Paint Guide · 2 min read
How much paint for a 14×16 room?
A 14×16 room with 8-ft walls, one door and two windows needs 3 gallons for two coats — 429 sq ft of paintable wall at 350 sq ft per gallon.
A 14×16 room is typical for a living room or a family room. It has more wall than you think — around 440 sq ft after a door and two windows — so two coats need 3 gallons, and a light-over-dark repaint adds primer.
Gallons by ceiling height and coats
One door and two windows deducted; 350 sq ft per gallon on smooth walls; rounded up to whole gallons.
| Ceiling | 1 coat | 2 coats | 3 coats | Wall area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 2 | 3 | 4 | 429 sq ft |
| 9 ft | 2 | 3 | 5 | 489 sq ft |
| 10 ft | 2 | 4 | 5 | 549 sq ft |
Don't forget
Primer. Going light over dark, or painting new drywall, add 2 gallons of primer. Ceiling. A flat ceiling paint for this room is 1 gallon at one coat. Texture. Orange-peel walls use about 10% more paint, knockdown about 20%; the planner adjusts for it.
Living rooms usually have more openings than a bedroom: a wide cased opening or a patio slider can take 40–60 sq ft off the total. Adjust the doors and windows in the planner rather than guessing.
Other room sizes
10×10 room · 10×12 room · 12×12 room · 12×14 room · 14×16 room · 15×20 room
Last updated 2026-09-03. Method: how we calculate.