How much does it cost to paint a room?
Paint is inexpensive; preparation and labour are not. Learn how to size a room, order the right gallons, and price a professional job.
Add to favorites
The numbers at a glance
- Paint per gallon
- $30 – $48
- Coverage per gallon
- 350 – 400 sq ft
- Professional painting
- $2 – $4 per sq ft
- Typical room
- $300 – $800 in labour
- Easiest saving
- do the prep yourself
Sizing a room for paint
Paint is measured in wall area, not floor area. Multiply the room perimeter by wall height, then subtract doors and windows to get the paintable surface. One gallon covers 350 to 400 square feet in a single coat.
Two coats are standard when you change colour or cover patched drywall; one coat is often enough when refreshing the same colour in good condition. The paint calculator does this arithmetic and returns both the wall area and the gallons to buy.
Paint coverage and how much to buy
| Item | Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage per gallon | 350 – 400 sq ft | In a single coat on a smooth, previously painted wall |
| Standard coats | 2 | When changing colour or covering patches; 1 when refreshing the same colour |
| Primer | Yes | On bare drywall and on dark-to-light colour changes |
| Typical bedroom wall area | about 375 sq ft | 14 by 12 ft room with 8 ft walls, openings deducted |
| Gallons for that room | 3 | For two coats |
Buy the gallons the coverage maths gives you, not a round number. Textured walls absorb more, so lean toward the lower 350 sq ft figure.
A worked example: 14 ft by 12 ft bedroom with 8 ft ceilings
Sizing a room by hand is simple arithmetic, and it is worth doing before you buy paint or ask for a quote. This is the same bedroom the paint calculator uses as its default.
Walk the numbers once and you can sanity-check any estimate you receive, because you know how much wall there is and how many gallons it takes to cover it.
14 by 12 ft bedroom, two coats
Every figure comes from the tape measure, the paint label or the calculator. The cost items add up to the total below.
- Wall areaPerimeter 52 ft (14 + 12 + 14 + 12) times 8 ft wall height
- 416 sq ft
- Less one door and one windowOne door about 21 sq ft and one window about 19 sq ft
- − 40 sq ft
- Paintable wallabout 375 sq ft, the wall area the paint calculator returns
- 376 sq ft
- Paint for two coats376 sq ft times 2 coats is 752 sq ft; at 350 sq ft per gallon that rounds up to 3
- 3 gallons
- Paint3 gallons at $30 to $48 each
- $90 – $145
- PrimerOne gallon for patched areas and any bare drywall
- $30 – $48
- SundriesRollers, tray, tape, drop cloths, sanding and caulk
- $60 – $120
- Labour at $2 – $4 per sq ftPreparation, cutting in and two rolled coats over 375 sq ft of wall
- $750 – $1,500
- Clean-up and re-assemblyWiping down, pulling tape and putting hardware back is part of the crew bill
- included in labour
$930 – $1,810 — about $2.50 to $4.80 per sq ft of wall
Paint, primer, sundries and labour add to that range. Do the prep and the clean-up yourself and the material alone is about $180 to $310, which is why the labour line is the one to question.
Where the money actually goes
Paint and supplies are a small part of a professional painting quote. Most of what you pay for is preparation and cutting in — filling, sanding, taping, moving furniture and protecting floors.
Where a professional quote goes
| Labour task | Share of the labour bill | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation and patching | 20 – 30% | Filling nail holes and cracks, caulking trim, sanding |
| Masking and protection | 10 – 15% | Tape, plastic, drop cloths, removing hardware |
| Cutting in | 20 – 25% | Brushes at ceilings, corners and trim |
| Rolling the field | 25 – 30% | The bulk of the wall area, two coats |
| Clean-up and re-assembly | 5 – 10% | Wiping down, pulling tape, putting rooms back |
These percentages cover the labour line only. Paint and supplies are a small part of a professional quote and sit outside the percentages, usually billed at cost or a modest markup.
- Preparation: filling nail holes, caulking trim, sanding and priming patched areas.
- Protection: drop cloths, masking trim, removing switch plates and hardware.
- Cutting in: a steady hand at ceilings, corners and trim takes time to do well.
- Two coats, plus primer over dark colours or fresh drywall.
- Clean-up and re-assembly of everything that was moved.
Saving without ruining the finish
The most reliable saving is doing the preparation and the clean-up yourself while hiring a professional for the cutting in and the second coat. You keep the finish quality and drop the labour hours that cost the most.
Buying your own paint is only a saving if you buy the right product. A cheap paint that needs three coats to cover where a quality paint needs two costs more in the end, both in material and in time.
Fresh drywall, dark colours and ceiling height
New drywall soaks up paint and always needs a primer coat, which adds both material and labour. Going from a dark colour to a light one usually needs a primer or an extra coat, for the same reason.
Ceilings and stairwells cost more per square foot than walls because they are awkward to reach. If a quote seems high, ask how much of it is access equipment and high work.
How long an interior paint job takes
Durations overlap once the room is clear. Most of the elapsed time is drying between coats, not work on the wall.
