How many cans of spray paint for a chair?
A wooden dining chair has about 11 sq ft of surface and needs 2.2 cans for two coats at 10 square feet per can: buy 3 cans.
How to work it out
- 16 in × 16 in × 2 faces = 3.56 sq ft
- 16 in × 12 in × 2 faces = 2.67 sq ft
- 18 in × 1.25 in × 16 faces = 2.5 sq ft
- 16 in × 1.25 in × 8 faces = 1.11 sq ft
- 14 in × 1 in × 12 faces = 1.17 sq ft
- Total 11 sq ft × 2 coats ÷ 10 sq ft per can = 2.2 → 3 cans
A chair looks small, but it has a lot of faces: both sides of the seat and back, four legs with four faces each, and the stretchers between them. Added up, a typical wooden dining chair is about 11 sq ft of paintable surface.
Adjust for your project
- Surface to paint (one coat)
- 11 sq ft
- Cans, before rounding up
- 2.2
- Rounded and spindly parts (legs, rungs, wicker, wire) waste a lot of spray past their edges. On those, buy one can more than the count.
- Spray in light passes 8–12 in from the surface, overlapping each pass by about half, and follow the can’s recoat window.
Cans by number of coats
| Coats | Cans, before rounding up | Cans of paint |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.1 | 2 cans |
| 2 | 2.2 | 3 cans |
| 3 | 3.3 | 4 cans |
Where the 11 square feet come from
- Seat: 16 × 16 in, top and bottom: 3.6 sq ft.
- Back: 16 × 12 in, front and back: 2.7 sq ft.
- Legs: four 18 in legs, 1¼ in square, four faces each: 2.5 sq ft.
- Back posts and stretchers: about 2.3 sq ft more.
Two coats at 10 sq ft per can is 2.2 cans: three cans, with most of one left for touch-ups. At the 12 sq ft printed on some cans it is just under two, but legs and rungs waste a lot of spray past their edges, so plan on three. Metal patio chairs with tube legs waste even more; wicker and woven seats more still.
For a set, multiply: four chairs are about 8.8 cans (buy nine), six about 13. If you are priming bare wood or metal first, add one coat’s worth of primer, about one can per chair. The other common furniture job is how many cans of spray paint for a dresser; for a chair painted by brush instead, a quart of enamel does about eight chairs’ worth of single coats (see how much does a quart of paint cover).
Different size? Use the full Spray Paint Calculator (How Many Cans?).
What you’ll need
- Spray paint and primer (12 oz)Budget price
For furniture, metal and small projects. Several light coats beat one heavy one; check the can for recoat windows.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Spray can trigger handleBudget price
Saves your finger on a multi-can job and gives steadier, more even passes.
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)
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Frequently asked questions
How many cans of spray paint for 4 chairs?
About 8.8 cans for two coats: buy 9 cans.
How many cans of spray paint for a chair with one coat?
About 1.1 cans: 2 cans.
How many cans for a chair if the can covers 20 sq ft?
About 1.1 cans for two coats: 2 cans.
Other common sizes
Sources
- Do it Best, Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch 2X Ultra Cover 12 oz spray paint (listing 795171) (opens in a new tab) — Retailer listing of the manufacturer’s data: coverage area 12 sq ft in the spec table; the description says about 20–25 sq ft per can. Check your can’s label.