Which interior paint covers the most per gallon?

On the manufacturers' own data sheets, Benjamin Moore Regal Select and ben list 400–450 sq ft per gallon, the highest in this table. Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint, Duration Home, Emerald and ProMar 200 list 350–400. Behr lists 250–400 for Premium Plus, Ultra and Marquee, a wider range that reflects porous surfaces at the low end.

Why does Behr list 250 sq ft when other brands list 350?

Behr publishes a range that starts at porous, unprimed surfaces; Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore publish a spread rate at a specified film thickness on a prepared wall. On the same smooth primed wall the products land closer together than the labels suggest. CoverCalc uses the midpoint of each range for a smooth wall and then adjusts for texture.

How much does a gallon of primer cover?

KILZ 2 and KILZ PVA Drywall Primer list 300–400 sq ft per gallon; Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 lists 400–450. Primer coverage drops sharply on new drywall and heavily patched walls.

Does paint-and-primer-in-one mean I can skip primer?

For a similar color on a previously painted wall, yes. For new drywall, stain, glossy surfaces, or a light color over a dark one, a dedicated primer still does the job better and is cheaper per gallon than using extra coats of paint.

Paint Guide · Reference table

Paint coverage by brand, from the data sheets

What Behr, Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, Valspar and Glidden actually state on their technical data sheets — not what the marketing page says — with the source linked for every row.

Interior wall paint, by product

Every figure below is quoted from the manufacturer's technical or product data sheet, linked in the last column. "Planner uses" is the number CoverCalc starts from for a smooth, primed wall (the midpoint of the stated range) before adjusting for texture and porosity. Dry and recoat times are at 77°F and 50% humidity as the sheets specify.

Product	Stated coverage (sq ft/gal)	Dry to touch	Recoat	Planner uses	Source
Behr Premium Plus Interior	250–400	1 hr	2 hr	325	Data sheet
Behr Ultra Interior	250–400	1 hr	2 hr	325	Data sheet
Behr Marquee Interior	250–400	1 hr	2 hr	325	Data sheet
Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint Interior	350–400	1 hr	4 hr	375	Data sheet
Sherwin-Williams Duration Home Interior	350–400	1 hr	4 hr	375	Data sheet
Sherwin-Williams Emerald Interior	350–400	1 hr	4 hr	375	Data sheet
Sherwin-Williams ProMar 200 Zero VOC	350–400	1 hr	4 hr	375	Data sheet
Benjamin Moore Regal Select Interior	400–450	1 hr	1–2 hr	425	Data sheet
Benjamin Moore Aura Interior	350–400	1 hr	1 hr	375	Data sheet
Benjamin Moore ben Interior	400–450	1 hr	2 hr	425	Data sheet
Valspar Signature Interior	up to 400	1 hr	2–4 hr	400	Data sheet
Glidden Premium Interior	up to 400	30–60 min	2–4 hr	400	Data sheet

Primers and ceiling paint

Product	Stated coverage (sq ft/gal)	Dry to touch	Recoat	Planner uses	Source
Behr Premium Plus Ceiling	250–400	1 hr	2 hr	325	Data sheet
KILZ 2 All-Purpose Primer	300–400	30 min	1 hr	350	Data sheet
KILZ PVA Drywall Primer	300–400	30 min	1 hr	350	Data sheet
Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer	400–450	30 min	1 hr	425	Data sheet

How to read these numbers

A spread rate is measured at a specified wet film thickness on a smooth, sealed test surface. Your wall is not a test surface. Texture adds surface area, bare drywall drinks the first coat, and cutting in around trim uses paint that never reaches the roller. That is why the planner applies a surface factor on top of the product figure (smooth 1.00, light texture 0.90, heavy texture 0.80, bare drywall 0.85, masonry 0.65) and rounds up. If your can shows a different number than the table, type the can's number into the coverage field; the label on the can you bought is the one that applies to the batch you have.

Recoat time matters for planning the day: a Sherwin-Williams four-hour recoat means the second coat waits until after lunch; a one-hour Benjamin Moore recoat means two coats before noon. Both are minimums; cool or humid rooms need longer.

Last updated 2026-09-03. Method: how we calculate.