Expert Painters

How Much Paint Do I Need? A Room-by-Room Guide for Melbourne Homes

expert painting services Melbourne
17 Sep

Buying too little paint means extra trips to the hardware store, and possibly slight colour differences between batches. Buying too much wastes money. The good news is that working out how much paint you need only takes a tape measure and a few minutes.

This guide explains the simple formula professional painters use, with room-by-room estimates for typical Melbourne homes.

The simple formula

  1. Measure the walls. Add up the length of every wall in the room (the perimeter) and multiply it by the ceiling height.
  2. Subtract doors and windows. A standard internal door is about 1.7 m², and an average window is around 1.5–2 m².
  3. Multiply by the number of coats. Most repaints need two coats.
  4. Divide by the coverage rate. Most interior wall paints cover roughly 12–16 m² per litre per coat. Check the tin for the exact figure.

Litres needed = (wall area − doors and windows) × number of coats ÷ coverage per litre

Example: a standard bedroom

Take a 4 m × 4 m bedroom with 2.7 m ceilings, one door and one window:

  • Perimeter: 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 16 m
  • Wall area: 16 × 2.7 = 43.2 m²
  • Minus the door (1.7 m²) and window (2 m²): 39.5 m²
  • Two coats: 79 m²
  • At 14 m² per litre: about 5.6 litres

A 4 L tin plus a 2 L tin would cover the walls of this room.

Quick guide by room

Room (typical size)Walls, 2 coatsCeiling, 2 coats
Small bathroom (2 × 2.5 m)2–3 L1 L
Bedroom (4 × 4 m)5–6 L2–3 L
Living room (5 × 6 m)8–10 L4–5 L
Kitchen and dining (4 × 6 m)6–8 L3–4 L
Hallway (1.2 × 6 m)4–5 L1 L

These are rough estimates for rooms with 2.7 m ceilings. Rooms with high ceilings, like those in many Victorian and Edwardian homes in Melbourne, can need considerably more.

Don’t forget ceilings, doors and trims

  • Ceilings: the ceiling area is roughly the same as the floor area. Use the same formula with your ceiling paint’s coverage rate.
  • Doors: a 1 L tin of enamel usually covers about two doors, both sides, with two coats.
  • Skirting boards and architraves: a 1 L tin of trim enamel is usually enough for a couple of standard rooms.

What changes how much paint you need

  • Big colour changes. Going from a dark colour to a light one, or the reverse, often needs an extra coat or a tinted undercoat.
  • New plaster or bare surfaces. These need a sealer or primer first, which is calculated separately.
  • Rough or porous surfaces. Render, bagged brick and textured walls soak up more paint than smooth plasterboard.
  • How the paint is applied. Spraying generally uses more paint than rolling.

Tips for buying paint

  • Buy all the paint for one colour at the same time, so it comes from the same batch.
  • If you have several tins of the same colour, mix them together in a larger container before starting. Painters call this boxing.
  • Round up rather than down. A little leftover paint is useful for touch-ups.
  • Label leftover tins with the room, colour and date, and store them sealed, away from heat and frost.
Interior painting by Expert Painting and Renovation

Let the professionals work it out

If you’d rather skip the maths, our team can measure, supply and apply everything for you. Expert Painting and Renovation is a family-run, Aussie-local company based in Richmond, with more than 9 years of experience as Melbourne painters. We check what your walls are made of before choosing products, so you get the right paint in the right amount.

Learn more about our interior painting and exterior painting services, or see the suburbs we cover on our service areas page.

Dulux Australia — Exterior Render Systems https://www.dulux.com.au

Haymes Paint — Texture Coating Solutions https://www.haymespaint.com.au (haymespaint.com.au in Bing)

Safe Work Australia — Rendering Safety Guidelines https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au

Floor Protect – https://floor-protect.com.au/

Laser Clean Pro – https://www.lasercleanpro.com.au/

FAQ

Is one coat of paint enough?
Rarely. Two coats give even colour, better coverage and a longer-lasting finish, especially when changing colours.

How much paint do I need for the outside of a house?
It depends on the size of the home and the surfaces. Weatherboards, render and brick all use paint at different rates, so it’s best to have a painter measure and quote.

Does primer count as one of the coats?
No. Primer or sealer is a separate step, so work out how much you need using the coverage rate on the primer tin.

What if I have paint left over?
Keep it for touch-ups. Store the tin sealed and upside down for a few seconds after closing to help keep it airtight, and label it clearly.

Want a painter to take care of it? Contact Expert Painting and Renovation for a quote.

About Expert Painting & Renovation

Expert Painting and Renovation is an Aussie-local, family-run company based in Richmond, Melbourne, with more than 9 years of experience in residential and commercial painting and renovation. Our specialists deliver premium workmanship, timely service and durable finishes designed for Melbourne homes.

Whether you need maintenance advice, a single-room refresh or a full home makeover, our team is just a call away.

📍 Our Service Areas Across Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula, Surf Coast & Phillip Island

Melbourne & Bayside

Phillip Island & Bass Coast

Surf Coast & Bellarine Peninsula

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