Exterior Paint Calculator
Estimate the paint for the outside walls of a house. Enter the distance around the house, the wall height and the doors and windows, and the paint needed follows.
- Free
- Works offline after your first visit
- Saves on this device
- No sign-up
- Updated
How it works
Wall area is the distance around the house times the wall height, minus the doors and windows. Multiply by the number of coats, then add a little for trim and waste.
Divide by the coverage on the can, which is often about 350 square feet per gallon, and round up to whole gallons. Rough surfaces such as wood siding or stucco soak up more paint.
Worked example
A house 160 ft around, with walls 9 ft high and 60 ft² of doors and windows, needs 9 gal of paint for 2 coats.
Questions
Does this count primer?
No. Primer is usually a separate product with its own coverage, so count it on its own.
Why add extra for trim and waste?
Trim, corners and drips use paint that the wall area does not show. A little extra helps you finish in one batch.
Do dark colours need more coats?
Often, yes. Deep or bright colours can need an extra coat, so check the can and count that many.
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