How much paint for a bedroom?
An average 12 by 14 foot bedroom with 8 foot ceilings needs about 2.17 gallons of paint for two coats on the walls, so buy 3 gallons. That allows for an entry door, a closet door, two windows, and a 10 percent waste factor, at 350 square feet per gallon.
A small 10 by 10 bedroom needs about 1.79 gallons, so 2 gallons is enough. One gallon covers one coat in a small bedroom, but not two.
The full arithmetic for a 12x14 bedroom
| Wall perimeter | (12 + 14) × 2 = 52 ft |
| Gross wall area at 8 ft | 52 × 8 = 416 sq ft |
| Subtract 2 doors | -40 sq ft |
| Subtract 2 windows | -30 sq ft |
| Net wall area | 346 sq ft |
| Two coats | 692 sq ft |
| Plus 10 percent waste | 761.2 sq ft |
| Divided by 350 sq ft per gallon | 2.17 gallons, buy 3 |
Paint by bedroom size
Same assumptions: 8 foot ceilings, two coats, 10 percent waste, 350 square feet per gallon. A closet door counts as a second door.
| Room size | Openings | Net wall area | One coat | Two coats | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 x 10 ft | 1 door, 1 window | 285 sq ft | 0.9 gal | 1.79 gal | 2 gallons |
| 10 x 12 ft | door + closet, 1 window | 297 sq ft | 0.93 gal | 1.87 gal | 2 gallons |
| 12 x 12 ft | door + closet, 1 window | 329 sq ft | 1.03 gal | 2.07 gal | 3 gallons |
| 12 x 14 ft | door + closet, 2 windows | 346 sq ft | 1.09 gal | 2.17 gal | 3 gallons |
| 14 x 16 ft | door + closet, 2 windows | 410 sq ft | 1.29 gal | 2.58 gal | 3 gallons |
A 10 by 12 bedroom lands at 1.87 gallons, right on the edge of 2. If your walls are textured or you are covering a darker color, buy the third gallon.
Adding the ceiling
A bedroom ceiling has the same area as the floor. For a 12 by 14 room that is 168 square feet, which is 0.53 of a gallon for one coat with 10 percent waste. Ceiling paint is usually a separate flat white, so buy 1 gallon of it on top of the wall color.
Closets
A walk-in or reach-in closet adds wall area that is easy to forget. A 2 by 6 foot reach-in closet with 8 foot walls adds roughly 100 square feet of wall, about a third of a gallon for two coats. If you are painting the closet in the same color, add that to the total before you round up.
What would change this estimate
- A dark to light color change. Plan a third coat, or use a tinted primer first. That adds about half again to the wall total.
- Textured walls. See paint coverage by surface type for the lower coverage rate to use.
- An accent wall. One 14 foot wall at 8 feet is 112 square feet, about two thirds of a gallon for two coats. A quart will not be enough; buy a gallon of the accent color.
For your exact room, enter the measurements in the paint calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How many gallons of paint do I need for a bedroom?
An average 12 by 14 foot bedroom needs about 2.17 gallons for two coats on the walls, so buy 3. A small 10 by 10 bedroom needs about 1.79 gallons, so 2 is enough.
Will one gallon of paint cover a bedroom?
For one coat in a small bedroom, yes. A 10 by 10 room has 285 square feet of net wall and one gallon covers 350 to 400. For two coats, which is the normal job, you need 2 gallons for a small bedroom and 3 for an average one.
How much paint do I need for a bedroom ceiling?
A 12 by 14 ceiling is 168 square feet, about 0.53 of a gallon for one coat. One gallon of ceiling paint covers one or two coats on most bedroom ceilings.
Should I buy quarts or gallons for a bedroom?
Gallons. Four quarts usually cost more than one gallon, and a bedroom needs at least two gallons for two coats. Quarts make sense only for trim, a door, or testing a color.
How many gallons of paint for a 3 bedroom house?
Three average bedrooms need about 3 gallons each for two coats on the walls, so roughly 7 to 9 gallons for the bedrooms alone. Ceilings, hallways, and the main living areas are extra, so work room by room.