Paint Calculator

Calculate how many gallons of paint you need for a room. Accounts for walls, ceiling, doors, and windows for accurate estimates.

ft
ft
ft
Wall Paint (gallons)
Ceiling Paint (gallons)
Total Gallons
Net Paintable Area

How to Use This Calculator

  1. Enter the room length, width, and ceiling height in feet.
  2. Enter the number of doors and windows to subtract.
  3. Select whether to include the ceiling and number of coats.
  4. Results show gallons needed for walls and ceiling separately.

Formula

Wall area = 2 × (L + W) × H − doors × 20 − windows × 15

Gallons = ceil(Wall area × coats ÷ 350)

Example

Example: 12 × 14 ft room, 9 ft ceiling, 1 door, 2 windows, 2 coats → Wall area 450 sq ft → 3 gallons.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • One gallon of paint typically covers 350–400 square feet. This calculator uses 350 sq ft per gallon as a conservative estimate.
  • Yes — set the number of coats to 2 for a solid finish, especially when changing colors. The calculator multiplies the gallons needed by the number of coats.
  • Yes — enter the number of standard doors (20 sq ft each) and windows (15 sq ft each) and the calculator deducts them from the paintable area.
  • Yes. The calculator optionally includes the ceiling area if you check the "Include ceiling" field. Ceiling paint is typically bought separately.
  • Add up the areas of each wall manually and enter the total wall area, leaving the room dimensions as a guide.

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