It goes without saying that the best way to give your rooms a new look is to paint the walls. But when painting walls, you can first be baffled by how many coats you need. So, how many coats of paint on wall?
You will need to paint at least two coats of paint on the wall. Two coats are a general rule of thumb for walls and ceilings. A single coat is insufficient to get a seamless finish on anything.
But what if you have a new plaster? Does the number of coats change when you get that into consideration? You can learn the answer to that and more about the topic below. So, keep on reading.
How Many Coats of Pain on a New Plaster?
A new plaster will require at least three coats of paint. Yes, you can get away with two coats. However, a mist coat will make the wall look more visually appealing. And that is the end goal of any painting project, right?
However, remember that the number of paint required for a newly plastered wall will also depend on the brand the color is from. Some manufacturers will require you to adhere to a recommended system for finishing a bare plaster.
So, if you want the best possible results, it is always a good idea to stick with the manufacturer’s recommendation. Also, do not forget to let each coat dry before working on further coats.
How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Wall?
The amount of paint you will need to cover a wall will depend on the size of the wall and the type of paint you are working with. In general, a gallon should cover 400 square feet of area, while one quart can cover 100 square feet.
Now, how do you know how much area is your wall? No, you don’t need to call a professional for this. Instead, you can do it yourself. Here’s how:
Get the Perimeter of the Room
First, you need to get the total distance or perimeter of the room. Let’s consider an example where the length is 10 feet while the width is 15 feet. Adding those two ends with 25 feet. Multiply them by two offers of 50 square feet. That’s the perimeter.
Consider the Height of the Ceiling
Once you are done with the perimeter, you have to factor in the height of the ceiling. For example, let’s consider that the height is 8 feet. So, 50 square feet multiplied by 8 feet gives 400 square feet.
Calculate the Area Taken by the Windows and Doors
The paint is not going to go on the windows, right? Well, that’s why the area taken by the windows should be considered. If you don’t want to go through the hassle, windows generally average 15 square feet.
So, if there are two windows, multiply the area by two, leaving you with 30 square feet.
The same thing goes for the doors. And in general, doors average 21 square feet. For the example given in the previous steps, let’s consider that there are two doors. So, 21 square feet times 2 leaves you with 42 square feet.
Get the Final Measurement
When you are done taking measurements of everything, it will be time to come up with a final number
. Sticking to the example above, 400 square feet (for the wall) minus 42 square feet (the doors) minus 30 square feet (the windows) leaves you with 328 square feet of area.
So, for painting the walls with two coats, in this case, you will need the right amount of paint to cover 656 square feet (328 x 2). That means you will need about 1 gallon and 3 quarts of paint.
How Many Coats of Paint for External Walls?
You can get away with a single coat of paint for the interior walls, even though it is not recommended. But for external walls, two coats of color are a must.
If you cut corners with the amount of paint, the external walls will not be resilient to harsh environmental conditions. For example, you will see cracks forming when it rains heavily.
Let’s not forget to mention that even harsh sunlight will be able to get through a single coat of paint and damage it. So, not applying at least two coats of paint on the external walls would be a major mistake.
Furthermore, a protective coat for the outside walls is also a must. This protective coating will offer the wall all the resilience it needs to fight the environment. As a result, the wall will be in good condition for an extended period of time.
How Many Coats to Paint Ceilings?
The same rule of thumb that applies to the walls is valid for the ceilings. That is, you need to apply at least two coats of paint. Now, for measuring the amount of paint, you just have to consider the size of the ceiling.
Generally, you can get the ceiling area by multiplying the room’s length and width. So, if your room is 10 ft long and 15 feet wide, the ceiling will be 150 square feet. That times 2 equals 150 square feet, which means 1 gallon of paint should be enough.
Final Words
Regarding how many coats of paint on the wall, it is better to stick with the general rule of thumb. Apply at least two coats of color to get a sleek finish. And if you want, you can apply an additional mist coat to make things look even better. The story is the same for both the internal and external walls. So, if you are confused, one rule applies to both.
