Paint Calculator

How Much Paint Do I Need Calculator

Our paint calculator uses your room's exact dimensions to determine how much paint you actually need — no guessing, no buying too much or too little. Simply enter your room length, width, and ceiling height. The calculator subtracts standard door area (21 sq ft each) and window area (15 sq ft each), then divides by the coverage rate of 350 sq ft per gallon to give you an accurate gallon count. For two-coat projects, the total is automatically doubled. Whether you're painting a single bedroom or an entire house, knowing your exact paint quantity saves you money and eliminates wasted trips to the store.

How Many Gallons of Paint Do I Need for a Room?

The number of gallons depends on your room size and the number of coats. A standard 10×12 room with 8-foot ceilings has approximately 352 square feet of wall space. After subtracting one door and two windows (~51 sq ft), you have about 301 paintable square feet. At 350 sq ft per gallon, you need just under 1 gallon per coat. For two coats — which is standard when changing colors — plan for 2 gallons. Larger rooms like 14×16 require 2–3 gallons for two coats. Always round up to the nearest gallon and keep leftover paint for touch-ups.

Key coverage rules:

• Smooth walls: 350–400 sq ft per gallon
• Textured walls: 250–300 sq ft per gallon
• Bare drywall/primer: 200–250 sq ft per gallon
• Dark to light color changes: always plan 3 coats

How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Room?

The total cost to paint a room in 2026 ranges from $200 to $900 for a standard bedroom, depending on whether you DIY or hire a professional. For a DIY project in a 12×12 room, expect to spend $50–$120 on paint (2 gallons of mid-range paint) plus $20–$40 in supplies (brushes, rollers, tape, drop cloths). A professional painter charges $300–$800 for the same room, including labor and materials. Living rooms and larger spaces run $400–$1,200 professionally painted. Bathrooms and kitchens cost more due to prep work and the need for moisture-resistant paint.

How Much Does Interior House Painting Cost?

Interior house painting costs $3,000–$10,000 for a full home in 2026, with most homeowners paying around $5,500–$7,500 for a 2,000 sq ft house. Professional painters typically charge $2–$4 per square foot of wall area, or $25–$75 per hour. A 3-bedroom house with living room, kitchen, and bathrooms runs $4,000–$8,500 professionally painted. This price includes two coats of paint on all walls, trim painting, and cleanup. Ceilings are often quoted separately at $0.50–$1.50 per sq ft. Paint quality and regional labor rates significantly affect the final price.

How Much Does Exterior House Painting Cost?

Exterior house painting costs $1,800–$6,500 in 2026 for a typical single-story home, with a national average around $3,200. A two-story home runs $3,500–$8,000 due to the need for tall ladders and scaffolding. Professional exterior painters charge $1.50–$4 per square foot of surface area. The price includes pressure washing, scraping and sanding old paint, priming bare spots, and two finish coats. Exterior paint itself costs more than interior — premium exterior products run $45–$75 per gallon. Proper surface prep accounts for 30–50% of an exterior paint job's cost and is critical for longevity.

How Much Paint Do I Need for a 12x12 Room?

A 12×12 room with 8-foot ceilings has 320 square feet of wall space (perimeter of 48 feet × 8 feet height). Subtract one door (21 sq ft) and two standard windows (30 sq ft total), and you're left with 269 paintable square feet. At 350 sq ft coverage per gallon:

• One coat: 0.77 gallons — buy 1 gallon
• Two coats: 1.54 gallons — buy 2 gallons

If your room has vaulted ceilings or more windows, adjust accordingly. For paint plus supplies, budget $60–$150 for a DIY project in a 12×12 room using mid-range paint.

How Many Square Feet Does a Gallon of Paint Cover?

One gallon of paint covers approximately 350 square feet per coat under ideal conditions — smooth, previously painted walls in good condition. Here's how coverage varies by surface type:

• Smooth painted walls: 350–400 sq ft/gallon
• Lightly textured walls: 300–350 sq ft/gallon
• Heavily textured or orange peel: 250–300 sq ft/gallon
• Unpainted drywall: 200–250 sq ft/gallon
• Rough masonry or brick: 150–200 sq ft/gallon

Premium paint brands like Sherwin-Williams Emerald and Benjamin Moore Aura advertise coverage up to 400 sq ft/gallon and often achieve it due to higher solid content. Always buy an extra quart as a buffer for touch-ups.

How Much Does It Cost to Paint a House Interior?

