How Much Paint for a 24×24 Room?
A 24 × 24 ft room has 1,536 ft² of wall to cover at two coats, which needs 5 gallons of paint with 5% allowed for cuts and waste. Order 5 gallons (1 five-gallon pails) — one gallon covers 350–400 ft² per coat; buy a 5-gallon pail above 4 gallons — it is cheaper and one batch.
Other room sizes
Order 5 gallons (1 five-gallon pails) — one gallon covers 350–400 ft² per coat; buy a 5-gallon pail above 4 gallons — it is cheaper and one batch.
- Wall area
- 1,536 ft²
- Waste / cuts 5%
- + 77 ft²
- Coverage to buy
- 1,613 ft²
- Metric
- 142.7 m²
- Gallons (350 ft² each)
- 5
- Quarts (87 ft² each)
- 19
- Five-gallon pails5 gallons each
- 1
- Materials + delivery$25–$70 / gallon · Sep 2026
- $125 – $350
- Installed (with labor)typ. $2,120
- $1,277 – $3,422
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Different size or depth?
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How to calculate paint by hand
Gallons = [2 × (L + W) × H (+ L × W ceiling)] × coats × (1 + extra) ÷ 350
Worked example
- Wall area: 2 × (12 + 12) × 8 = 384 ft².
- Two coats: 768 ft²; plus 5% for touch-ups = 806 ft².
- Gallons: 806 ÷ 350 = 2.3 → 3 gallons (or 2 gallons + 2 quarts).
- With the ceiling (144 ft² × 2 coats = 288 ft²): 1,094 ft² → 4 gallons — buy a 5-gallon pail.
- 1 gallon, smooth primed wall
- 350–400 ft² per coat
- 1 gallon, textured or bare
- 250–300 ft²
- 12 × 12 room, walls, 2 coats
- ≈ 2–3 gallons
- Trim & doors, average room
- ≈ 1 quart per coat
Questions crews ask
How much paint do I need for a 12x12 room?
Walls are 384 ft² at an 8 ft ceiling; two coats is 768 ft², which is 2.2 gallons — buy 3 (or 2 gallons and 2 quarts). Add about a gallon for the ceiling at two coats, and a quart for trim.
How many square feet does a gallon of paint cover?
350–400 ft² per coat on smooth, previously painted drywall. Bare drywall, plaster, textured walls and dark-to-light colour changes bring it down to 250–300 ft². Sprayers use 20–30% more than rollers.
How many coats of paint do I need?
Two coats for any colour change or new drywall (after primer). One coat can work for a same-colour refresh with a quality paint-and-primer product. Dark reds and yellows often need three.