Painting tools and guides
Start with what you need to know, in the order most jobs happen.
Work out your paint
Paint calculator: walls and ceiling together, with deductions for doors and windows and a list of containers to buy.
Ceiling paint calculator: a quick figure for one flat ceiling.
Get everything else
Painting shopping checklist: a printable list of tools and supplies, with space for your quantities.
Guides
- How to measure walls for paint: Measure wall area, deduct doors and windows, and deal with bump-outs.
- How to measure a ceiling for paint: Work out flat ceiling area, including L-shaped rooms.
- Paint coverage explained: Read the coverage figure on a label, and allow for coats and primer.
- Quarts, gallons and liters for paint: Convert sizes and coverage figures without mixing up your gallons.
- How to turn a paint estimate into a shopping list: Choose can sizes, avoid color mismatches, and plan for leftovers.
- How to plan paint for several rooms: Combine rooms using one paint, and keep other paints separate.
How the numbers are worked out
The methodology page explains the formulas, units, and limits.