Paint calculator
Estimate paint liters and cans for walls or a manual area.
Fill in the fields and the result will appear here automatically.
Estimate litres and whole cans using paintable area, litres per square metre per coat and a chosen coat count. Use a directly measured area or a rectangular room model with fixed opening allowances. The consumption field is litres/m², the reciprocal of coverage stated as m²/L. An entered reserve and excess caused by whole cans are shown as different quantities; the calculator does not decide which paint or surface preparation is suitable.
How it works
Formula and logic
Manual mode uses the entered area. Room mode uses 2 × (length + width) × height minus fixed allowances of 1.5 m² per window and 1.8 m² per door; the remaining paintable area must be positive. Litres = area × litres/m² per coat × a positive whole coat count × (1 + reserve/100). Cans are rounded up from litres/can volume; cost is can count × price in RUB. Excess from buying whole cans is separate from the entered reserve. Choose consumption and coat count for the actual paint and surface; neither one nor two coats is a universal rule. The ceiling, actual opening sizes, different consumption between coats and primer are not added separately. A blank price means 0 and hides cost.
Example
For 30 m², 2 coats, 0.15 L/m² per coat and 0% reserve, the estimate is 9 L. With 2.5 L cans, round up to 4 cans; the extra 1 L comes from whole cans.
Fields and units
- Mode — Manual area / By room
- Paintable area — m²
- Room length — m
- Room width — m
- Wall height — m
- Window count — items. Whole count; the model subtracts a fixed 1.5 m² per window. Actual sizes are not entered.
- Door count — items. Whole count; the model subtracts a fixed 1.8 m² per door. Actual sizes are not entered.
- Coat count — coats. A positive whole number of coats from the chosen paint instructions; fractions are not rounded.
- Consumption per coat — L/m². Litres per m² for one coat. If the label states m²/L, enter its reciprocal.
- Can volume — L
- Reserve — %. Chosen non-negative percentage; no universal rate is prescribed. Blank means 0.
- Price per can — RUB. Price in RUB; no currency exchange. Blank or 0 hides cost.
How to use
- — Enter the measured paintable area or room dimensions; choose the corresponding mode.
- — Enter the product rate in L/m² per coat, a whole coat count and a reserve.
- — Enter can volume and an optional RUB price, then compare litres, whole cans and excess.
Method and limitations
- Calculation method
- Formula and logic
- Data or methodology source
- Dulux: coats and consumption depend on paint and surface; the geometric formula here is independent
- Limitation
- Choose consumption and coat count for the actual paint and surface; neither one nor two coats is a universal rule. The ceiling, actual opening sizes, different consumption between coats and primer are not added separately.
FAQ
How do I convert paint coverage in m²/L?
Enter the reciprocal as L/m² per coat. Coverage of 10 m²/L becomes 0.1 L/m²; the calculator then multiplies by the area and the coat count.
How are windows and doors subtracted in room mode?
A whole window count subtracts 1.5 m² each and doors subtract 1.8 m² each. For actual opening dimensions or a ceiling, measure the net area separately and use manual mode.
Does the paint calculator decide the correct number of coats?
No. Enter a positive whole count for the selected product and surface. Products differ: a one-coat label and a two-coat system do not use the same assumption.
What does the excess from whole paint cans mean?
It is the difference between purchased whole-can volume and the already calculated need, divided by that need. It arises after the entered reserve and is not added to the reserve again.