How Much Paint for a Bedroom?
Bedroom size varies — a small 10×10 needs 2 gallons for two coats, a typical 12×12 needs 2 gallons, and a master 14×16 needs 3 gallons. Enter your exact dimensions for an accurate count.
Paint by bedroom size: quick reference
| Bedroom size | Paintable area | 2 coats @ 350 |
|---|---|---|
| 10×10 (small bedroom) | 270 sq ft | 2 gallons |
| 12×12 (typical bedroom) | 334 sq ft | 2 gallons |
| 12×14 (medium bedroom) | 366 sq ft | 3 gallons |
| 14×16 (master bedroom) | 430 sq ft | 3 gallons |
| 15×20 (large master) | 510 sq ft | 3 gallons |
Paintable area = gross walls minus 1 door (20 sq ft) and 2 windows (30 sq ft), 8 ft ceiling. Enter your exact measurements below.
Room Dimensions
Openings & Coats
How the math works
Step 1 — gross wall area
gross_wall = 2 × (length + width) × ceiling_height Step 2 — subtract openings
paintable = gross_wall − (doors × 20) − (windows × 15) Each standard 36×80 in door = 20.0 sq ft. Average window = 15 sq ft (industry convention). Paintable area is clamped to ≥0.
Step 3 — gallons
gallons_to_buy = ⌈ (paintable × coats) ÷ coverage ⌉ Coverage defaults to 350 sq ft/gal — the conservative figure used by Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore and Behr field guides. Always round up to whole gallons; running out mid-job risks a dye-lot mismatch.
Bedroom painting checklist
- Measure length, width, ceiling height and count doors/windows — enter in the calculator above
- Buy paint for walls + separate ceiling paint if painting the ceiling
- Add primer if new drywall, heavy patching, or dark-to-light color change
- Add semi-gloss paint for trim and doors (see the trim guide on this site)
- Factor ~10% extra for waste, touch-ups, and future touch-ins
Frequently Asked Questions
A typical master bedroom (14×16×8) with 1 door and 2 windows has 2 × (14+16) × 8 = 480 sq ft gross wall area. Subtract 50 sq ft of openings: 430 sq ft paintable. Two coats at 350 sq ft/gal: 430 × 2 ÷ 350 = 2.46 gallons → buy 3 gallons.
Primer is needed for new drywall, after patching holes or water damage, and when changing from a very dark color to a light one. For repainting a previously painted bedroom in a similar shade, primer is optional. At 250 sq ft/gal, a 14×16 bedroom needs 2 gallons of primer.
Many designers recommend painting ceilings white or a lighter shade than the walls. The ceiling is a separate calculation — a 14×16 ceiling is 224 sq ft. At 350 sq ft/gal, two coats need 224 × 2 ÷ 350 = 1.28 gallons → buy 2 gallons of ceiling paint.
A standard bedroom (12×12 to 14×16) typically takes 4–8 hours for walls including prep, cut-in, and two coats. Add 1–2 hours for ceiling and 1–2 hours for trim and doors. This assumes one person working at a steady pace with proper prep (taping, drop cloths, priming if needed).
Eggshell (10–25% gloss) is the most popular bedroom wall finish — easy to clean, subtle sheen, and hides minor imperfections better than flat. Flat/matte works for a cozy low-light look but is harder to wipe clean. Satin works too but can show texture and roller marks more. Semi-gloss is best left for trim.