How Much Paint For A 10X10 Room?

If you're going to paint your room, you need to know how much paint you're going to buy. If you need help determining how much paint you need for your 10x10 room, we're here to help you out. We asked the experts how to calculate the amount of paint according to room size, and here's what they taught us.

To paint a 10x10 room, you would need to buy 1.38 gallons of paint. This will be enough to cover the walls and ceiling that don't have existing paint yet. But if you're just repainting your room, you only need 0.80 gallons of paint.

Continue reading to understand how we came up with this amount of paint and how you can compute the amount of paint you need for other areas of your house. We'll also answer how long it'll take to paint a 10x10 room, if you need a primer when painting your walls, and if you should clean walls before painting. Let's get this started!

How many gallons of paint do I need for a 10x10 room?

Painting a room is one of the top DIY home improvement projects. It can instantly transform the overall look and mood of a room. Experts say you need to repaint the interior of your house every 5 to 7 years, so doing this by yourself can help you save on labor costs. Besides, it's a lot of fun, too! It's a relatively easy and simple task as long as you have everything you need.

Before you embark on this task, you need to prepare the materials and tools that you're going to use. Of course, one of the most important things you have to know is how much paint you'll need for the job. A 10x10 room is quite small compared to other rooms, so you don't want to waste money by buying too much paint.

Meanwhile, it'll be a bummer when the paint that you have is not enough to cover the entire room. Aside from being a momentum killer, there's also a chance that you won't be able to buy the same shade or type when your local hardware runs out of supply.

Oh no, what will happen to the consistency of your work? Instead of enhancing the look of your room, it might end up in an eyesore. To avoid this situation, it is important to get an adequate amount of quality paint right from the start. This will ensure that you can work continuously on your project and focus on how to get it done properly.

Experts say that you would need to buy around 1.38 gallons of paint for a 10x10 room. This would cover bare walls and ceiling. If it is just a repainting job, you would only need 0.80 gallons.

To explain this, each wall and ceiling has an area of 100 square feet. We just add all their areas to get the total area to be painted so we have 500 square feet. Then we divide this by the stated coverage area of the paint type that you're buying. Let's peg it at 360 square feet. So, 500 square feet divided by 360 square feet is 1.38 gallons of paint.

How do I calculate how much paint I need?

But what if your room's walls have different dimensions? Here's a little math to help you calculate how much paint you need.

You need to determine the area of each wall by multiplying its height by its width. Get the sum of the four wall areas of the room.
Divide the total sum by the total coverage area of your gallon of paint. This usually ranges from 350 to 400 square feet. Check the area coverage of the paint that you plan to buy.
The quotient that you will arrive at is the number of gallons that you need to purchase.

However, you also need to take note of the following:

Number of Coats

Take into account the number of coats needed for the job. It is recommended to apply 2 to 3 coats of paint so that it'll last longer, cover bare spots, and make the walls easier to clean. However, you may not have to do this with some high-quality paints or if you're just painting over a surface with the same shade.

Ceiling

If you're also painting your ceiling, multiply its length and width to get your ceiling's area. Add this to the sum of the area of the walls. However, take note of the shape of the ceiling as well, as it might require a different computation. Most ceilings also only require one coat of paint, so you don't need to use as much paint in this area compared to the walls.

Doors & Windows

If you want to be exact, you can also subtract the area occupied by the door and windows (if there are any) since you're not going to paint over them. You can also base your computation based on their standard sizes.

Standard doors have an area of 20 square feet, while windows have an area of 15 square feet. Some don't do this anymore, so they have a little extra in case it is needed. It's up to you if you'll include this in your computation.

Make the necessary adjustments in your computation as needed. Paint producers also have paint calculators on their websites to make it easier for you to determine how much of their paint you need to buy, or you can always ask the sales representative in your local hardware store to help you out.

How long does it take to paint a 100 square foot room?

Technically, the painting itself will only take more or less 40 minutes. It's a pretty straightforward job. You just roll the paint in one direction until you cover all the walls and ceiling. Just take extra care when cutting in the ceiling and trim.

Experts suggest that you stop every three feet or so to check the quality of your work. See if you've painted over the whole area and if the paint job was even and smooth. If there's a portion that you missed, you can go back to it right away.

However, there's a lot of prep work and waiting time involved during painting, so the whole project itself doesn't just last for 40 minutes.

Prep work involves cleaning the walls and sanding if needed. You also need to put tape on the floor, door, and window trims. You also have to cover the power outlets. Then, you also have to prepare the tools that you'll need, such as the paintbrush, roller, and paint tray.

After the initial coat, you also need to wait for it to dry before you can apply another layer of paint. Check the manufacturer's instructions regarding application and drying time.

All in all, it might take between two to three days to finish the whole task and put everything back in order.

Do you need a primer to paint walls?

Aside from paint, you would also see a primer on the same side of the store. You need to know if you have to buy one for your home improvement project.

The thing is, not all painting jobs would need a primer. A primer is an undercoat to prepare the wall or ceiling for painting. It protects the surface and, at the same time, ensures better paint adhesion and durability. It would also help cover existing stains and odors that seem to have clung to the room.

When to Use Primer

A primer is recommended to use on new drywall, especially those with porous surfaces. This will seal the pores so that the material won't absorb too much paint, or you'll need more coats of paint.
When you're painting the exterior portion of your house, you would also need to use a primer to make sure that your paint can withstand harsh environmental conditions.
Primer is also advised to use if you're painting over a glossy surface or when you're repainting, but you're going for a totally different color this time around.

However, you don't need a primer if you're just repainting the room, and the shade isn't that far from the old one. It also isn't necessary for non-porous surfaces and when the paint that you bought is self-priming. Aside from being able to save on the cost of primer, you'll also save time in accomplishing your paint job.

Should you clean the walls before painting?

We've already mentioned earlier that cleaning the walls and ceiling is an important part of the preparatory work for your painting. This will help you get rid of dust, dirt, wax, grease, oil, and grime on the surface. Without these unwanted elements, you can be sure that the paint or primer will adhere to the walls and ceiling properly.

Just because the wall seems clean does not mean you should skip this task. There's dirt that's unseen by the naked eye, and it's best to ensure that you've done the necessary prep work to make your painting a success.

Some paint manufacturers recommend washing the wall with warm soapy water, while some are okay with just wiping the entire surface with a clean and damp piece of cloth. Wait for the surface to be completely dry before you proceed to paint.

Final Thoughts

Be a wise buyer by knowing how much paint you need for a particular portion of your house. This way, you don't waste money on buying more than you need. But take note of the quality of the paint and the number of coats needed when you're doing your computation so that you can be sure that you have an adequate amount of paint to get the job done.

For more painting resources, you may visit the following posts:

Should Ceiling And Wall Paint Match?

How Much Paint Do I Need For Trim?