Paint Calculator
Estimate litres for walls and ceilings with practical UK tin buying recommendations.
Typical use: Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, hallways, and feature walls
Using this calculator
Open the interactive calculator to enter your project measurements and adjust the available settings. Review the calculated quantity and buying units before ordering materials. Check product coverage, pack sizes and installation guidance with the manufacturer or supplier.
Planning and practical guidance
How to Paint a Room (Beginner’s Complete Guide)
The step-by-step process for achieving a smooth, streak-free professional finish from ceiling to skirting.
- Empty or pull furniture into the centre of the room and lay heavy-duty canvas dust sheets.
- Wash walls with sugar soap, fill any nail holes or hairline cracks, and lightly sand when dry.
- Apply low-tack masking tape to skirting boards, architrave, and socket surrounds.
- Paint the ceiling first using a roller with an extension pole, working along the shortest edge.
How to Measure a Room for Painting & Flooring
A simple guide to taking accurate room dimensions, accounting for alcoves, doors, and bay windows.
- Use a metal locking tape measure or a laser measure for clean horizontal measurements.
- Measure length and width at skirting level and again higher up if walls are old or out of square.
- For wall painting, measure ceiling height from top of skirting board to ceiling plaster.
- Measure door frames and window reveals separately to deduct their surface area accurately.
How to Prepare Walls Before Painting
90% of a quality paint job is in the preparation. Learn how to wash, fill, sand, and seal walls.
- Inspect the wall in raking light (hold a torch at an angle) to spotlight dents, scratches, and lumps.
- Scrape off any flaking paint or degraded plaster back to a sound base.
- Wash thoroughly with diluted sugar soap to dissolve airborne cooking grease, smoke, and grime.
- Fill cracks and picture-hook holes with ready-mixed interior filler, pressing deep into the void.