Whole-house interior painting in 2026 costs between $4,000 and $12,000 for a professionally painted home, depending on size, number of rooms, and paint quality. Here's a breakdown by home size:

• 1,000 sq ft home (2BR): $2,500–$5,500
• 1,500 sq ft home (3BR): $3,500–$7,000
• 2,000 sq ft home (3–4BR): $4,500–$9,000
• 2,500+ sq ft home: $6,000–$14,000

These estimates include two coats on all walls, ceiling paint, and trim. If you're doing it yourself, material costs alone run $600–$2,000 depending on paint quality and home size.

How Much Does It Cost to Paint a 1,500 Sq Ft House Exterior?

Exterior painting for a 1,500 sq ft home costs $2,200–$5,500 professionally in 2026, with an average around $3,200. The actual paintable surface area of a 1,500 sq ft house is typically 1,800–2,200 sq ft once you account for all four walls at varying heights. At $1.50–$3 per sq ft for labor and $0.50–$1 per sq ft for materials, the math works out to the range above. Add $300–$800 for a new color requiring extra coats, $200–$500 for extensive prep work, and $150–$400 for trim and shutters painted separately.

What Is the Cheapest Way to Paint a Room?

The cheapest way to paint a room is DIY with basic-quality paint from a discount retailer. Here's how to minimize costs:

• Use basic paint ($15–$25/gallon): Fine for low-traffic bedrooms and closets
• Buy a paint-and-primer-in-one: Eliminates the separate primer purchase ($15–$25 saved)
• Borrow or rent equipment: Avoid buying an extension pole or paint tray you'll use once
• Skip the second coat: Only viable when painting the same color over itself
• Use ceiling white for ceilings: Cheaper than regular wall paint at $18–$28/gallon

A DIY 12×12 bedroom can be painted for as little as $40–$70 using these strategies. A single gallon of basic flat paint and a $15–$20 roller kit is all you need for most bedrooms.

How Long Does It Take to Paint a Room?

A standard 12×12 bedroom takes a DIY painter 4–8 hours including prep and two coats. Here's a realistic time breakdown:

• Prep work (taping, moving furniture, covering floors): 1–2 hours
• First coat (cutting in edges + rolling): 1.5–2 hours
• Drying time between coats: 2–4 hours
• Second coat: 1–1.5 hours
• Cleanup and touch-ups: 30–60 minutes

Professional painters with a crew of two complete the same room in 2–3 hours. A whole house with 8–10 rooms takes a pro crew 3–5 days. Prep time — patching holes, sanding, washing walls — often takes as long as the painting itself and should not be skipped.

How Many Coats of Paint Do I Need?

Two coats of paint are standard for most interior painting projects. However, the number of coats you need depends on the situation:

• Same color refresh: 1–2 coats
• Similar color change (light to light): 2 coats
• Dark to light color change: 3 coats (or 1 primer + 2 topcoats)
• Light to dark color change: 2 coats usually sufficient
• Over bare drywall: 1 primer coat + 2 topcoats
• Over stains or repairs: 1 stain-blocking primer + 2 topcoats

Premium paints with higher pigment loads cover in fewer coats. Sherwin-Williams Emerald and Benjamin Moore Aura often achieve full coverage in two coats even for dramatic color changes.

What Is the Best Interior Paint Brand?

The best interior paint brands consistently cited by professionals and consumers in 2026 are:

• Sherwin-Williams Emerald: $68–$80/gallon — best overall for hide and washability
• Benjamin Moore Aura: $72–$85/gallon — superior color accuracy and durability
• Behr Premium Plus Ultra (Home Depot): $35–$45/gallon — best value for DIY
• PPG Timeless: $38–$50/gallon — excellent coverage for the price
• Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint: $52–$68/gallon — preferred by professional contractors

For rental properties and budget projects, Behr Premium Plus at $25–$35/gallon offers reliable results. Premium brands like Aura and Emerald are worth the extra cost for main living areas, children's rooms, and surfaces that require frequent cleaning.

How Much Do Painters Charge Per Hour?

Professional painters charge $25–$75 per hour per painter in 2026, with a national average around $40–$55/hour. Most painting contractors price by the job rather than hourly to protect both parties. Here's how hourly rates translate to project costs:

• One bedroom (solo painter, 6 hrs): $240–$450
• Living room (2-person crew, 4 hrs): $320–$600
• Whole house interior (3-person crew, 3 days): $3,600–$8,100

High-cost metros like San Francisco, New York, and Seattle see painter hourly rates of $55–$85. Lower-cost markets in the South and Midwest run $25–$45/hour. Always request a project-based quote rather than hourly to know your total upfront cost.

