How many litres of paint do I need for a 12x12 room?

A 12×12 ft room (144 sq ft floor) has about 480 sq ft of wall area (assuming 10 ft ceiling, 4 walls). With 2 coats of interior emulsion (coverage ~160 sq ft per litre), you need about 6 litres. Add ceiling (144 sq ft) = 2.5 litres more. Total: approximately 8–9 litres for walls and ceiling.

Should I buy paint in litres or kg?

Most quality paints in India are sold by volume (litres). Distemper and cement paints are sold by kg. 1 kg of distemper typically covers 80–100 sq ft per coat. For emulsion paints, always buy by litre.

Paint Calculator — How Much Paint Do I Need?

Room Dimensions

Length (ft)

Width (ft)

Ceiling Height (ft)

Surfaces & Deductions

Paint Which Surfaces?

Number of Doors

Number of Windows

Number of Coats

Paint Type

Approx Price per Litre (₹)

ℹ️ How it's calculated

Wall area = 2 × (length + width) × height
Deductions: Each door ≈ 21 sq ft, each window ≈ 15 sq ft
Ceiling area = length × width (if selected)
Total area = (walls + ceiling − deductions) × number of coats
Litres = Total area ÷ coverage per litre (by paint type)
Add 10% wastage buffer to final quantity

🪣 Common Tin Sizes

1 litre tinSmall touch-up

4 litre tin1 small room

10 litre tin2–3 rooms

20 litre drumFull house / best value

🔗 Related Tools

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many litres of paint do I need for a 12×12 room?

A 12×12 ft room has about 480 sq ft of wall area (10 ft ceiling). With 2 coats of interior emulsion at 160 sq ft/litre, you need about 6 litres for walls + 2.5 litres for ceiling = 8–9 litres total.

How much area does 1 litre of paint cover?

Distemper: 80–100 sq ft/L. Interior emulsion: 140–180 sq ft/L. Exterior emulsion: 120–150 sq ft/L. Enamel/gloss: 120–160 sq ft/L. Primer: 100–120 sq ft/L.

How many coats of paint are needed?

Typically 1 coat primer + 2 coats top coat. For dark-to-light colour change, 3 coats. New plaster needs wall putty + 2 coats emulsion minimum.

Asian Paints vs Berger vs Nerolac — which to choose?

All three are reliable. Asian Paints Royale and Tractor Emulsion are popular. Berger Silk and WeatherCoat are well-regarded. Nerolac Excel is good for exteriors. Compare prices — 20-litre drums offer better value.