How much paint for a bedroom?
2 gallons of wall paint handles the standard 11x12 bedroom in two coats, and that headline holds from about 10x10 up to 12x14. Bedrooms hide a catch, though: closet doors. A bedroom usually has two doors (entry plus closet), sometimes three with a double closet, and each one is 20 sq ft you don't paint. The table below already counts two.
| Size | Wall area | Two coats |
|---|---|---|
| Small bedroom (10x10) | 265 sq ft | 2 gal |
| Standard bedroom (11x12) | 298 sq ft | 2 gal |
| Large bedroom (12x14) | 346 sq ft | 2 gal |
| Primary suite (14x16) | 390 sq ft | 2 gal + 1 qt |
All rows: 8 ft ceilings, 350 sq ft per gallon, walls only. Tune it below.
Questions people ask
Do closets count?
The closet interior is its own small job (a quart usually covers it, flat white). The closet doors count as doors: subtract 20 sq ft each. A wall of sliding closet doors can be 40 to 60 sq ft of wall you never roll.
What sheen for a bedroom?
Eggshell or matte. Bedrooms take less scrubbing than hallways and kitchens, so you can trade washability for the softer look. Kids’ rooms are the exception; use a scrubbable eggshell there and thank yourself later.
Does a primary suite need three gallons?
At 14x16 with 8 ft ceilings, two coats needs just over 2 gallons, so 2 gallons + 1 quart, and a third door or a 9 ft ceiling tips it to 3 gallons. Measure the ceiling height before deciding.