How Many Gallons of Paint for a Bedroom?
A typical bedroom (12x12 ft with 8 ft ceilings) needs about 1.5-2 gallons of paint for two coats. Smaller bedrooms (10x10 ft) need 1-1.5 gallons. For precise calculations based on your room size, use our Paint Coverage Calculator.
Key Takeaways
Explanation
Bedroom paint needs vary by size: small bedrooms (100-150 sq ft floor area) need 1-1.5 gallons, medium bedrooms (150-200 sq ft) need 1.5-2 gallons, and large master bedrooms (200+ sq ft) need 2-3 gallons. These estimates are for two coats.
Standard paint coverage is 350 sq ft per gallon. A 12x12 bedroom with 8-foot ceilings has about 384 sq ft of wall space. With two coats, that's 768 sq ft total, requiring about 2.2 gallons.
Always buy a bit extra for touch-ups and future repairs. Paint colors can vary between batches, so having leftover paint from the same batch is useful for maintenance.
When calculating wall area, subtract about 15 sq ft for each standard window (3x5 ft) and 21 sq ft for each standard door (3x7 ft). A bedroom with two windows and one door would have roughly 56 sq ft less paintable surface, which can save you nearly half a gallon over two coats. However, do not subtract for small areas like electrical outlets or vents since the time spent cutting around them often uses the paint you thought you would save.
Paint coverage rates vary significantly by finish and surface condition. Flat and matte paints typically cover 350-400 sq ft per gallon, while semi-gloss and high-gloss finishes cover only 300-350 sq ft per gallon because they are applied in thicker layers. Painting over a dark color with a light one may require 3 coats instead of 2, increasing your total paint needs by about 50%. Using a tinted primer matched to your finish color can reduce this back to 2 coats and save money since primer is typically $10-15 cheaper per gallon than quality finish paint.
Things to Know
- Accent walls need less paint - calculate just that wall separately if using a different color.
- Closet interiors add to the paint needed if you're painting inside them.
- Bathrooms attached to bedrooms often use different paint (moisture-resistant) and should be calculated separately.
- Textured walls such as knockdown or orange peel finishes absorb 15-25% more paint than smooth drywall, so plan for an extra half gallon on a standard bedroom.