Chapter 02Paint

Paint

How much to buy before you start, and a record of what went on which wall once you finish. Coverage figures come from the paint makers' own published numbers.

Room repaint: measure, buy once, record the color
Paint coverage calculator

ExampleBuy 2 gallons and 1 quart12 x 14 ft room, 2 coats

Systems: one finished job each

SystemRoom repaint: measure, buy once, record the colorCheck the year the home was built, measure the room, buy each color in one trip, log every coat and record the paint before the can goes on the shelf.8 steps · 4 parts · 1 page to printOpen the system

Tools and records

Chapter 02Paint coverage calculatorWork out how many gallons of paint a room needs from its size, doors, windows and coats, using coverage figures published by paint makers.Open the tool

Guides and know-how

Problem-solving guideHow much paint do I really need?Work out gallons from wall area, coats and the coverage on the label, and see why a can runs out before the wall is done.Read the guide
Know-howOne coat or two? Reading the coverage line on a paint canThe coverage on a can is square feet per gallon for one coat. Two coats double the paint. When one coat can do, and what a second costs in a bedroom.Read the guide
Know-howHow much paint for a ceiling, trim and doorsMeasure a ceiling, baseboards, casings and doors in square feet, then turn them into gallons and quarts. With a 12 x 14 ft bedroom worked through.Read the guide
Practical notePaint record: what to write down before you store the canThe details to copy from a paint can before you store it, where to write them, and how to keep leftover paint usable for touch-ups.Read the guide
Problem-solving guideRan out of paint mid-wall: matching a second canStop at a corner, take the old can's label to the store, and mix what's left with the new paint before you go on. Why cans differ, and how to buy once.Read the guide

Printable sheets

Paint and finish record (one page)

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