How Much Paint for a Bedroom?
Most bedrooms: 2 gallons for two coats. Here is the exact number for your size.
Most bedrooms need 2 gallons of paint for two coats. A typical 12x12 bedroom works out at 1.9 gallons, which rounds to 2. Larger master bedrooms at 14x16 need 3 gallons. The variables that actually change the number are the closet, the number of windows, and whether you are painting the ceiling.
Estimates only. Textured walls, high ceilings, sprayers and major colour changes can all increase the amount you need. Always buy slightly more than the calculation suggests.
Paint needed by bedroom size
| Room / surface | Surface | Coats | Paint | Paint cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small bedroom, 10x10 | 284 sq ft | 2 | 2 gal | $70 |
| Standard bedroom, 12x12 | 312 sq ft | 2 | 2 gal | $70 |
| Large bedroom, 12x14 | 344 sq ft | 2 | 2 gal | $70 |
| Master bedroom, 14x16 | 393 sq ft | 2 | 3 gal | $105 |
| Master bedroom with ceiling, 14x16 | 617 sq ft | 2 | 4 gal | $140 |
Two coats at 350 sq ft per gallon. Two doors assumed because bedrooms normally have an entry door and a closet door.
Do not forget the closet
The single most common mistake when estimating a bedroom is forgetting the closet. An open closet with painted walls adds real surface area, and a walk-in closet can add as much as a third of a small bedroom again.
If you are painting the inside of a closet, add roughly 100 to 150 square feet of wall for a standard reach-in closet, and 250 to 400 square feet for a walk-in. That is often the difference between 2 gallons and 3.
Accent walls change the maths in your favour
If you are painting one wall a different colour, you still need two coats on that wall — but you need far less paint. A single 12-foot accent wall at 8 feet high is 96 square feet, which two coats covers with well under a gallon.
Buy a quart for the accent wall, not a gallon. A quart covers about 87 square feet at 350 sq ft per gallon, so a quart is tight for a 12-foot wall at two coats — buy two quarts, or use the leftover from your main colour budget. For an accent wall, one gallon of the accent colour is the safe purchase for anything larger than a 10-foot wall.
Trim, doors and baseboards are a separate job
Interior trim is usually painted with a different product — a waterborne alkyd or enamel — in a semi-gloss or satin finish. Do not budget it from the wall paint calculation.
For a typical bedroom, the baseboards, door casings, window trim and the door itself usually take one quart to half a gallon of trim paint for two coats. If you are painting trim throughout a whole house, that changes completely, and it is worth calculating separately.
Frequently asked questions
How much paint do I need for a 12x12 bedroom?
About 2 gallons for two coats on the walls, assuming two doors and two windows. Add a gallon if you are also painting the ceiling.
How much paint for a master bedroom?
A 14x16 master bedroom needs 3 gallons for two coats on the walls, or 5 gallons if you include the ceiling.
Do I count the closet when estimating bedroom paint?
Yes, if you intend to paint inside it. A reach-in closet adds roughly 100-150 square feet of wall; a walk-in adds 250-400 square feet.
Should I paint the ceiling the same colour as the walls?
You can, and it is a common modern look. If you do, use a flat finish and add roughly one gallon for a standard bedroom ceiling.