How much paint do you need for an 11×12 room?

For a 11×12 ft room with 8 ft ceilings (one door, two windows), the walls measure 317 sq ft. Two coats take 1.81 gallons — buy 2 gallons. The ceiling needs another 1 gallon for two coats.

Change the numbers

The calculator below is pre-filled for this project. Adjust any value — including feet and inches — and the results update instantly.

ftin
ftin
ftin
pcs

Each counts as 21 sq ft (3×7 ft).

pcs

Each counts as 15 sq ft (3×5 ft).

sq ft

Check the can; 350–400 is typical.

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Your results

Wall paint to buy2 gallons
Paintable wall area317 sq ft
Exact wall paint (2 coats)1.81 gal
Primer, if needed (1 coat)1 gallon
How much paint do you need for an 11×12 room — diagram

Wall paint for an 11×12 room by ceiling height

Two coats, 350 sq ft per gallon, one door and two windows subtracted.

Ceiling heightWall areaExact paintBuy
8 ft317 sq ft1.81 gal2 gallons
9 ft363 sq ft2.07 gal2 gallons + 1 quart
10 ft409 sq ft2.34 gal2 gallons + 2 quarts

Ceiling paint

The ceiling is 132 sq ft. One coat needs 2 quarts; two coats need 1 gallon. Flat ceiling paint hides imperfections best.

Buying for this room

Walls and ceiling together come to about 2.6 gallons, so single gallons and quarts are the right size. If you plan to paint other rooms the same color, a 5-gallon bucket may still be the better buy. Need primer for new drywall or a big color change? Plan on 1 gallon for the walls.

The math

2 × (11 + 12) × 8 ft = 368 sq ft − 1 door (21) − 2 windows (30) = 317 sq ft 317 × 2 coats ÷ 350 = 1.81 gallons

Common questions

How many gallons of paint for an 11x12 room?

2 gallons for two coats on the walls with 8 ft ceilings, plus 1 gallon if you paint the ceiling.

How much paint for an 11x12 room with 9 ft ceilings?

2 gallons + 1 quart for two coats on the walls.

Is one gallon enough for an 11x12 room?

One gallon covers one coat on the walls (0.91 gal needed), but you'll want 2 gallons for two coats.

Want the full method, tips and other sizes? See the paint calculator guide.

Last reviewed November 1, 2026. Results are estimates — confirm with your supplier.

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