Paint Calculator
Work out how much paint you need — litres, cans to buy, and cost — from your wall area, coats, and coverage. Free, instant, no sign-up.
Surface
Waste & price
Your paint estimate
Paint needed (incl. waste)11,0 L
5 L cans to buy3 cans
20 L cans to buy1 cans
Estimated paint costR 1 320
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Add labour and your margin, then send a professional estimate from your phone — free, no card.
Create a free account →How the paint calculation works
litres (raw) = area × coats ÷ coverage_per_litre litres (order) = litres × (1 + waste%) cans = ⌈litres ÷ can_size⌉ paint cost = litres × price per litre
FAQ
- How do I calculate how much paint I need?
- Multiply the wall area by the number of coats, divide by the paint’s coverage rate (litres cover a set area per coat), then add a waste allowance of about 10%. This calculator does it for you and rounds to buyable can sizes.
- How much does a litre of paint cover?
- Around 8–12 m² per litre per coat on a smooth interior wall, less on rough or porous surfaces (5–7 m²/L). Always check the coverage printed on the tin — the default here is 10 m²/L.
- How many coats of paint do I need?
- Two coats is standard for good coverage. Use three when going light over dark, or one if you are only refreshing the same colour over a sound surface.
- Does this include primer?
- No — this estimates top-coat paint only. Add primer separately for bare or patched surfaces. Create a free BuilderBuddi account to build the full painting estimate with primer, labour, and margin.
From estimate to paid — all from your phone
BuilderBuddi turns calculations like this into professional quotes and invoices, with built-in trade calculators, offline mode, and no office required. Free to start.
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