Move furniture, protect floors and clean
2 – 3 hours
Clear the room, tape and cover the floor and trim, remove switch plates and hardware, then wash dust and grease off the walls.
Patch and sand
2 – 4 hours
Fill nail holes and cracks, caulk the gaps at the trim, let everything dry, then sand smooth and wipe off the dust.
Prime patched and bare areas
2 – 3 hours
Spot-prime patches and bare drywall, and prime any dark-to-light colour change; primer needs its own drying time.
Cut in, then roll two coats
4 – 8 hours
Brush the ceiling line, corners and trim first, then roll the field in sections, letting the first coat dry before the second.
Re-assemble and touch up
1 – 2 hours
Put back switch plates, hardware and furniture, and touch up any marks you find under the final light.
Two coats on a typical bedroom, with drying time between coats, takes one to two days. Ceilings, trim and stairwells add time on top.
The six most expensive painting mistakes
Each of these shows up on real jobs, and each one costs more to fix than to avoid.
Skipping the primer over bare drywall
Bare drywall and joint compound soak up paint unevenly, so the finish looks patchy and can need a third coat. A dark wall going light needs primer too, or the old colour shows through every coat you add.
Buying cheap paint that needs three coats
A quality paint at $48 a gallon that covers in two coats often costs less than a $30 paint that needs three. Count the cost per finished wall, not per can, and remember the labour of the extra coat.
Painting over dust or grease without cleaning
Paint bonds to a clean surface and slides off a dirty one. Kitchens, handrails and trim collect grease and oils that lead to peeling, so wash and rinse before a brush touches the wall.
Not protecting the floor and trim
A dropped tray or a drifting roller marks a finished floor in seconds, and spatter dries on trim before you notice. Tape and drop cloths cost far less than one repair.
Rolling before cutting in
Roll the wall before brushing the ceiling line and corners and the wet edges dry, leaving a visible lap line. Cut in first, keep a wet edge, and roll in sections you can finish before they dry.
Underestimating ceilings and stairwells
Ceilings and stairwells are slow to reach and awkward to cut in, so they carry a higher rate per square foot than flat walls. Price them separately and allow for a ladder or scaffold before you start.
Before you open a can
Work through this list before the first coat, and the job is faster and cleaner from the start.
- Measure the perimeter and wall height, then deduct doors and windows for the paintable area.
- Work out the gallons from coverage of 350 to 400 sq ft per gallon, times the number of coats.
- Pick the colour and sheen, and buy primer if you are covering bare drywall or a dark colour.
- Fill nail holes and cracks, caulk the trim gaps, then sand and wipe off the dust.
- Buy rollers, a brush, a tray, tape, drop cloths and painter plastic before you begin.
- Move or cover the furniture and remove switch plates, hardware and outlet covers.
- Protect the floor and trim, and keep a wet edge as you cut in and roll.
- Plan for the drying time between coats and keep leftover paint labelled for touch-ups.
Put a number on your project
Paint Calculator
Find out how much paint you need.
Drywall Calculator
Count drywall sheets and finishing supplies.
Flooring Calculator
Estimate flooring area and cost.
Planning estimate only — confirm quantities with your supplier or contractor before ordering.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a gallon of paint cover?
One gallon covers about 350 to 400 square feet in a single coat. Textured or porous walls absorb more, so plan for the lower end of that range.
Do I need one coat or two?
Two coats are standard when changing colour or covering patched drywall. One coat is usually enough when refreshing the same colour in good condition.
How much does it cost to paint a room professionally?
Professional painting typically runs $2 to $4 per square foot of wall area, which puts a typical bedroom somewhere between $300 and $800 in labour, depending on preparation and how much trim there is.
How much does it cost to paint a bedroom?
A 14 × 12 ft bedroom with 8 ft walls has about 375 square feet of wall, needing three gallons for two coats — roughly $90 to $145 in paint. Hiring it out at $2 to $4 per square foot of wall is about $750 to $1,500 in labour.
Do I need a primer coat?
Yes over bare drywall, patched areas, or a dark colour going light, because those surfaces either soak up paint or let the old colour show through. Skip it only when refreshing the same colour over a sound, previously painted wall.
Does the ceiling cost extra to paint?
Yes, and so do stairwells. Ceilings and high walls are slow to reach and awkward to cut in, so they usually carry a higher rate per square foot than the walls. If a quote looks high, ask how much of it is access equipment and high work.
Where these numbers come from
Ranges are national averages for a licensed crew and standard materials. Paint prices move with brand and sheen, and labour rates follow your region.
Keep reading
All guidesHow much does a kitchen remodel cost?
Cabinet and labour choices drive most of the price. Here is how a refresh, a mid-range remodel and a layout change actually differ in cost.
How much does it cost to replace an entry door?
A steel door lands near $1,200 installed, fibreglass near $2,300. The door is the easy number — the opening is where budgets move.
Comparing contractor quotes? Request free quotes and check them against your own estimate — all 27 calculators on the site are free.