Room Paint Cost Calculator

What it costs to paint a room, including a primer coat, the tins to buy and the cost per square metre.

Wall length mm

Wall height mm

Floor to ceiling. Measure between the skirting and the cornice if both are staying.

Doors to deduct

About 1.9 square metres each, counting both faces of the leaf.

Windows to deduct

About 1.4 square metres each for a standard window.

Top coats

Two for a colour change, three going from a strong colour to white or over fresh filler.

Primer coats

One over bare plaster, a filled patch or a strong colour. Set to zero for no primer.

Coverage on the tin sq m per litre

Emulsion is typically 10 to 12 square metres per litre per coat. Use the figure on your own tin.

Primer coverage on the tin sq m per litre

Primer is usually lower than the top coat, often 8 to 10 square metres per litre.

Tin size litres

Common sizes are 1 litre, 2.5 litres and 5 litres.

Price per tin of top coat

Price per tin of primer

Set to zero if you are not priming.

Extra for texture, absorption and touch ups %

New plaster and a strong colour underneath can add twenty percent. Five is a reasonable reserve for a sealed wall.

Sales tax or VAT %

Leave at zero if the quoted price already includes tax, or if you are not registered.

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Free calculator by Handcraft worked examples and methodology No account, nothing stored.