How much paint for a 10×12 room?
A 10 × 12 ft room with 8 ft walls needs about 1.73 gallons of paint for two coats, covering 302 square feet of wall. Buy 2 gallons.
How to work it out
- 2 × (12 ft + 10 ft) × 8 ft = 352 sq ft of wall − 1 door × 20 sq ft − 2 windows × 15 sq ft = 302 sq ft
- 302 sq ft × 2 coats ÷ 350 sq ft/gal = 1.73 gal
- Buy 2 gallons (2 cans of the size chosen)
Ten by twelve is the textbook secondary bedroom: big enough for a double bed and a dresser, small enough that it sits right on the line between a gallon and a half and two gallons.
Adjust for your project
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- Paint needed
- 1.73 gal (6.53 L)
- Wall paint, cans of the size you chose
- 2 cans · 1-gallon
- Area painted (one coat)
- 302 sq ft
- Paint per coat
- 0.86 gal
- Coverage used
- 350 sq ft/gal
- Coverage is per coat on a smooth, primed wall. Fresh drywall, flat old paint and textured walls soak up more, so if you are near a can boundary, round up.
- 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 for this room by wall height
| Wall height | Area painted (one coat) | Paint needed | Buy (gallons and quarts) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 302 sq ft | 1.73 gal | 2 gallons |
| 9 ft | 346 sq ft | 1.98 gal | 2 gallons |
| 10 ft | 390 sq ft | 2.23 gal | 2 gallons + 1 quart |
| 12 ft | 478 sq ft | 2.73 gal | 3 gallons |
What to know about painting a 10×12 room
The walls run 44 ft around and 8 ft up: 352 sq ft. With a door and two windows out, 302 sq ft is left for each coat. Two coats at 350 sq ft per gallon come to 1.73 gallons, which rounds to 7 quarts, so the cheapest exact buy is one gallon and three quarts; at that point a second full gallon makes more sense.
- Two gallons covers a better-than-average room. Even at the low end of the coverage range there is about a quarter-gallon to spare, enough for a closet’s back wall or touch-ups after the furniture goes back.
- An accent wall changes the order. Make one 12 ft wall a different color and that wall is about 96 sq ft less of the main color; the accent wall page works out the second color.
- Window count matters more in small rooms. Each window you leave out of the count adds 15 sq ft per coat.
- Sheen. Eggshell or satin wipes clean in a bedroom; flat hides wall flaws best. Both cover about the same per gallon on the ProMar 200 sheets.
Compare the square how much paint for a 12x12 room, or see the same room in metric on how many litres of paint for a 10x12 room.
Different size? Use the full Room Paint Calculator.
What you’ll need
- Paint roller frame and covers (9 in)Budget price
A sturdy 9 in frame and a few 3/8 in nap covers handle smooth drywall. Rougher walls and ceilings want 1/2–3/4 in nap, as the data sheets suggest.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Painter’s tape (multi-surface)Budget price
Masks trim, ceilings and glass. Pull it at an angle while the last coat is still slightly soft for the cleanest line.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - 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)
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 a 10x12 room with 9 ft walls?
About 1.98 gallons for two coats; buy 2 gallons.
How much paint for a 10x12 room at 400 sq ft per gallon?
About 1.51 gallons; buy 2 gallons.
Other common sizes
- How much paint for a 12x12 room — 1.91 gal: buy 2 gallons (walls only, 2 coats)
- How much paint for a 10x10 room — 1.54 gal: buy 2 gallons (walls only, 2 coats)
- How much paint for a 12x14 room — 2.09 gal: buy 2 gallons + 1 quart (walls only, 2 coats)
- How much paint for a small bathroom — 0.73 gal: buy 1 gallon (walls only, 2 coats)
- How much paint for a 12x12 room and ceiling — 1.91 gal walls + 0.82 gal ceiling, 2 coats
- How many litres of paint for a 10x12 room — 6.52 L: 1 × 5 L + 2 × 1 L (walls, 2 coats)
Sources
- Sherwin-Williams, ProMar 200 Zero VOC Interior Latex Eg-Shel (B20 series), product data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Coverage 350–400 sq ft per gallon at 4 mils wet; two coats over primer on drywall; sheen 15–20 units at 85°.
- Sherwin-Williams, ProMar 200 Zero VOC Interior Latex Flat (B30 series), product data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Coverage 350–400 sq ft per gallon at 4 mils wet; sheen 1.5–3.5 units at 85°.
- Benjamin Moore, Regal Select Interior Eggshell (549), technical data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Coverage 400–450 sq ft per gallon at 3.8 mils wet; two coats for full color; eggshell 15–22 units at 85°.
- Behr, Premium Plus Interior Flat Paint (No. 1050), technical data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Coverage 250–400 sq ft per gallon depending on application method and substrate porosity; does not include spray loss.
- US EPA, Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program Rules (opens in a new tab) — Covers homes, child care facilities and kindergartens built before 1978; firms and renovators must be certified.