How much paint for a door?
An interior door 32 × 80 in, painted on both sides and the edges, has about 37.7 square feet of surface and needs 0.75 quarts of paint for two coats. Buy 1 quart.
How to work it out
- 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
A door is a quart job. Both faces of a standard 32 × 80 in interior door plus its edges come to under 40 sq ft, and two coats of a door-and-trim enamel use about three-quarters of a quart.
Adjust for your project
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
- 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.
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 |
What to know about painting a door
- About 38 sq ft in all. 32 × 80 in is 17.8 sq ft per side, 35.6 for both; the edges add about 2.1 sq ft at 1⅜ in thick.
- Two coats: 0.19 gallons. At the 400 sq ft per gallon low end of the Benjamin Moore Advance range; a quart leaves enough for the casing on one side.
- Several doors. A gallon covers five doors like this one, both sides, two coats. Eight doors is a gallon and three quarts: buy two gallons.
- Panel doors. Six-panel doors have bevels and recessed fields; plan 10–15% more, which still fits a single door in one quart.
Paint the door off its hinges if you can, laid flat on sawhorses or hung from a hook through the top hinge holes. On a panel door, paint the recessed panels first, then the horizontal rails, then the vertical stiles, finishing each section with long strokes in the direction of the wood grain.
The casings and jamb around the opening are on how much trim paint for one room. The exterior side of an entry door is how much paint for a front door. A quart’s total coverage is on how much does a quart of paint cover.
Different size? Use the full Door Paint Calculator.
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) - 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) - 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)
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 for 5 interior doors?
About 0.94 gallons for two coats on both sides: 1 gallon.
How much paint for one side of a door?
About 0.36 quarts for two coats: 1 quart.
How much paint for a 36 inch door, both sides?
About 0.84 quarts for two coats: 1 quart.
Other common sizes
- 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
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.