How much does 1 litre of acrylic paint cover?

Roughly 6–10 m² per litre per coat when applied thinly on a primed surface. Golden Artist Colors / Just Paint quote 250–400 sq ft per US gallon for paints and mediums brushed thin (≈6.1–9.8 m²/L). Heavy-body acrylics resist brushing out, and transparent or light colours over dark grounds need extra coats, so opaque studio work covers noticeably less than the top of that range. This calculator uses 8 m²/L as a thin single-coat figure — bump up the number of coats (or use a custom coverage rate) for impasto or glazing work.

How many coats of paint do I need on canvas?

Most paintings require 2-3 coats for good coverage and colour depth. Transparent or light colours over dark grounds may need more coats. If your canvas is properly primed with gesso, you can often achieve good results with 2 coats.

Does oil paint cover more or less area than acrylic?

Oil paint generally covers less area per litre than acrylic — roughly 6 m² per litre against acrylic's thin-coat 6–10 m² — because it is usually applied more thickly and has a different pigment-to-binder ratio. Coverage still varies significantly between brands and pigments, so treat these as starting estimates.

Should I add wastage to my paint estimate?

Yes, adding 10% wastage is recommended. Paint is lost to mixing, palette residue, test swatches and the inevitable paint that dries before you can use it. For beginners or complex techniques, consider adding 15-20% wastage.

Paint Coverage Calculator — How Much Paint Do I Need?

Calculate the amount of paint needed for your canvas, panel or surface based on area, paint type and number of coats.

Surface Width

Measure only the area you are painting — e.g. a 60 cm canvas edge. Standard canvases: A4 ≈ 21 cm, 16×20 in ≈ 41 cm.

Surface Height

The painted height of the surface. For an irregular shape, use the bounding rectangle that encloses your painted area.

Number of Coats

Most paintings need 2–3 coats; transparent or light colours over a dark ground need more. Properly gessoed canvas can often take just 2.

Paint TypePick a paint type, or choose Custom and enter your brand's own m²/L from its data sheet. Built-in rates are thin single-coat figures.

Add 10% wastage

Recommended for palette waste and mixing losses

Price per Litre (optional)

Optional. Convert tube prices to £/L (a 60 ml tube at £6 ≈ £100/L) to estimate paint cost for this surface.

How We Calculate This

This calculator estimates paint quantities using the formula:

Paint needed (litres) = (Surface area × Number of coats) / Coverage rate per litre

Coverage rates used (thin, single-coat)

Acrylic paint: 8 m² per litre — top of Golden / Just Paint's 250–400 sq ft/gal (≈6.1–9.8 m²/L) thin-application range; heavy-body and transparent colours cover less
Oil paint: 6 m² per litre — applied more thickly than acrylic
Emulsion / wall paint: 12 m² per litre — decorator wall paint on a smooth ground
Spray paint: 4 m² per litre — a 400 ml aerosol covers ≈1.5–2 m² thinly

These are thin single-coat figures. Impasto, glazing, very absorbent or textured surfaces use more paint, so increase the number of coats or enter a custom coverage rate for your own brand and technique. Surface area is calculated from width × height in centimetres, converted to square metres. When wastage is enabled, 10% is added to account for mixing losses and palette waste.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities before purchasing materials.