (extruded polystyrene) a tight structure that cuts cleanly, holds crisp profile detail and paints without texture showing through. How does it compare? The honest table Property XPS (extruded polystyrene) Plaster Bead foam (EPS) Weight Around a tenth of plaster Heavy - two-person fitting Very light Cracking Flexes with the building Cracks along joints over time Rarely cracks Paint finish Smooth, plaster-like Excellent Bobbled texture shows Moisture Closed-cell, moisture-resistant Absorbs moisture Reasonable Fitting One person, adhesive only Professional recommended One person Why weight matters more in the UK than anywhere British housing stock moves. Timber joists, lath-and-plaster ceilings and seasonal humidity swings mean walls and ceilings flex in ways rigid materials cannot follow - which is why plaster cornice in older homes so often shows hairline cracks along the ceiling line. A lightweight cornice in XPS (extruded polystyrene) puts effectively no load on a tired ceiling and moves with the building instead of fighting it. Does it look cheap once painted? This is the question everyone asks, and the answer is no - with one condition. Genuine XPS (extruded polystyrene) has a fine, dense face; after joint filling and two coats of water-based paint it is indistinguishable from traditional cornice at any normal viewing distance. The material that looks cheap is bead foam, whose bobbled surface telegraphs through paint. Check what you are buying: if you can see beads, it is not XPS. Where can you use it? Everywhere plaster goes, plus the rooms plaster dislikes: kitchens and bathrooms, where the closed-cell structure shrugs off steam and moisture. Living rooms and bedrooms take the classic profiles; our LED ranges add concealed uplighting; matching skirting finishes the floor line. How is it fitted? With a solvent-free grab adhesive, a fine-tooth saw and an afternoon - no screws, no plasterer. Ready-made corner sets remove the hardest mitre cuts. The full walkthrough is in our fitting guide, and a printed copy ships in every box. Frequently asked questions Is XPS coving paintable? Yes - two coats of any water-based emulsion. Never solvent-based paint, which attacks polystyrene. How long are the lengths? Decovision profiles ship in 2 m lengths, in packs from a single length to whole-floor quantities. Is it suitable for period properties? Especially so: zero load on old lath-and-plaster ceilings, and no cracking as the building breathes. Can I see the material before ordering a room? Yes - every profile has a 20 cm sample from £1.95, showing the exact surface, colour and profile. What adhesive should I use? A solvent-free coving adhesive such as Akfix 310, which also fills the joints. The short version XPS (extruded polystyrene) coving is the practical modern cornice: plaster looks without plaster weight, crack-free in moving buildings, moisture-safe in wet rooms, and fitted by one person in an afternoon. Browse the coving collection and start with a sample.