Paint for a 16×24 room

3.4 gallons (buy 3 gal + 2 qt)

for two coats on 589 sq ft of wall: 8 ft ceilings, one door, two windows, 350 sq ft per gallon.

Paint for a 16×24 room by ceiling height

Ceiling heightWall area1 coat2 coats
8 ft589 sq ft1.7 gal3.4 gal
9 ft669 sq ft1.9 gal3.8 gal
10 ft749 sq ft2.1 gal4.3 gal
12 ft909 sq ft2.6 gal5.2 gal

Wall area subtracts one door (21 sq ft) and two windows (15 sq ft each). Ceiling: 384 sq ft, 1.1 gal per coat.

How it’s worked out

  1. Perimeter: 2 × (24 + 16) = 80 ft.
  2. Wall area: 80 × 8 ft = 640 sq ft, minus 21 for the door and 30 for the windows = 589 sq ft.
  3. Two coats: 589 × 2 ÷ 350 = 3.37 gallons.

Change the numbers

Wall paint needed

3.4 gallons

Buy 3 gallons + 2 quarts for 589 sq ft of wall, 2 coats.

Wall area (less doors and windows)589 sq ft
Wall paint3.37 gal: buy 3 gallons + 2 quarts
Ceiling paint, 1 coat1.1 gal: buy 1 gallon + 1 quart
Primer, 1 coat1.68 gal

Other room sizes

Questions

How much paint do I need for a 16×24 room?
About 3.4 gallons for two coats on the walls of a 16×24 room with 8 ft ceilings, one door and two windows: buy 3 gal + 2 qt. The ceiling takes another 1.1 gallons per coat.
How many square feet of wall is a 16×24 room?
640 sq ft of wall with 8 ft ceilings, or about 589 sq ft after one door and two windows.
How much does it cost to paint a 16×24 room?
Paint for the walls costs about $160 at $40 a gallon. Professional painters typically charge $2 to $6 per square foot of floor area, about $768 to $2,304 here.

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