🎨 Paint Coverage Calculator
Find exactly how many gallons of paint you need for walls, ceilings, and trim — for any room size.
| Paint Type | Sq Ft/Gal | Recommended Coats | Finish / Sheen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior Flat | 400 | 1–2 | No sheen; hides imperfections |
| Interior Eggshell | 375 | 2 | Very slight sheen; washable |
| Interior Satin | 350 | 2 | Soft sheen; good for high-use areas |
| Interior Semi-Gloss | 350 | 2 | Medium sheen; moisture-resistant |
| Interior Gloss | 325 | 2 | High sheen; trim and accents |
| Exterior Flat | 350 | 2 | Matte; hides surface flaws |
| Exterior Satin | 350 | 2 | Durable; weather-resistant |
| Primer | 300 | 1 | Seals surface before topcoat |
| Surface Condition | Coverage Rate | Adjustment | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smooth / Previously Painted | 400 sq ft/gal | — | Repaint, smooth drywall |
| Slightly Rough / New Drywall | 350 sq ft/gal | –12.5% | New construction, light texture |
| Rough / Textured | 300 sq ft/gal | –25% | Heavy texture, knock-down |
| Very Rough / Masonry | 250 sq ft/gal | –37.5% | Brick, concrete block, stucco |
| Room Size | Approx. Wall Area | Paint Needed (2 coats) | Typical Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (10×10, 8 ft) | ~320 sq ft | ~1.6 gallons | Small bedroom, bathroom |
| Medium (12×14, 8 ft) | ~416 sq ft | ~2.1 gallons | Standard bedroom |
| Large (16×20, 9 ft) | ~648 sq ft | ~3.2 gallons | Living room, great room |
| XL (20×24, 10 ft) | ~880 sq ft | ~4.4 gallons | Open plan, garage |
The coverage of paint usually estimate according to square feet each gallon. Like this one normally estimates the needs for a paint draft. Widely one gallon covers between 350 and 400 square feet.
Even so those numbers are only approximate. The actual covering can a lot range according to various things.
How Much Area Does One Gallon of Paint Cover?
Proper amount of paint is shown on the label of the tin. It forms the ideal spot for start plan of work. Primers cover more little spaces than average paints.
Gallon of primer reach around 225 until 275 square feet. For ceiling paints one gallon suffices for 350 until 400 sqaure feet.
Flat paints best cover compared to other kinds. They store more pigment, what pushes them less clear. Half-gloss paints, and some whites with minimal pigment however bad cover.
The kind of paint finish matter more, then one commonly imagines.
For full covering, even gloss and steady results usually require two coats. One advises second coat, for reach the real wealth of paint colour. Big colour gap between prior and new paint requires maybe three coats.
One coat occasionally succeeds, but only over almost identical colour. It helps, if the store mixes the primer to half of the recipe of the upper coats. That helps for good initial covering.
Prep of the surface seriously affects also. Smooth base gives better results than rough or absorbent. Rough and absorbent surfaces soak more paint, so less cover each gallon.
The way of paint also matters. Airless sprayer extend the paint dumping, even so for latex paint the maximum covering stays around 400 square feet each gallon. Rolling and brushing help the paint join more flatly to the surface.
Covering calculators are offered by brands like Behr and Sherwin-Williams. Simply enter the details of the draft, and the tool estimates, how much paint or primer is needed. Do not forget deduct windows and niches during area measure.
Quality paints with bright colours usually hide more than cheap. Mix of paint and primer spare time, while give good covering. Add a bit of titanium white to paint strengthen the thickness of colour, although it can a bit alter the shade.
Dark colours commonly require threecoats, during flat only one thick coat after good process.
