Painting Cost Calculator: Estimate Paint, Labor & Total Cost

How much paint do I need?

One gallon of paint covers roughly 350–400 sq ft of wall area with a single coat. For most rooms, plan on 1–2 gallons for walls depending on room size, number of coats, and paint finish.

How many gallons for a 12×12 bedroom?

A 12×12 room with 9ft ceilings has roughly 288 sq ft of total wall area. After subtracting one door (~21 sq ft) and two windows (~42 sq ft), you're left with about 225 sq ft of paintable surface. With 2 coats and a 10% waste buffer, that's around 1.4 gallons, so two 1-gallon cans is the practical purchase.

1 coat vs 2 coats: does it matter?

Two coats is the standard for full, even coverage, especially when switching colors or painting over a dark shade. One coat can work for light touch-ups using the same color. The calculator adjusts your total automatically based on which you choose.

Should I subtract windows and doors?

Yes. A standard interior door is about 21 sq ft (3×7ft) and a typical window is also around 21 sq ft. Skipping this step leads to over-buying by half a gallon or more in larger rooms. Enter your door and window counts above and the calculator handles the deduction automatically.

Does ceiling paint count separately?

Yes, ceilings are a separate surface with a different coverage rate (flat/matte finishes spread further on smooth ceilings). Enable "Include ceiling" in the calculator to add a ceiling estimate on top of your wall total. Most bedrooms add about 0.5–1 gallon for the ceiling.

Which paint finish should I choose?

Finish affects both coverage and durability. Matte and flat finishes hide imperfections and cover about 375 sq ft per gallon, making them good for low-traffic bedroom walls. Eggshell and satin (~350 sq ft/gallon) are easier to clean, making them a better choice for hallways and kids' rooms. Semi-gloss (~325 sq ft/gallon) is best for trim, doors, and bathrooms where moisture resistance matters.

How much does it cost to paint a room?

For a typical room, paint alone is about $45 to $90 (one to two gallons at $45 a gallon), which is the figure this paint cost calculator returns. If you hire a painter, labor usually adds $1.50 to $4 per square foot of wall, or roughly $300 to $800 per room, depending on prep work, ceiling height, the number of coats, and your local rates. Doing it yourself keeps the cost to materials plus brushes, rollers, tape, and drop cloths.

Is repainting worth it before selling?

Paint is one of the cheapest ways to lift listing photos, but it is worth comparing against the alternative before you commit a weekend to it. Staging the photos instead costs roughly $16 to $75 per image and changes furniture rather than walls. The virtual staging cost calculator runs both numbers against the expected price lift, and AI virtual staging shows what a furnished version of the room would look like before you buy a single can.

How do I calculate paint in liters?

Switch the units toggle to meters to work in square meters. The result is shown in gallons, which convert cleanly to liters: one US gallon is about 3.79 liters, so a 1 gallon estimate is roughly 3.8 liters and a 2.5 liter tin covers about two thirds of a gallon. In metric markets the coverage rate on the can is listed per liter, so you can enter it under the advanced coverage option for an exact match.