Paint planning
How Much Does a Gallon of Paint Cover?
A gallon of interior wall paint covers about 350 to 400 square feet with one coat on smooth, primed walls. Most walls get two coats, so plan on 175 to 200 square feet of wall per gallon. A quart covers about 90 to 100 square feet per coat and a 5 gallon bucket about 1,750 to 2,000.
Open the paint calculatorCoverage by can size
Every size is a multiple of the gallon figure. These ranges assume smooth, previously painted or primed walls and a roller, which is what most can labels assume too.
| Can size | One coat | Two coats |
|---|---|---|
| Quart | 90 to 100 sq ft | 45 to 50 sq ft |
| Gallon | 350 to 400 sq ft | 175 to 200 sq ft |
| 5 gallon bucket | 1,750 to 2,000 sq ft | 875 to 1,000 sq ft |
Coverage by surface
The label number is a best case. Texture adds surface area, and bare or porous surfaces soak paint in before it builds a film, so the same gallon goes less far.
| Surface | Typical coverage per gallon | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth painted drywall or plaster | 350 to 400 sq ft | Matches most can labels |
| Light texture such as orange peel | 300 to 350 sq ft | Texture adds surface area |
| Heavy knockdown or rough plaster | 250 to 300 sq ft | Use a thicker roller nap |
| New bare drywall | 250 to 300 sq ft | Prime first, then count the finish coats |
| Smooth ceiling | 350 to 400 sq ft | Ceiling area is room length x width |
| Exterior siding | 250 to 400 sq ft | Rough or weathered wood takes the low end |
| Stucco, brick, or block | 100 to 200 sq ft | Very porous, often needs a masonry primer |
How many gallons for a given area
These counts use 350 square feet per gallon, the low end of most labels, plus a 10 percent buffer for roller loss and touch-ups, rounded up to whole gallons. The area is the wall surface you are painting, not the floor area of the room or house.
| Wall area | One coat | Two coats |
|---|---|---|
| 250 sq ft | 1 gallon | 2 gallons |
| 500 sq ft | 2 gallons | 4 gallons |
| 750 sq ft | 3 gallons | 5 gallons |
| 1,000 sq ft | 4 gallons | 7 gallons |
| 1,500 sq ft | 5 gallons | 10 gallons |
| 2,000 sq ft | 7 gallons | 13 gallons |
Floor area is not wall area
A question like "how many gallons for a 1,000 square foot house" mixes two different numbers. Paint covers walls, and a room has far more wall than floor: a 12 x 12 bedroom has 144 square feet of floor but 384 square feet of wall with 8 foot ceilings, before doors and windows.
For a whole house, measure room by room, or run each room through the paint calculator and add the results. Count ceilings separately, since ceiling area does equal floor area.
Why a gallon can cover less than the label
Most shortfalls come from the surface or the color change, not from the paint itself.
- Dark to light, or light to a deep color, often needs primer or a third coat.
- Fresh drywall patches and bare wood absorb the first coat unevenly.
- Rolling the paint on thin to make a can last leaves lap marks and poor hide.
- Sprayers lose some paint to overspray, so buy more than you would for a roller.
- Premium paints usually list similar square feet per gallon. They save paint by hiding in fewer coats, not by spreading further.
- One gallon covers about 350 to 400 square feet per coat, or 175 to 200 square feet for two coats.
- Texture, bare surfaces, and color changes push real coverage below the label.
- Measure wall area, not floor area, before converting to gallons.
Run the numbers
The Paint Calculator applies this math to your own measurements and shows each step. Best for a quick store run before painting one room or several similar rooms.