Need to know how much paint to buy for a 16x20-foot room? At 320 square feet of floor area, this is a large-sized room. Our pre-calculated estimates below show exactly how many gallons you need for two coats of standard paint, with deductions for two doors and 3 windows.
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Paint Needed
3
gallons
This covers 489 square feet with 2 coats of standard paint.
Flat or eggshell finish recommended for bedrooms. Low-VOC paint is ideal for better air quality.
Based on a 16x20 ft room with 8-ft ceilings, 2 door(s), and 3 window(s). Paint at 400 sq ft/gallon with 15% waste buffer.
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A 16x20 room with 8-foot ceilings has approximately 576 square feet of wall area before deductions. After accounting for two doors and 3 windows, you will typically need about 3 gallons for two coats of standard paint.
A 16x20 room with standard 8-foot ceilings has 576 square feet of total wall area. After subtracting for doors and windows (typically 87 sq ft), the net paintable area is about 489 square feet.
A paint sprayer can save time in a large 16x20 room (320 sq ft floor area). However, spraying requires more prep work to mask off areas. For most DIYers, a roller and brush combo works well and is easier to control.
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