Paint Coverage Calculator

Calculate paint needed for your room project.

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Category: Home Improvement & DIY Calculators
Difficulty: Easy
Times Used: 1,050
Last Updated: Jun 2026
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Paint Coverage Calculator: Never Run Out or Overbuy

Calculate exactly how much paint you need — for walls, ceilings, doors, trim — in liters or gallons. Accounts for coats, surface type, and waste. Save money and time on your DIY project.

Example: 12m² wall, 2 coats = ~2.4L | 300 ft² room = ~0.8 gal (2 coats).

Standard Paint Coverage per Liter/Gallon

Surface Type m² per Liter ft² per Gallon
Smooth drywall (primed)10–12400–450
Rough plaster / brick6–8250–300
Wood siding8–10300–350
Ceiling (textured)8–10300–350
Doors & trim12–15450–500
Rule of Thumb: 1 liter covers ~10 m² (1 coat) on smooth walls. Always buy 10% extra for waste.

How to Measure & Calculate

  1. Measure walls: Height × Width per wall (skip windows/doors or subtract later)
  2. Ceiling: Length × Width
  3. Subtract openings: Door (~2 m²), Window (~1–2 m² each)
  4. Choose coats: 1 for refresh, 2 for color change or new drywall
  5. Enter values → get exact liters/gallons

Real Project Examples

Bedroom (3m × 4m × 2.5m)

Walls: 35 m² | 2 coats | Smooth = 7 liters

Living Room + 2 Doors

Walls: 50 m² - 4 m² doors = 46 m² | 2 coats = 9.2 liters

Pro Painting Tips

Save Paint

  • Prime bare drywall (+20% coverage)
  • Use quality roller (less splatter)
  • Stir well, don’t thin unless needed

Avoid Mistakes

  • Don’t forget ceiling!
  • Dark colors need 3 coats
  • Buy all cans from same batch

Why Trust This Calculator?

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Accuracy: Based on ISO 6504 & paint manufacturer data (Sherwin-Williams, Dulux, Benjamin Moore).

Privacy: No data stored. Results vanish instantly.

Updated: Nov 2025 with real-world coverage rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Walls: ~320 ft² → 2 coats = 0.8–1 gal (smooth walls)

Yes for bare drywall, stains, or dark-to-light change. Primer = 1 coat, then 2 finish coats.

Usually 1–2. Textured ceilings need more paint (lower coverage).

Not recommended — color and finish may vary. Buy all from same batch.

Yes! Add to home screen → works without internet.