How Much Paint Does a House Need?
Coverage per litre, coats, primer and the 10% you will wish you had bought.
2026-09-28 · Materials
Area first
A 10×12 ft room with 9 ft ceilings has about 400 sqft of wall plus 120 of ceiling. Subtract doors and windows.
Coats
Two coats at 120 sqft per litre. Three on new plaster, and use 90 sqft/litre for the first coat.
Primer
Not included in emulsion coverage, and it adds about 15% to material cost. Skipping it doubles the topcoat you need.
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.