Home project planning guides

Work out gallons of paint for any room: measure the walls, subtract doors and windows, multiply by coats, and divide by the coverage on the can.

Primer and waste are where paint estimates go wrong. Learn when primer is required, how far it covers, and how much extra finish paint to buy.

A gallon of paint covers 350 to 400 sq ft per coat. See coverage by surface and can size, and how many gallons you need for 250 to 2,000 sq ft.

Manufacturer-listed coverage per gallon for popular paints and primers from Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, Behr, Valspar, KILZ, and Zinsser, side by side.

A store-run checklist for small home projects: what to measure, what to bring, the supporting supplies people forget, and what to check before paying.

One cubic yard of mulch equals 13.5 two-cubic-foot bags. See the conversion for every bag size, how much a yard covers, and when bulk beats bags.

Typical gravel depths for garden paths, patio bases, and shed pads, plus how to turn depth into cubic yards and tons before you order.

Calculate flooring boxes from room size: measure square feet, add the right waste for your layout, divide by box coverage, and round up.

The box count is only part of a flooring order. Use this checklist for underlayment, moisture barriers, transitions, trim, and tools.

How much thinset and grout per square foot: bags of thinset by trowel size for 30 to 1,000 sq ft, and approximate pounds of grout per 100 sq ft by tile size.

Tile waste runs from 10 percent for a straight grid to 20 percent for herringbone. See the right overage for each layout and room type.

Estimate drywall sheets from square footage, then size joint compound, tape, screws, and corner bead with simple per-1,000-square-foot rules.

One cubic yard of concrete is 45 bags of 80 lb mix. Compare bagged concrete and ready-mix delivery by volume, labor, and cost.

Most concrete shortfalls come from unit errors. Avoid the five common mistakes with inches, cubic feet, bag yield, and waste.

Count fence posts from length and spacing, then rails, pickets, and concrete. Includes a worked 100 foot example and what the simple math misses.

Estimate deck boards from deck width and board size, and joists from deck length and spacing. Includes a worked 12 x 16 deck example.

A line-by-line checklist for comparing contractor bids: scope, allowances, permits, payment schedule, change orders, insurance, and red flags.

One roofing square is 100 sq ft and takes 3 bundles of standard shingles. See bundles per square by shingle type and bundles for 1,000 to 3,000 sq ft of roof.

Bundles per square, shingles per square, and exposure for popular GAF, Owens Corning, and IKO shingles, taken from manufacturer spec pages, and how each changes your order.