Paint Coverage Calculator — How Much Paint Do I Need?

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.

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.

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.

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.