10 × 12 ft room: the short answer
With 8 ft walls, a 10 × 12 ft room has about 352 sq ft of wall. For 2 coats that's roughly 2.0 gallons — the smart buy is 2 gal + 1 qt.
Room size
Paint for a 10 × 12 ft room
A 10 × 12 ft room with 8 ft walls has about 352 sq ft to paint. For 2 coats that's about 2.0 gallons — buy 2 gal + 1 qt. Adjust coats, openings, or the ceiling below.
Paint needed
—Enter a room size to estimate paint.
| Paintable area | — |
|---|---|
| Paint (with coats) | — |
| Smart buy | — |
| Estimated cost | — |
Shopping list
Run the calculator to prepare a list.
Estimate only.
Coverage is about 350 sq ft per gallon per coat for most interior paint — check the can.
Bare drywall, patches, and big colour changes soak up more, so prime first and consider an
extra coat.
Adjust for your room
Subtract big windows and doors, add the ceiling if you're painting it, and bump to three coats for a strong colour change. Prime bare or patched walls first so two coats is enough.
Coverage ≈ 350 sq ft/gal at 8 ft walls, 2 coats. Estimates only.
What a 10 × 12 ft room needs
A 10 × 12 ft room is a typical small bedroom or office. With an 8 ft ceiling and two coats, the paint total usually lands between one and two gallons per coat depending on openings, so the planning question is coverage and prep rather than raw quantity.
How to decide
Use the wall-perimeter method with the actual ceiling height and subtract openings to get the paintable area, then divide by the paint's listed coverage per gallon. The calculator assumes 350 sq ft per gallon and two coats; a color change or textured wall can push actual use higher, so keep a partial gallon for touch-ups.
Checks before you buy
- Measure the ceiling height; an 8 ft assumption undercounts taller rooms.
- Confirm the paint's per-gallon coverage from the can or product page.
- Plan primer separately if the surface is bare drywall or a dramatic color change.
FAQ
How much paint for a 10 × 12 ft room?
With 8 ft walls, a 10 × 12 ft room is about 352 sq ft. For 2 coats you need roughly 2.0 gallons — the smart buy is 2 gal + 1 qt. Subtract doors and windows in the calculator for a tighter number.
How many gallons to paint a 10 × 12 ft room?
About 2.0 gallons for 2 coats at 350 sq ft per gallon. If you're painting the ceiling too, tick that option — it adds the room's footprint to the area.
Sources & verification
Source links and page assumptions reviewed .
- Sherwin-Williams: paint calculator — Assumes roughly 350–400 square feet of coverage per gallon per coat.
- Lowe's: paint calculator — Common interior paint coverage guidance of 350–400 square feet per gallon.
Estimate only, based on standard coverage at 8 ft walls and 2 coats. Coverage varies with paint, surface, and colour change. Prime bare or patched walls before painting.