Paint coverage
Estimate paint for walls and ceilings, accounting for openings, coats and waste.
Your inputs
The editable example is illustrative. Enter your own dimensions, operating data, prices, and fees. Results update as you edit.
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Your result
Complete the inputs to see your result.
How it works
- Net area = Σ (Surface length or wall width × Surface width or wall height − Openings on this surface (m²)); Paint needed = Area × Coats ÷ Coverage (m² per selected volume unit) × (1+Waste or settling allowance (%)/100); Whole containers = ceil(Paint needed/Container size (selected volume unit))
- Worked example: 40 m² × 2 ÷ 10 m²/L × 1.1 = 8.8 L; ceil(8.8/5) = 2
- Supported input limits: Entries: 1–21; Coats: 1 ≤ x ≤ 100; Coverage (m² per selected volume unit): 1e-12 ≤ x ≤ 1000000000000; Waste or settling allowance (%): 0 ≤ x ≤ 1000; Container size (selected volume unit): 1e-12 ≤ x ≤ 1000000000000
Assumptions and limitations
Enter measured dimensions in the selected length unit; area, opening and pack coverage values use m². Allowances apply once and only purchases round upward. This estimates material quantities, not structural design, cutting layouts or installation standards. Product coverage and yields must come from your actual product.
Sources
- NIST — conversion factor conventions Sources reviewed: 2026-10-06
- NIST — conversion factor table B.8 Sources reviewed: 2026-10-06
- OpenStax — rectangle areas and dimensional measures Sources reviewed: 2026-10-06
