How Much Paint Should You Buy?

Don't end up buying too much or too little paint. Use this formula to figure out how much paint you need for your room before you buy it.

How much paint you need depends on the size of the room, the condition of the wall surface, and the paint's spreading rate, which is given on the manufacturer's label. For a rough estimate of how much paint you'll need to cover the walls:

• Measure the total footage around the perimeter and multiply by the wall height in feet.
  
  
• From this subtract 20 square feet for each door and 14 square feet for each window.
  
  
• Divide by the spreading rate (usually 300 to 400 feet per gallon).

That's the number of gallons you'll need. Do a similar calculation for the ceiling by measuring the square footage and dividing by the spread rate.

To estimate how much paint is needed for the trim in a room, the rule of thumb is about one-fourth of what is required for the walls. It will be more or less, depending on the number of windows and doors and the amount of detail trim.

From Householder's Survival Manual

 

• • Get Organized
• • Basements
• • Bathrooms
• • Shopping Guides
• • Painting

• Using Tools: Paint Roller Techniques
• Paint faster and smoother with the right rolling techniques
• 
• Making Paint Last
• Tips for preparing your siding and trim for a long-lasting paint job.
• 
• Paintbrush Drip Stopper
• You'll wonder how you ever painted without this amazing simple, but ingenious, tip.
• 
• Choosing a Paint Brush
• How to choose the right brush for your paint job.
• 
• Fix a Room That Was Painted Too Dark a Color
• Temper dark colors with light counterpoints.
• 
• How Much Wallpaper Do You Need?
• Calculate how many rolls you'll need to buy.
• 
• Preparing Surfaces for Stenciling
• Attention to surface preparation is reflected in the quality of the finished product.
• 

“ Keep your bathroom smelling fresh and clean by making your own deodorizers. Place a decorative dish filled with 1/2 cup baking soda and your favorite scented bath salts either on top of the toilet tank or on the floor behind the bowl. ”

• See All Tips

• Be Inspired
• Meet a 12-Year-Old Making a Difference
• Help Prevent Teen Car Crashes
• Meet 6 Incredible Individuals
• PLUS:
• Quiz: Match the Celebrity With the Cause

My sister felt she was well prepared for her in-depth interview with several members of the police-academy board who would determine her suitability as a candidate. The first situation they presented to her was: "On routine patrol you see a car traveling at excessive speed, with undue care and attention. You pull it over and discover that the driver is your brother. What do you do?"Without hesitation she replied, "Tell Mom!"She was accepted.   

-- Laurie Jean Howell