Enough Is Enough

This is the fourth in a series of clip-and-save articles that will help you do all the right things when it comes to painting your home- inside and out.

So you’re ready to paint. You argued and debated over the colours and now you’re ready. But how much is enough paint?

There’s nothing worse than getting to the end and not having enough paint to finish. It’s important to figure out how much paint you need before you go to the store. Follow these somewhat mathematical guidelines and you’ll be okay. These formulas sound more difficult than they are, and they’ll save you time and frustration.

O.K. now get out your yellow pad, measuring tape and a pencil. For the average rectangular room with standard size windows and doors, do this: measure the length and width of the room, rounding off to the nearest foot. Add them together. Multiply the total by the height (standard 8’ or 10’) and then double it. This is your total wall square feet. A 10 by 15 foot room, added together = 250. Doubled = 500 square feet of wall.

If you have an irregular space measure each section in separate rectangles as above and then add them together then proceed.]The ceiling area is simply the length times the width of the room.
Now subtract 15 square feet for each window and 21 square feet for each door. (These will require semi or full gloss paint.)

For trim the same, or a different colour, you will need 15 square feet for each window and 21 square feet for each door. Armed with this vital information check the paint can for covering capacity of your paint. On average a gallon of Bermuda Paint Interior latex covers 300-350 square feet. Divide by this number into your total area to get how many gallons you’ll need. (E.g. for 600 sq. feet you’ll need 2 gallons.)

One coat or two? Some paints cover in a single coat, others sat that they will. However, in most cases two coats are necessary for a true-to-colour long lasting application.

Much of the above also applies to exterior work. The perimeter of the house (run a kite string around the house and measure the string) multiplied by the height gives you the total outside area.

Similarly you may measure the height by climbing up on a ladder on the top, and dropping a weighted piece of string and then measuring it. Or figure 10 feet for each story, an additional two feet for eaves or gables.

For shutter or blinds, measure one and multiply that area by the number of individual shutter. Add 15 square feet for the trim on each window. The simple rule of thumb is one gallon of trim paint to every six of wall or exterior wall coating.

For the best coverage and most professional, long lasting job- choose Bermuda Paint.