Paint Calculator: How much paint do I need?
There’s nothing worse than getting halfway through a decorating project and realising you haven’t got enough paint. By calculating how much you need beforehand, you’ll save yourself a lot of time, effort, and money. To begin, all you'll need is a measuring tape to determine the length and width of your walls. We'll do the rest! Let's get started.
Paint Calculator Tool
Use our Paint Calculator to get an accurate number in seconds. All you’ll need to do is measure the width and height of your walls and we’ll do the rest. You may want to subtract the space taken up by windows and doors, but keep in mind that you'll probably want some paint left over for touch-ups.
Just click on the image below:
Tips for using our tool
-
Number of Coats:
2 coats of paint is sufficient for typical projects.
The required number of coats of paint can vary depending on the project. Porous walls, as well as walls undergoing dramatic colour transformations, are likely to require additional coats. That being said, using the right primer can help to reduce the number of coats required.
(Top tip: We recommend tinting your primer to the same shade as your topcoat for the best opacity of colour in fewer coats).
-
Paint Coverage:
Most of our paints have a coverage of around 10sqm per litre.
Please refer to the Technical Data Sheets (or TDS) in the product attachments section of each online product page for accurate coverage.
How to calculate how much paint you need
- Measure your space: You’ll need to measure the maximum height and width of your walls and then multiply the two together to figure out the overall square metre measurement. Not great with a tape measure? A loose and simple guideline is to "step it out" – one step for an adult is about 1m, so start by standing against one wall and pacing out to the opposite wall.
- Remember your windows and doors: Obviously your windows and doors take up space so you need to account for this too. Measure them both, times the number together to get the square metre and then subtract this from your overall square meterage.
- How many coats do you need? The amount of paint you’ll need is also influenced by the number of coats you’re using. We recommend using two coats across the majority of our Interior Paints to achieve a beautifully deep colour. What does this mean for your calculations? Simply multiply your square metres by two.
- A little bit more maths: Finally, take your total number and divide it by the metre squared per litre on your tin. In the case of our paints, that’s 10m2. Don’t forget to account for touch ups or ‘just in case’ scenarios.
And voila! You’ve got the amount of paint you’ll need to finish your decorating.
Before you start painting...
When painting a room, begin with the ceiling, then the walls, then the doors/windows, and finally the skirting boards.
Follow our instructions for preparing your walls for painting.
Need more help?
