How much paint for a 14x16 room?
2 gallons + 2 quarts of wall paint covers a 14x16 room with 8 ft ceilings in two coats. That's 430 sq ft of paintable wall (after one door and two windows), needing 2.46 gallons exactly, rounded up to cans you can buy.
| Ceiling height | Wall area | One coat | Two coats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 430 sq ft | 1 gal + 1 qt | 2 gal + 2 qt |
| 9 ft | 490 sq ft | 1 gal + 2 qt | 3 gal |
| 10 ft | 550 sq ft | 2 gal | 3 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 224 sq ft overhead, 1 gal + 2 qt of flat white for two coats.
At this size the second coat is what pushes you past two gallons, and it is not the place to economize. Larger walls show roller lap marks and thin spots at raking evening light worse than small rooms, and a proper second coat is the fix.
Questions people ask
Does that include the ceiling?
No, the headline is walls only. The ceiling of a 14x16 room is 224 sq ft and takes 1 gal + 2 qt 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 2.87 gallons for two coats, so buy 3 gal. Orange peel and knockdown drink noticeably more than smooth drywall.
What does the paint cost?
The 2 gallons + 2 quarts runs about $131 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.