How Much Paint for a 10x12 Room?
A 10x12 room has 120 sq ft of floor area and roughly 352–440 sq ft of wall surface, depending on whether the ceiling is 8, 9, or 10 feet high. With 8-foot ceilings, one standard door (20 sq ft), one window (15 sq ft), and two coats of eggshell/satin paint at 375 sq ft per gallon, you need 2 gallons for the walls. That is based on 317 sq ft of paintable wall area: (44 ft perimeter × 8 ft height) minus 35 sq ft for the door and window.
Calculate Your Exact Amount
Enter your ceiling height, doors, and windows to confirm gallons for your specific 10x12 room.
Exact Calculation for 10x12 Room
How We Calculate This
- Measure all four walls: (10+12) × 2 × 8 = 352 sq ft
- Subtract doors and windows: 1 door (20 sq ft) + 1 window (15 sq ft) = 35 sq ft
- Paintable wall area: 352 − 35 = 317 sq ft
- Gallons for 2 coats: (317 × 2) ÷ 375 = 1.69 gallons, rounded to 2 gallons
Pro tip: Always buy an extra quart for touch-ups
What Changes This Amount?
- •Ceiling height: 9 ft ceilings need 2 gallons; 10 ft ceilings need 2.5 gallons for two wall coats
- •Paint type: Flat paint covers more (425 sq ft/gal); high-gloss covers less (325 sq ft/gal)
- •Wall texture: Rough walls absorb 20% more paint
- •Color change: Dark to light may need a third coat
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FAQ
How much paint is needed for a 10x12 room?
For a 10x12 room with 8-foot ceilings, two coats of eggshell/satin paint, one door, and one window, you need 2 gallons for the walls. The walls total 352 sq ft before openings; subtracting 35 sq ft for a door and window leaves 317 sq ft of paintable surface. At 375 sq ft of coverage per gallon and two coats, that works out to 1.69 gallons, rounded up to 2 gallons.
How much paint for a 10x12 room?
A 10x12 room with standard 8-foot ceilings typically needs 2 gallons for two wall coats. Calculate wall area as (10 + 12) × 2 × 8 = 352 sq ft, subtract 35 sq ft for one door and one window to get 317 sq ft, then divide by 375 sq ft per gallon and multiply by 2 coats. Rooms with 9- or 10-foot ceilings need 2–2.5 gallons for walls alone.
How many gallons of paint for a 10x12 room?
Plan on 2 gallons for a standard 10x12 room with 8-foot ceilings and two coats on the walls. Our calculator uses the same formula: 317 sq ft of paintable wall × 2 coats ÷ 375 sq ft per gallon = 1.69 gallons, rounded to 2 gallons.
Do I need to paint the ceiling too?
A 10x12 ceiling is 120 sq ft. At 400 sq ft per gallon and two coats, the ceiling alone adds about 0.6 gallons (often purchased as 1 gallon). Combined with 2 gallons for the walls, a full walls-and-ceiling job typically requires about 2.5–3 gallons total.
What if my 10x12 room has high ceilings?
A 10x12 room with 9-foot ceilings has 396 sq ft of wall (361 sq ft paintable) and needs 2 gallons for two wall coats. At 10-foot ceilings, wall area rises to 440 sq ft (405 sq ft paintable), requiring 2.5 gallons for two coats on the walls.