How Much Does It Cost to Paint Kitchen Cabinets?

Painting kitchen cabinets costs $600–$3,000 professionally in 2026, with the national average around $1,400–$1,800. A standard kitchen with 30–40 cabinet doors typically requires 3–4 gallons of cabinet paint plus primer. DIY cabinet painting runs $150–$400 in materials. The process is labor-intensive — proper cabinet painting requires sanding, priming, multiple thin coats, and light sanding between coats. Oil-based and alkyd paints ($45–$75/gallon) are preferred over latex for cabinets due to better leveling and harder final surface, though they emit higher levels of volatile organic compounds per EPA guidance on VOC emissions. Professionally painted cabinets last 8–15 years and typically cost 10–20% of full cabinet replacement ($5,000–$30,000).

How Much Paint Do I Need for Ceilings?

Ceiling paint coverage is calculated by multiplying room length × width. A 12×12 room has 144 sq ft of ceiling area. At 350 sq ft/gallon, one quart (87 sq ft) covers a small bathroom ceiling, while one gallon covers a standard bedroom ceiling with a single coat. Plan for two coats when:

• Painting over a stained or nicotine-yellowed ceiling
• Covering a previously dark-colored ceiling
• Using flat white over previously gloss-painted ceilings

Flat white ceiling paint costs $18–$30 per gallon, significantly less than wall paint. Tinted ceilings (gray, warm white, soft colors) require quality ceiling paint at $28–$45/gallon for best results. Always use a paint specifically formulated for ceilings — it's thicker to reduce drips and spatter.

Should I Paint My Own House or Hire a Painter?

DIY painting saves 50–70% on total cost compared to hiring a professional, but the decision depends on your time, skill, and the scope of the project. A whole-house interior that costs $5,000–$8,000 professionally runs $800–$2,000 in materials for a DIYer. However, professional painters work 3–5 times faster and produce cleaner results — crisp edges, consistent coverage, no lap marks. For high-traffic areas, trim work, or homes being prepared for sale, professional results are worth the premium. DIY is ideal for single rooms, closets, and simple color refreshes. Exterior painting is harder to DIY — working at height, managing ladders, and achieving weathertight coverage make professional exterior painting especially valuable for two-story homes.

How Do I Calculate Paint for an Entire House?

To calculate paint for an entire house, measure every room individually and add the totals. For each room: calculate wall area (perimeter × ceiling height), subtract doors and windows, then divide by 350 for gallons per coat. For a 2,000 sq ft house with 8 rooms, total paintable wall area typically runs 3,500–4,500 sq ft. At 350 sq ft/gallon for two coats, that's 20–26 gallons total. Buying in 5-gallon buckets saves $8–$15 per gallon over single cans. Always calculate each color separately — accent walls, trim, and ceilings are different paint products. Add 10% overage for repairs and touch-ups.

What Type of Paint Finish Should I Use?

Choosing the right finish significantly affects durability and appearance:

• Flat/Matte: Best for ceilings, low-traffic bedrooms. Hides imperfections but hard to clean.
• Eggshell: Subtle sheen, great for living rooms and dining rooms. Slightly more washable than flat.
• Satin: Most versatile finish for walls. Good washability, works in any room.
• Semi-Gloss: High durability — ideal for trim, doors, windows, and kitchens.
• Gloss: Maximum durability and washability. Best for cabinets, furniture, and high-wear surfaces.

As a rule of thumb: the higher the sheen, the more washable but the more surface imperfections become visible. Flat conceals flaws; gloss reveals them. Use flat on ceilings, eggshell or satin on walls, and semi-gloss on all trim and doors.

How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Room in 2026?

In 2026, the cost to paint a room professionally ranges from $200 to $900 for a standard bedroom, averaging around $450–$600 nationwide. Here are typical costs by room type:

• Small bedroom (10×10): $200–$500
• Standard bedroom (12×12): $300–$700
• Master bedroom (15×15): $400–$900
• Living room (16×20): $500–$1,200
• Bathroom: $150–$350
• Kitchen (walls only): $200–$500

These prices include professional labor and mid-range paint. Switching to premium paint adds $50–$150 per room. DIY costs 60–70% less but requires 4–8 hours of your time per room. Use the paint calculator above to get a precise estimate for your specific room dimensions and paint quality preferences.