How much paint for a 10x12 room?
2 gallons of wall paint covers a 10x12 room with 8 ft ceilings in two coats. That's 302 sq ft of paintable wall (after one door and two windows), needing 1.73 gallons exactly, rounded up to cans you can buy.
| Ceiling height | Wall area | One coat | Two coats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 302 sq ft | 1 gal | 2 gal |
| 9 ft | 346 sq ft | 1 gal | 2 gal |
| 10 ft | 390 sq ft | 1 gal + 1 qt | 2 gal + 1 qt |
Wall area assumes one door (20 sq ft off) and two windows (15 sq ft each off) at 350 sq ft per gallon. More openings, less paint: every extra door is 20 sq ft you don't roll. Adding the ceiling? That's 120 sq ft overhead, 1 gal of flat white for two coats.
This is the classic bedroom bracket, and it sits right on the two-gallon line. Whether you squeak under it comes down to ceiling height and how many openings the room really has: a second door (closets count) pulls 20 sq ft back out of the math. Count the closet doors before you buy.
Questions people ask
Does that include the ceiling?
No, the headline is walls only. The ceiling of a 10x12 room is 120 sq ft and takes 1 gal of flat ceiling paint for two coats. It goes in the cart as its own can.
What if my walls are textured?
Figure 300 sq ft per gallon instead of 350. For this room that means 2.01 gallons for two coats, so buy 2 gal + 1 qt. Orange peel and knockdown drink noticeably more than smooth drywall.
What does the paint cost?
The 2 gallons runs about $90 in a $45 mid-grade line. The cost calculator prices budget and premium lines and the supplies kit.
Nearby sizes
Or start from the full room calculator with ceiling, trim, and primer options.