How Many Square Feet Does a Gallon of Paint Cover?
A gallon of interior paint covers about 350–400 square feet per coat on smooth, previously painted walls. Expect less on textured walls, fresh drywall, rough or porous surfaces, and when covering a dark color with a light one. With two coats, a gallon covers about 175–200 square feet of wall.
Coverage by finish
| Finish | Per gallon | 12 × 12 room, 2 coats |
|---|---|---|
| Flat | 400 sq ft | 1.67 → 2 gal |
| Eggshell | 380 sq ft | 1.75 → 2 gal |
| Satin | 375 sq ft | 1.78 → 2 gal |
| Semi-gloss | 350 sq ft | 1.90 → 2 gal |
| High gloss | 325 sq ft | 2.05 → 3 gal |
The room column is 333 sq ft of wall (12 × 12, 8-foot walls, one door, two windows). The finish figures are our planning assumptions within the 350–400 range manufacturers quote; glossier paints usually spread a little thinner. Your paint's data sheet has its own number.
What lowers coverage
- Texture. Knockdown, orange peel and popcorn surfaces have more area than their flat measurement. Plan on roughly 30% less coverage.
- Porous or unprimed surfaces. Fresh drywall and patched areas soak up the first coat. Prime them first.
- Big color changes. Light over dark often needs an extra coat; plan on about 30% more paint.
- Application. A thick-nap roller holds and lays down more paint than a short nap. Spraying uses more because of overspray.
Turning coverage into gallons
- Find the wall area: perimeter × height, minus about 21 sq ft per door and 15 per window.
- Multiply by coats.
- Divide by coverage per gallon. 333 × 2 ÷ 380 = 1.75 gallons.
- Round up to gallons, or to gallons plus quarts.
For a full walk-through with a room-size chart, see how much paint you need for a room.
Common mistakes
- Reading coverage as the whole job rather than per coat.
- Using the best-case number on a rough or thirsty surface.
- Counting the ceiling with the walls when it gets a different paint.
Coverage figures are typical, not guaranteed. Check the label or data sheet for the paint you're buying.
Questions
How many square feet does a quart of paint cover?
About a quarter of a gallon's coverage: roughly 85 to 100 square feet per coat.
How many square feet does a 5-gallon bucket cover?
About 1,750 to 2,000 square feet per coat at 350 to 400 square feet per gallon, or half that for two coats.
Is coverage per coat?
Yes. A gallon that covers 400 square feet in one coat covers about 200 square feet with two.
Does primer cover the same as paint?
Usually less. This calculator assumes 300 square feet per gallon for primer, and porous surfaces take more.