How Much Paint Does a Room Actually Need?
Coverage per litre, coats, primer and the 10% you will wish you had bought — the arithmetic of a paint order.
2026-08-21 · Home
Start with wall area
A 10×12 ft room with 9 ft ceilings has about 400 sqft of wall plus 120 sqft of ceiling. Subtract 40 sqft for doors and windows and you have roughly 480 sqft to coat.
Coats multiply, coverage divides
Two coats over 480 sqft at 120 sqft per litre is 8 litres. Three coats is 12. New plaster absorbs more, so use 90 sqft per litre for the first coat.
Primer is a separate line
Sealer or primer is not included in emulsion coverage and typically adds 15% to the material cost. Skipping it on fresh plaster doubles the topcoat you need.
Buy the pack, not the litre
Round up to 4L or 20L packs. Leftover paint is cheaper than a second trip and a batch mismatch.
How much does 1 litre cover?
110–130 sqft per coat on smooth emulsion.
Is 20L cheaper?
Per litre yes, but opened paint spoils within a year.
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