Paint Coverage Per Litre

Standard Coverage Rates

Paint coverage tells you how many square metres one litre of paint will cover in a single coat. UK manufacturers list this on the tin, but rates vary by brand and formulation.

Interior Emulsion Paint

The most common paint for walls and ceilings in UK homes.

Average: 11 m²/litre. Vinyl silk emulsion has similar coverage to matt.

Gloss and Satinwood (Woodwork Paint)

Oil-based or water-based gloss for skirting, doors, and window frames.

• Oil-based gloss: 16-17 m²/litre (Dulux, Crown)
• Water-based satinwood: 14-15 m²/litre
• Eggshell: 12-13 m²/litre

Average: 15 m²/litre. Gloss spreads further than emulsion because it's thinner and less absorbent surfaces (wood/previously painted) need less paint.

Exterior Masonry Paint

Textured, weatherproof paint for outside walls and render.

• Smooth masonry: 5-6 m²/litre
• Textured masonry (Sandtex, Weathershield): 4-5 m²/litre

Average: 5 m²/litre. Much thicker than interior paint, and exterior surfaces are more porous.

Primer and Undercoat

What Affects Coverage?

Surface Condition

The same paint covers different amounts depending on what you're painting:

• Previously painted, smooth: Full coverage rate applies
• Bare plaster: 30-40% less coverage (very absorbent)
• Woodchip wallpaper or textured walls: 20% less coverage
• New plasterboard: Needs mist coat first (watered-down paint)

Application Method

• Roller: Standard coverage rate
• Brush: 10-15% less efficient (more paint absorbed into bristles)
• Spray: 20-30% wastage from overspray

Paint Quality

Cheap paint has less pigment and more water or filler. You'll need more coats for solid coverage, which cancels out the lower price.

Premium paint (Farrow & Ball, Little Greene) often has higher pigment density, so one litre covers slightly more and you may only need two coats instead of three.

How Manufacturers Calculate Coverage

Coverage rates on the tin are tested under ideal conditions: smooth surface, roller application, ambient temperature. Real-world coverage is always 10-20% less.

This is why we recommend adding a 10% wastage allowance to your calculations. Our paint calculator includes this automatically.

Coverage by Colour

Darker paints need fewer coats when going dark-to-dark, but light colours over dark can need 3+ coats.

• White over dark: Expect 3 coats minimum
• Magnolia/cream over white: 2 coats fine
• Navy/charcoal: Excellent one-coat coverage
• Red/yellow: Weak pigments, often need 3 coats even over white

Regional Variations

UK paint coverage is quoted per litre. US paint coverage is often quoted per gallon (3.78 litres), so don't confuse the two when looking at online guides.

Examples

Painting a 4m × 2.4m wall with Dulux matt emulsion:

• Wall area: 9.6 m²
• Coverage rate: 13 m²/litre (from tin)
• Paint needed for 1 coat: 9.6 ÷ 13 = 0.74 litres
• For 2 coats: 0.74 × 2 = 1.48 litres
• Buy: 2.5L tin (covers 2 walls this size)