Wondering how much paint for a 12×12 room you really need? In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to calculate the gallons required based on coats, surface texture, and room size. By the end, you’ll know how much paint for a 12×12 room without any guesswork.
Room Area Calculation for 12×12 Room
A 12×12 room with standard 8-foot ceilings has:
- Total wall area: (12 + 12 + 12 + 12) × 8 = 384 sq ft (excluding doors/windows)
Quick Paint Gallon Chart: How Much Paint for a 12×12 Room
| Coats Needed | Surface Type | Gallons Required |
|---|---|---|
| 1 coat | Smooth drywall | 1 gallon |
| 2 coats | Smooth drywall | 2 gallons |
| 1 coat | Textured or old wall | 1.5 gallons |
| 2 coats | Textured or rough | 2.5–3 gallons |
*Based on average paint coverage of 350–400 sq ft per gallon.
Factors That Affect How Much Paint for a 12×12 Room
- Color changes (dark to light requires more coats)
- Surface texture (rough absorbs more)
- Doors/windows (subtract ~15–30 sq ft per door)
- Primer used or not
Pro Tips Before Buying Paint
- ✅ Always round up slightly — better to have leftover paint.
- ✅ Box your paint: mix all cans in one bucket for color consistency.
- ✅ Keep ¼ gallon for future touch-ups.
Optional Tools
- Laser tape measurer for wall dimensions
- Notebook or app for tracking coats
- ️ Use our Paint Calculator Tool (Coming Soon!)
Visual Example
Final Thoughts
For a typical 12×12 room, 2 gallons of quality paint will cover two solid coats—even on slightly textured walls. Now you know how much paint for a 12×12 room to buy precisely.
Also read: Explore our main Paint Calculator
External Resource: Home Depot Paint Estimator
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