Exterior Paint Calculator
How much paint the outside of your house needs: walls and gable ends, minus doors, windows and garage doors, for smooth or rough siding, plus trim.
Wall area = perimeter × wall height + gable triangles − openings. Exterior paint covers about 350 sq ft per gallon on smooth siding and 250 on rough siding or stucco. A 50 × 30 ft house with 18 ft walls and two gables has about 2,800 sq ft of siding after openings: roughly 23 gallons for two coats on rough siding.
Paint for common house sizes (two coats, smooth siding)
| House footprint | Wall height | Siding area | Gallons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 × 30 ft | 9 ft | 1,166 sq ft | 7 |
| 50 × 30 ft | 9 ft | 1,346 sq ft | 8 |
| 50 × 30 ft | 18 ft | 2,786 sq ft | 16 |
| 60 × 40 ft | 18 ft | 3,586 sq ft | 21 |
Frequently asked questions
How much paint do I need for the exterior of my house?
Add the house's perimeter, multiply by the wall height, add the gable triangles (width × height ÷ 2 each), subtract doors and windows, and divide by about 350 sq ft per gallon (250 on rough siding). Double it for two coats.
How many gallons to paint a 2,000 sq ft house?
A two-story house with about 2,000 sq ft of living space often has 2,500–3,500 sq ft of siding, so 8–10 gallons per coat on smooth siding, 10–14 on rough siding.
How much trim paint do I need?
Plan on about 10% of the body paint for trim, fascia and doors, or a gallon or two for a typical house.
Does stucco need more paint?
Yes. Rough, porous stucco can take 30–50% more paint than smooth siding, especially on the first coat.
Should I buy 5 gallon buckets?
5 gallon pails cost less per gallon and keep the color consistent across walls. The calculator suggests pails plus single gallons.
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Coverage reflects typical exterior paint label figures (about 350–400 sq ft per gallon on smooth surfaces, less on rough). Openings use typical sizes: doors 21 sq ft, windows 15 sq ft, double garage doors 112 sq ft. Trim estimated at 10% of body paint.