BuildCalc

Paint Calculator

Enter your wall area and the number of coats. One gallon covers about 350 ft² per coat. The calculator subtracts nothing for doors and windows by default — adjust the area if you have large openings.

Your measurements

ft²
$

Coverage

Wall area
400 ft²
Coats
2 coats
Total coverage
800 ft²

Buy this

Gallons (exact)
2.29 gal

Paint needed

3 gal

Estimates only. Order a little extra for waste and verify against your supplier's coverage figures.

The formula

Gallons = (Wall area × Coats) ÷ 350 ft² per gallon

Example: 400 ft² of wall × 2 coats = 800 ÷ 350 = 2.3 → 3 gallons.

How it works

  1. 1Multiply wall area by the number of coats for total coverage.
  2. 2Divide by 350 ft² (the coverage of one gallon) and round up.
  3. 3Buy a little extra for touch-ups — paint batches are hard to match later.

Frequently asked questions

Does one gallon really cover 350 square feet?

That's the typical figure for smooth, primed walls. Rough or porous surfaces and dark-to-light color changes reduce coverage, so round up.