How much paint do I need for a room?
Most people guess from the floor size, and most people come home one can short. Paint goes on walls, and a room has far more wall than floor.
Think walls, not floor
A room's walls usually add up to two or three times its floor area. That's why a guess based on floor size almost always comes up short. Doors and windows take a little off, but less than people expect.
Two coats is the norm
One coat rarely hides the old colour evenly. Plan on two coats for walls, and buy a little extra for touch-ups later. Leftover paint from the same batch matches perfectly; a new can a year from now may not.
Typical amounts for common rooms
Walls only, 8 ft ceilings, two coats, one door and one window per room.
| Room | What to buy |
|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft bedroom | 2 gallons |
| 12 × 12 ft bedroom | 2 gallons + 1 quart |
| 12 × 16 ft primary bedroom | 3 gallons |
| 16 × 20 ft living room | 3 gallons + 2 quarts |
| 900 sq ft condo, 5 rooms | 2 pails (5 gal) + 2 gallons + 2 quarts |
When you'll need more
- A big colour change. Going from dark to light, or to a deep red or yellow, often takes a third coat. Use a tinted primer first and you can usually stay at two.
- New drywall. Bare drywall soaks up paint. Prime it first, or the first coat disappears.
- Textured walls. Stipple and knock-down finishes have more surface, so they take more paint.
- Ceilings and trim. These use different paint: flat ceiling white, and semi-gloss for trim and doors.
Get your exact amount
Every home is different. The CanPaint calculator works it out for your whole home: walls, ceilings, trim and doors, split by paint type, plus the tools you'll need and a planning price for hiring a painter where you live.
Open the calculator