How Much Paint for a 12x15 Room?

A 12 × 15 ft room with 8 ft walls, one door and two windows has about 381 sq ft of wall. Two coats take 2.2 gallons, so buy 2 gal + 1 qt of wall paint. Painting the ceiling too adds 1 gal + 1 qt.

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Measure by
Check the can: usually 250–400

Enter your measurements to see the result.

How it's worked out

  1. Wall area: 2 × (12 + 15) × 8 ft = 432 sq ft
  2. Minus openings: 21 sq ft for the door and 15 sq ft for each window = 381 sq ft
  3. Two coats: 381 × 2 = 762 sq ft
  4. Gallons: 762 ÷ 350 sq ft per gallon = 2.18 gal

12x15 room: other ceiling heights

WallsWall areaPaint for 2 coatsBuy
8 ft381 sq ft2.2 gal2 gal + 1 qt
9 ft435 sq ft2.5 gal2 gal + 2 qt
10 ft489 sq ft2.8 gal3 gal

The ceiling is 180 sq ft and takes 1 gallons for two coats. Use ceiling paint, which is flatter and spatters less.

Coverage of 350 sq ft per gallon is typical for smooth, previously painted walls. Textured walls, fresh drywall and big color changes use more, so check the label on your can and change the coverage in the calculator.

Other common sizes

More detail: How Much Paint Do I Need for a Room? A Simple Guide