How Much Paint for a 12x12 Room?
Gallons of paint for a 12 x 12 ft room at 8, 9 and 10 ft walls, one or two coats, with the ceiling and primer for new drywall. The calculator is preset to the room.
- 12 x 12 ft room
- One or two coats
- Ceiling and primer
- Door and window deducted
Your estimate
2 coats at 350 sq ft per gallon2.0 gal exact
Area
Paint to buy
Gallons are area times coats divided by coverage, rounded up to whole cans. Textured or porous surfaces take more than the label rate, and trim and doors are not included.
A 12 x 12 ft room with 8 ft walls, one door and one window has 348 sq ft of wall to paint. Two coats at 350 sq ft per gallon is 2.0 gallons, so buy 2 gallons. One coat of a similar color is 1.0 gallons, so a single gallon covers it. The 144 sq ft ceiling takes another 0.8 gallons for two coats.
Paint for a 12x12 room by wall height
- 8 ft walls: 348 sq ft, 2.0 gallons for two coats.
- 9 ft walls: 396 sq ft, 2.3 gallons for two coats.
- 10 ft walls: 444 sq ft, 2.5 gallons for two coats.
The figures use 350 sq ft per gallon, the low end of Sherwin-Williams' 350 to 400 range, and deduct 21 sq ft for the door and 15 sq ft for the window. Trim and the door itself are a separate, smaller purchase.
New drywall in a 12x12 room
Bare drywall needs a coat of primer first, so the taped seams do not show through. For the walls and ceiling of a 12x12 room with 8 ft walls that is 2.0 gallons at 250 sq ft per gallon, the low end of Behr's published range for drywall primer.
Frequently asked questions
Primary references
Manufacturer and industry guidance used to check this article.
- Paint calculator and coverage guidanceSherwin-Williams
- Drywall Plus Interior Primer and Sealer, product data sheetBehr
Product instructions, tested assemblies and local code take priority over general guidance.