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Paint Calculator

Estimate how much paint you need for a room's walls (and ceiling) in gallons or litres, allowing for doors, windows and the number of coats.

How to use

  1. 1Enter the room's length, width and wall height.
  2. 2Enter the number of doors and windows and the coats you'll apply.

How it's calculated

Wall area = 2 × (length + width) × height − 21 ft² per door − 15 ft² per window. Paint = area × coats ÷ coverage (about 350–400 ft² per gallon, or 10 m² per litre).

Frequently asked questions

How many coats do I need?

Usually two. One may do when repainting a similar colour with good paint; dark-to-light changes can need a primer plus two coats.

How much does a gallon cover?

About 350–400 sq ft on smooth, primed walls — less on textured or porous surfaces.

Should I buy extra?

Keep a little for touch-ups; buying all the paint at once also avoids colour differences between batches.