How Much Paint for a House?
Estimate how much paint you need for an entire house. Covers both interior and exterior painting projects.
Painting a whole house is a different beast from a single room. You're juggling multiple rooms, different surfaces, and a lot more paint. Here's how to ballpark it without losing your mind.
Interior: Whole House Numbers
A 2,000-square-foot home typically needs 15 to 20 gallons for interior walls with two coats. That covers bedrooms, living areas, kitchen, bathrooms, and hallways. Add another 3–5 gallons for ceilings and 2–3 gallons for trim and doors — those add up fast across a whole house.
Exterior: Whole House Numbers
Exterior painting drinks more paint — roughly 15 to 25 gallons for a 2,000 sq ft home. Exterior surfaces are rougher and soak up more product. Stucco and brick are especially thirsty. Factor in siding material, number of stories, and whether you're doing trim and shutters too.
Room by Room
- Master bedroom (15×15): 2–3 gallons
- Secondary bedrooms (12×12): 2 gallons each
- Living room (20×15): 3–4 gallons
- Kitchen: 1–2 gallons (cabinets eat up wall area)
- Bathrooms: Less than 1 gallon each
- Hallways: 1–2 gallons
What It Costs
DIY interior for a 2,000 sq ft home: $800–1,500 for paint and supplies. Professional interior: $4,000–8,000. Professional exterior: $3,000–7,000. Labor is the big line item — the paint itself is usually less than a third of a pro quote.