Overview
Enter the painted area in square meters, the paint coverage in square meters per liter, the number of coats, a waste percentage and the can size. The tool calculates paint needed without waste, paint needed with waste and the estimated number of cans. Defaults reflect common renovation values: around 10-12 m2/l coverage, 2 coats and 10% waste.
Use cases
- Planning a wall painting project at home.
- Estimating ceiling paint before buying supplies.
- Comparing different paint brands by their coverage.
- Checking how many cans are needed for a renovation budget.
- Avoiding underbuying when painting multiple coats.
How it works
- 1
Multiply area by coats to get the total surface to cover.
- 2
Divide the total surface by paint coverage to get liters without waste.
- 3
Add the waste percentage to estimate a safer total.
- 4
Divide by can size to estimate how many cans to buy.
- 5
Round up the can count to avoid running short during painting.
Examples
Simple room estimate
Input: Area: 40 m2, coverage: 11 m2/l, coats: 2, waste: 10%, can size: 5 l
Output: Liters without waste: 7.27 l, liters with waste: 8.00 l, cans: 2.
A typical room often needs about one extra can once waste and rounding are included.
Ceiling repaint
Input: Area: 25 m2, coverage: 10 m2/l, coats: 2, waste: 10%, can size: 10 l
Output: Liters without waste: 5.00 l, liters with waste: 5.50 l, cans: 1.
Good for quick estimates when repainting a smaller ceiling.
FAQ
How is paint amount calculated?
The calculator multiplies area by the number of coats and divides by paint coverage. Then it adds waste to estimate a practical buying amount.
Should I round up the result?
Yes. Paint should be rounded up to whole cans so you do not run short during the job.
What coverage should I use?
Use the value from the paint label. If you are unsure, 10-12 m2 per liter is a common practical range for many wall paints.
Does the tool work for ceilings too?
Yes. Just enter the ceiling area in square meters and use the paint coverage provided by the manufacturer.