Paint Calculator
Calculate how many liters of paint you need for an area (walls, ceiling). Considers coats, coverage per liter and discounts for doors/windows. Everything in your browser.
How to estimate paint quantity
The base formula is area = perimeter · height − doors − windows and then liters = (area × coats) / yield. Typical yields per liter, per coat: acrylic latex 12–14 m²/L on smooth walls (6–8 m²/L on textured surfaces), synthetic enamel 10–12 m²/L, varnish 8–10 m²/L. Always add a 10–15% margin for losses and touch-ups. One coat is rarely enough; the standard is 2–3 coats. White on white usually works with 2 coats; dark over light requires primer + 2–3 coats. Premium paints (more expensive upfront, cheaper long-term) survive more washes. The Brazilian standard NBR 15079 classifies water-based paints as premium, standard, or economy by wash resistance, hiding power and yield.
Applications
Home renovation budgeting (Leroy Merlin, C&C, Telhanorte estimates), deciding between DIY and hiring labor, painter quotes (avoiding overbilling on material), and resale prep — repainting bedrooms before selling typically pays back several times the paint cost.
How much paint for a room
Leftover paint at the end of the job? Money down the drain. Run short halfway through? Back to the shop you go, brush in hand. This calculator estimates how many litres you need to cover an area, whether walls or ceiling, starting from the measurements you enter.
The math includes the number of coats and the coverage per litre printed on the can. You also subtract the area of doors and windows, which nobody paints. The result lands far closer to what you'll actually use than the rough guess you'd get from the raw wall footage.
Everything is handled right here in the browser. Enter the measurements, check how many litres to grab, and only then head to the shop, sparing yourself an extra trip and some cash on the project.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the yield on the can higher than what I get?
Do I need primer (selador / fundo)?
Latex or acrylic?
Related Tools
Wall Paint Calculator (Liters)
Calculate how many liters of paint you need to cover a wall or room in square meters, including the number of coats. Plan the right amount to buy.
Procreate Painting Time
Estimates average time to finish a digital painting in Procreate by type.
Wallpaper Roll Calculator
Calculate how many wallpaper rolls to buy to cover a wall, from the room and roll dimensions. Includes the allowance for pattern matching and cuts.
Floor Tile Quantity m2
Calculates boxes of ceramic floor tiles needed for a given area in square meters.
Tile Calculator
Calculate how many m² of flooring or tile boxes to buy. Includes safety margin (10%, 15%, 20%) for cuts and breakage. Everything in your browser.
Bricks for Wall
Calculates how many bricks are needed to build a wall given dimensions.
The results provided by this tool are for general informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute professional, financial, medical, legal, tax or accounting advice. Always confirm important decisions with a qualified professional and official sources.