Door paint calculator
Enter the door’s size and how many you are painting. Both faces and the four edges are counted by default; a front door or garage door usually gets one side.
Enter your measurements
More options: T · Extra (spray loss, touch-up stock)
- Paint needed
- 0.75 qt (0.71 L)
- Cans of the size you chose
- 1 can · 1-quart
- Door surface (one coat)
- 37.7 sq ft
- Paint per coat
- 0.38 qt
- Coverage used
- 400 sq ft/gal
32 in × 80 in = 17.8 sq ft per face × 2 + edges 2.1 sq ft = 37.7 sq ft per door
37.7 sq ft × 2 coats ÷ 400 sq ft/gal = 0.75 qt → 1 quart
- Raised-panel doors have more surface than a flat slab of the same size; add 10–15% under Extra for deep panels.
- Old house? If it was built before 1978, read lead paint safety before you sand or scrape: EPA advises assuming old paint contains lead until it is tested.
Quick answers for common sizes
| Example | Answer |
|---|---|
| How much paint for a door | 0.75 qt: buy 1 quart |
| How much paint for a front door | 0.46 qt: buy 1 quart |
| How much paint for a garage door | 0.56 gal: buy 1 gallon |
Paint by number of doors (same size and sides)
| Doors | Door surface (one coat) | Paint needed | Buy (gallons and quarts) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 37.7 sq ft | 0.75 qt | 1 quart |
| 3 | 113 sq ft | 0.57 gal | 1 gallon |
| 5 | 188 sq ft | 0.94 gal | 1 gallon |
| 8 | 302 sq ft | 1.51 gal | 2 gallons |
| 12 | 452 sq ft | 2.26 gal | 2 gallons + 2 quarts |
Door size is entered in inches (or mm). For a garage door you can type feet, such as 16' and 7'. Edges add a little for interior doors and matter more on thick exterior doors. New to this? Paint words explained.
How much paint for a door
door surface = width × height × sides + edges edges = 2 × (width + height) × thickness paint = door surface × doors × coats ÷ coverage
A 32 × 80 in interior door has about 17.8 sq ft per face. Both faces and the edges come to about 38 sq ft; two coats at 400 sq ft per gallon need 0.19 gallons, three-quarters of a quart. So one quart paints a door, and a gallon paints about five. Worked through on how much paint for a door.
Worked examples
- How much paint for a door: an interior door, both sides and edges.
- How much paint for a front door: the outside face of a 36 × 80 in entry door.
- How much paint for a garage door: a 16 × 7 ft double door and a single 8 × 7 ft.
Choosing door paint
- Interior doors get handled more than any wall. A waterborne enamel in satin or semi-gloss (Benjamin Moore Advance, for example, lists 400–500 sq ft per gallon) levels out brush marks and cures hard.
- Front doors face sun and rain: use an exterior enamel rated for doors and trim, and check the can for the temperature range.
- Steel and fiberglass doors often need a specific primer or a light scuff of the factory finish; follow the door maker’s guidance.
- Previously oil-painted doors need a bonding primer before latex enamel, or the new paint can peel.
Tips
- Take interior doors off their hinges and paint them flat across sawhorses; drips and sags mostly disappear.
- Remove or mask hardware rather than painting around it.
- Let enamel cure before rehanging; a door closed on soft paint sticks to the stop. Check the can for the recoat and cure times.
What you’ll need
- Angled sash brush (2–2½ in)Budget price
For cutting in along ceilings, corners and trim. A nylon-polyester brush is what the latex data sheets recommend.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - HVLP paint sprayerMid-range price
A finer, lower-overspray spray for cabinet doors, furniture and trim. Thinner coats, more of them.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Sanding sponges (fine/medium)Budget price
Knocks down patches and scuffs glossy trim so the next coat grips. Damp sponges keep dust down.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Roller covers, 3/8 in and 1/2 in napBudget price
Shorter nap for smooth walls and trim-adjacent work, longer nap for textured ceilings and rough siding. A fresh cover per color saves cleanup.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to products are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help keep these calculators free.
Frequently asked questions
How much paint do I need for a door?
One quart for an interior door, both sides and edges, two coats. A gallon does about five doors. See how much paint for a door.
How much paint for a front door?
Well under a quart for two coats on the outside face of a 36 × 80 in door, so one quart. See how much paint for a front door.
How much paint for a garage door?
About 0.56 gallons for two coats on one side of a 16 × 7 ft door at 400 sq ft per gallon, so one gallon. See how much paint for a garage door.
Should door edges be painted?
Yes on interior doors: sealing all faces and edges evens out moisture movement. Paint the top and bottom edges too if you take the door off.
Related guides
Sources
- Benjamin Moore, Advance Interior Matte (791), technical data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Coverage 400–500 sq ft per gallon at 3.6 mils wet; a cabinet, door and trim enamel; matte 2–6 units at 85°.
- Sherwin-Williams, ProMar 200 Zero VOC Interior Latex Semi-Gloss (B31 series), product data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Coverage 350–400 sq ft per gallon at 4 mils wet; for walls, ceilings and trim.