Most interior wall paints list coverage of roughly 250–400 sq ft per gallon; 350 is used as a default. Check your can and adjust.
- 8×8 room
- 8×10 room
- 9×10 room
- 10×10 room
- 10×12 room
- 11×12 room
- 12×12 room
- 12×14 room
- 12×16 room
- 13×15 room
- 14×14 room
- 14×16 room
- 15×15 room
- 15×20 room
- 16×16 room
- 16×20 room
- 18×18 room
- 20×20 room
Coverage
Most interior paint covers about 350 to 400 sq ft per gallon per coat on smooth, primed walls. Rough or porous surfaces and dark-to-light colour changes need more. Two coats is the norm for a new colour.
Worked example
A 12 × 14 ft room with 8 ft walls has 416 sq ft of wall. Subtract one door (about 20 sq ft) and two windows (about 15 sq ft each) to get 366 sq ft. Two coats is 732 sq ft, or about 2.1 gallons at 350 sq ft per gallon, so buy 2 gallons and a quart, or 3 gallons.
Frequently asked questions
How many coats do I need?
Two coats is standard; a big color change may need a primer.
Does primer count as a coat?
Primer is a separate product; work it out separately using its own coverage.
How much paint for a ceiling?
Use the floor area of the room as the ceiling area.