Paint calculator
How much paint do you need?
Enter the room size and what you're painting, and get the litres and tins to buy. It allows for doors and windows and for your ceiling height, including tall period ceilings.
Coverage varies by brand and surface. Check the tin, and buy a little extra from the same batch for touch-ups.
Would rather not paint it yourself?
The same room sizes give you a decorator's price in our instant quote, including preparation, materials and two finish coats. For typical totals, see what painting costs in Haringey. Or read what goes into a professional interior repaint and why tall period rooms take more paint and more time.
Questions
How much does a litre of emulsion cover?
Most trade and retail emulsions cover about 10–13 m² per litre per coat on smooth, previously painted walls. New plaster, rough surfaces and strong colour changes use more. This calculator assumes 12 m² per litre for walls and ceilings and 14 m² per litre for woodwork paint.
How many coats do I need?
Two coats for walls and ceilings in almost every case. Add a diluted mist coat on new plaster, and allow a third coat when going from dark to light.
How much paint for a double bedroom?
A medium double bedroom (3.8 × 3.4 m, 2.4 m ceiling) has about 29 m² of wall after allowing for the door and window. Two coats need roughly 5 litres for the walls, plus about 2.5 litres for the ceiling.