Where paint estimates go wrong
Two coats is the default, not the exception — a single coat over a color change never covers. Primer is separate from your finish coats and should be calculated on its own coverage rate.
- • Deduct large windows and doors, but not small openings.
- • Ceilings take about 10% more per square foot than walls.
- • Dark-to-light changes may need a tinted primer plus two finish coats.
FAQ
How much paint do I need for a 12x14 room?
Roughly 450 sq ft of wall area, which needs about 2.6 gallons for two coats — buy three gallons.
How much does it cost to paint a house interior?
Professionally, $1.50–3.00 per square foot of surface area including materials, so a typical 1,800 sq ft home runs $3,000–7,000.
How many square feet does a gallon of paint cover?
350–400 square feet on smooth, primed drywall. Expect 200–300 on textured, porous, or exterior surfaces.
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Written by Sam Doshi and the RevenueLab editorial team. We don't sell the data feeds this tool is built on.
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