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If you plan to paint your home but are unsure how many colours you need to buy, it is probably one of the most challenging parts of a homemade home improvement project. Estimating the amount of paint required for walls, ceilings, moldings, windows, and doors can save a lot of time and money.

Not to mention that painting your home becomes much more worry-free if you buy all the material at once instead of making multiple construction store trips. You can use a lot more options, such as a Paint Cost Estimator Plugin to determine how much paint you need; it's essential to mention that the amount of color can vary slightly depending on the surface you plan to cover.

For example, if you plan to cover rough, porous, or absorbent surfaces, you will need to purchase double or triple the amount for two or three coats, respectively.

How Much Paint Do You Need

With a few simple calculations, you can determine how much paint to buy so you don't have to waste time on extra shopping and don't spend too much on paint.

A typical rule of thumb is one gallon for about three to four hundred square feet. However, some color formulas and wall textures may require more precise quantities. Below are four ways to find out how much paint you need for your home.

 #1. Paint calculator for walls

To get started, add the length of all the walls you want to paint from end to end. Then multiply this number (circumference) by the height of the walls from floor to ceiling. This gives you square pictures of the room you're painting.

Finally, divide the total by the approximate coverage of one gallon of color (approximately 400 square feet per gallon). This will give you how many gallons of paint you need for one coat of paint on the walls.

Paint white to pure new white? Or the same color over the same color? Maybe you can handle only one layer. However, porous surfaces, such as plaster or unpainted gypsum board absorb paint faster, so you may need more paint than calculated.

Be prepared for future finishes with 1-2 liters of paint. Get any custom color at the same time to ensure evenly matched tones.

#2. Paint calculator for ceilings

As for the walls, to get to the square meter of the ceiling, multiply its length by its width. Then, to determine the required gallons of paint, divide that number by 400.

If you don't paint your doors and windows, don't buy paint you don't need. You can calculate their square image by multiplying the length of each object by the width x, then subtracting that number from the total wall color.

Standard size doors are about 20 square feet, and windows are 15 square feet. Add how many of them are in your project space and subtract it from the square feet of square images of paint. Divide the new final number by 400 to get the best estimate of how many gallons of paint you need for one layer on the walls and ceiling.

#3. Paint calculator for windows and doors

Want to know how to calculate the color area of doors and windows? Well, you need to apply the same color calculator formulas as above.

For example, if you plan to paint your doors and windows a different color than the wall, multiply the width and length of the door to determine the size of that square meter. The average door is about 21 square feet, so if you have two of them in one room, that would be about 42 square feet.

As for the windows, an exact similar formula will be used to determine how much paint to buy. However, don't include the trim and woodwork on the side of your windows - unless you want to paint it the same shade. The size of the pane should not be included either because it will not be overpainted.

Add all the square images of your doors to the honest images of your window and divide the amount by 350 to calculate how many colors you need for one layer on one side. In case you want to paint your doors and windows on both sides, double the amount of paint.

#4. Paint calculator for primer

Applying the primer helps the paint adhere appropriately to porous or unpainted surfaces, such as new plasterboard, allows the paint to be applied evenly and covers stains. Changing the dramatic color change makes it easier to use a nuanced introduction similar to your color. 

The plot only covers 200-300 square feet per gallon, so you need a little more introduction than paint. Take your previous total area and divide that by 300 to get the minimum gallon of love you need for one coat.

Final Take

The right roller will help ensure the right coverage and better results. Typical sizes required are a 9-inch roll for smooth walls with a 3/8-inch nap or a 1/2-inch roll for textured walls.

To avoid leaving visible scroll lines, continue the last stroke across the entire wall. Don't be afraid to be generous in color; you want to cover your wall to avoid future touches altogether.