Guide
How much paint for a ceiling
The room’s length times its width, by the coats you need.
Short answer
A ceiling's area is the room's length times its width. A 12 × 12 ft ceiling is 144 sq ft, so one coat takes about 2 quarts and two coats about 1 gallon, at 350 sq ft per gallon. A textured or popcorn ceiling can take 30 to 50 percent more.
Ceiling paint by room size
| Room | Ceiling | One coat | Two coats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft | 100 sq ft | 2 quarts | 1 gallon |
| 10 × 12 ft | 120 sq ft | 2 quarts | 1 gallon |
| 12 × 12 ft | 144 sq ft | 2 quarts | 1 gallon |
| 12 × 14 ft | 168 sq ft | 2 quarts | 1 gallon |
| 14 × 16 ft | 224 sq ft | 1 gallon | 1 gallon + 2 quarts |
| 16 × 20 ft | 320 sq ft | 1 gallon | 2 gallons |
| 20 × 20 ft | 400 sq ft | 1 gallon + 1 quart | 2 gallons + 2 quarts |
One coat or two on a ceiling?
A refresh in the same white over a sound, clean ceiling often looks right after one coat. Two coats are needed on new drywall (over primer), after a water stain has been sealed, when the colour changes, and on any ceiling where the first coat shows roller marks under a window’s raking light. If in doubt, buy for two: a spare quart of ceiling white keeps.
Why ceilings take more paint than their area suggests
Ceiling paint is usually a flat finish that is rolled on thicker to hide the roller path, and a textured ceiling has far more surface than its footprint. Popcorn and heavy knockdown ceilings can take 30 to 50 percent more than the table above, and they need a thick-nap roller that holds more paint. Stain-blocking primer goes first over any water mark, or the stain bleeds back through however many coats go over it.