Determining the right amount of Paint or Stain for your project is important. In general, it is less expensive to buy a gallon than 2 quarts, so it’s better to have enough. Also, a little leftover paint is always good to label and have handy for touch ups.
Measuring is easy, all you need is a tape measure and a calculator.
1. Find the lengths and heights of the surfaces to cover. For irregular areas, fit the area in a rectangle and use its length and height.
2. Multiply the length times the height to get the square footage to be covered.
3. Add all of the rectangles together to get your total square footage to be covered.
4. Read the label on the can to see the maximum coverage and divide your total square footage and round up to the next whole number to find out how many gallons you need.
For Example:
20 feet x 8 feet = 160 square feet
Gallon of Paint covers 100 square feet, so 160/100=1.6 gallons
Rounding up, this wall takes 2 gallons of paint to cover.
If you are not sure how to calculate your paint or stain needs, be sure to stop into your local Curtis Lumber with your dimensions and our Paint Pros will be happy to help you estimate the right amount.