Beginning a new painting project can feel both exciting and overwhelming. Whether you’re refreshing your living room, reviving your home office, or transforming your home’s curb appeal, one crucial aspect of the planning process is calculating how much paint you’ll need.
Preparation isn’t just about choosing the perfect color scheme or selecting high-quality paint products; it’s also important to ensure you have enough paint to complete the job seamlessly. Too much paint, and you’ve wasted your hard-earned money. Too little, and you have to go back to the store.
In this helpful guide, we’ll explore the process of determining how much paint is required for a project, helping you streamline the home improvement process and avoid unnecessary trips to the hardware store.
#1. Assess the Surface Area
Before calculating how much paint you’ll need, you’ll need to determine the surface area to be painted. Measure the length and height of each wall or surface in feet, then multiply them together to find the square footage. For irregularly shaped areas, break them down into smaller, more rectangular sections. Don’t forget to subtract doors and windows, as they won’t require paint.
Once you’ve calculated the square footage of each surface, add them together to find the grand total. Hold on to this number—you’ll need it in a couple of steps.
#2. Account for Multiple Coats
Most painting projects require more than one coat to achieve smooth coverage. For example, if you’re covering up a darker color with a lighter color, you’ll likely need to apply more coats than in the opposite situation. The paint’s opacity will also affect the amount required, with more opaque paint necessitating fewer coats.
The type of material being painted is another influential factor. Bare surfaces or those with significant color variations may require additional coats. Additionally, porous materials like stucco or wood absorb more paint than smoother surfaces like drywall. Rough or textured surfaces will also require extra paint.
When it comes to paint, choosing quality products will save you time and money in the long run. By investing in premium products that offer superior coverage, color retention, and durability, you can apply fewer coats, which means buying less paint.
Be sure to take each of these factors into account when determining how many coats of paint to apply, then multiply the total surface area from step one by the number of coats you anticipate needing.
#3. Account for Wastage and Touch-Ups
It’s smart to add an extra 10 to 20 percent to your calculated paint quantity to account for touch-ups, drips, and spillage. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
#4. Determine Paint Coverage
Different paint types offer varying coverage, typically measured in square feet per gallon. Check the paint label or the manufacturer’s specifications for the coverage rate of your chosen paint formulation. Divide the final square footage from step three by the paint’s coverage rate to determine how much paint you should purchase.
#5. Calculate Primer Needs
Primer helps create a smoother, more uniform surface along with enhancing paint adhesion. If you plan to apply primer before painting, you can calculate how much you’ll need by following these same steps.
Do the Math
Here’s a quick guide to the calculations you’ll need to perform to determine how much paint you’ll need. You can also check out online paint calculators, which will do a lot of the math for you.
1. Multiply the length of each surface by its height, then add each individual surface’s area together
Example: You have two walls to paint. One is 10 feet long by 8 feet high, and the other is 9 feet long by 8 feet high. To find the total surface area, you perform this calculation: (10 x 8) + (9 x 8) = 152 square feet
2. Multiply by the number of coats you’ll need
If you need two coats, multiply the total square feet by two: 152 x 2 = 304 square feet
3. Multiply by 1.10 or 1.20 to factor in 10 or 20 percent extra paint for wastage and touch-ups
If you want 20 percent extra: 304 x 1.20 = 364.8 square feet
4. Divide by the paint’s coverage rate
If your selected paint has a coverage rate of 400 square feet per gallon, divide the number from step 3 by 400 to find out how many gallons you’ll need: 364.8 / 400 = 0.921 gallons
We Take the Stress Out of Painting
While avid DIY-ers may enjoy a painting project, we recognize that home improvement projects are not everyone’s forte. At Brush Brothers, we can take the stress out of painting. From determining how much paint we’ll need to providing seamless application, we take care of everything. You won’t have to lift a finger!
Contact us today to get started on your next project.
