Paint quantities · room guide
How much paint do I need for a 2m x 2m room?
You need about 3 litres of emulsion to give the walls of a 2m x 2m room two coats, which is 1 × 5L. That assumes 2.4 metre ceilings, one door and one window, leaving 16.1 m² of wall, and includes 10% spare. Painting the ceiling as well adds 0.8 litres.
Coverage figures checked against Dulux product pages on .
Paint for the walls
3 L
two coats, 10% spare
Tins to buy
1 × 5L
walls only
Wall area
16.1 m²
2.4m high, 1 door, 1 window
Ceiling
0.8 L
4 m², two coats
Paint for a 2m x 2m room by wall surface
Two coats on the walls. Tins quote up to 13 to 14 m² per litre, but that is on smooth, sealed walls in ideal conditions.
| Walls | Coverage | Paint needed | Tins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smooth, already painted | 12 m² per litre | 3 L | 1 × 5L |
| Big colour change | 10 m² per litre | 3.6 L | 1 × 5L |
| New plaster | 8 m² per litre | 4.5 L + mist coat | 1 × 5L |
| Textured or porous | 7 m² per litre | 5.1 L | 1 × 5L + 1 × 2.5L |
By ceiling height
Most modern UK rooms are about 2.4 metres high. Older houses are often 2.7 to 3 metres.
| Ceiling height | Wall area | Paint for two coats | Tins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3 m | 15.3 m² | 2.9 L | 1 × 5L |
| 2.4 m | 16.1 m² | 3 L | 1 × 5L |
| 2.7 m | 18.5 m² | 3.4 L | 1 × 5L |
| 3 m | 20.9 m² | 3.9 L | 1 × 5L |
By number of coats
Walls only, on smooth painted walls.
| Coats | Paint needed | Tins |
|---|---|---|
| 1 coat | 1.5 L | 1 × 2.5L |
| 2 coats | 3 L | 1 × 5L |
| 3 coats | 4.5 L | 1 × 5L |
Walls and ceiling together
The ceiling of a 2m x 2m room is 4 m². Two coats on the walls and ceiling need 3.7 litres, or 1 × 5L, which is 0.7 litres more than the walls alone. Ceilings are usually a flat white matt, so that extra is often a separate tin.
New plaster needs a mist coat
On freshly plastered walls in a 2m x 2m room, the mist coat of thinned emulsion uses around 1.8 litres, and the plaster keeps soaking up paint after that, so plan on 6.3 litres in total rather than 3.
Small room, small tins
With only 16.1 m² of wall, two coats come to 3 litres, so a single 5 litre tin will do with some left for touch-ups. If you are unsure of the colour, a tester pot on two walls costs far less than a second tin.
How much is left in the tins
Two coats leave 2 litres in the 1 × 5L, enough for a whole third coat if the old colour shows through. The same tins would still cover the walls with ceilings up to 3 metres high. One coat would need only 1 × 2.5L, which is worth knowing if you are refreshing the same colour. All four walls are 2 metres wide, so a feature colour on any one of them takes about 0.9 litres for two coats. A 2.5 litre tin is enough for that.
Other room sizes
- 3m x 2m room (3.9 L for two coats)
- 3m x 3m room (4.8 L for two coats)
- 4m x 3m room (5.6 L for two coats)
- 4m x 4m room (6.5 L for two coats)
- 5m x 3m room (6.5 L for two coats)
- 5m x 4m room (7.4 L for two coats)
- 5m x 5m room (8.3 L for two coats)
- 6m x 4m room (8.3 L for two coats)
- 6m x 5m room (9.2 L for two coats)
- 6m x 6m room (10 L for two coats)
Common questions
How much paint do I need for a 2m x 2m room?
About 3 litres for two coats on the walls, with 2.4 metre ceilings, one door and one window. That is 1 × 5L. Add 0.8 litres if you are painting the ceiling.
What is the wall area of a 2m x 2m room?
The walls run 2 × (2 + 2) = 8 metres around the room. At 2.4 metres high that is 19.2 m², or 16.1 m² once a door and a window are taken off.
Is one 5 litre tin enough for a 2m x 2m room?
Yes. Two coats on the walls need about 3 litres, so a 5 litre tin covers it with a little left for touch-ups.
How much paint for one coat on a 2m x 2m room?
About 1.5 litres, including 10% spare, covering 16.1 m² once. That is usually enough only when you are refreshing the same colour.
Sources and assumptions
- Doors count as 1.6 m² and windows as 1.5 m². Skirting boards and radiators are not taken off.
- 10% is added for paint left in the tray and on the roller, and for touch-ups. Litres are rounded up to the nearest 0.1.
- Dulux Matt emulsion: coverage up to 14 m² per litre
- Dulux Silk emulsion: coverage up to 14 m² per litre
- Dulux Easycare Washable & Tough Matt: coverage up to 13 m² per litre
These are estimates. Check the coverage printed on your tin, as it varies between brands and finishes.