How much paint for a 10x12 kitchen?
3 gallons of paint for a 10x12 kitchen, at the settings most people start with. Below the calculator are the same numbers for the alternatives you are likely to choose, and what each one does to the total.
Reviewed · Method: measured dimensions, industry coverage rates, rounded up to real package sizes · How the numbers are calculated
Values are pre-filled for this page. Change anything and hit Recalculate.
The answer, and what it is made of
12 x 10 ft at a 8 ft ceiling gives 417 sq ft of paintable wall and ceiling after openings. At 2 coats that is 3 gallons of paint of paint. The primer is a separate line: 2 gal on top of the topcoat budget, not instead of it.
Planning figure for everything on that list: $177 to $394, with $259 as the realistic middle for the products most people actually buy. These are estimates for budgeting, not quotes. Prices move by region and by season, and the middle figure assumes a mid-range product rather than the cheapest thing on the shelf.
Coats multiply rather than add: 3 gallons at 2 coats becomes 2 gallons at 2 coats. The step from one coat to two is the one that actually covers, which is why buying for a single coat almost never finishes the room.
What changes if you change one thing
| Change the number of coats | You buy |
|---|---|
| 2 coats, walls only | 2 gallons |
| 2 coats, walls and ceiling | 3 gallons |
| 2 coats over new drywall, add primer | 3 gallons |
Every row is a live calculation, not an estimate. The shaded row is what this page defaults to.
What goes in the cart
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Interior paint | 3 gal |
| Primer | 2 gal |
| Roller covers (3/8 in nap) | 2 pcs |
| Angled sash brush 2 in | 2 pcs |
| Painter's tape | 1 roll |
| Drop cloth | 2 pcs |
| Roller tray + liners | 1 set |
Buy a 5-gallon pail when the total is 4 gallons or more. It is cheaper per gallon and guarantees a single dye lot across connected rooms.
What this size actually changes
A kitchen has less paintable wall than its dimensions suggest and more awkward edges than any other room. An 10x12 kitchen with a cabinet run on two walls loses perhaps 30 sq ft of wall, but gains a continuous cut line along the top of every cabinet, plus the wall above the hob and the ceiling that takes grease. The 3 gallons here assumes both walls and ceiling.
Figure. 10x12 kitchen: 12 x 10 ft. Measure the finished surface, not the room walls — the area between skirting or cabinet faces is the area you pay for.
How the quantity is worked out
Paint coverage is quoted at 350 to 400 sq ft per gallon per coat on a smooth, previously painted surface. Everything else reduces that number: bare drywall absorbs, a roller with a deep nap wastes, and a strong colour change takes three coats where two were planned. Two coats of the same colour over an existing similar colour is the one case where the label number holds.
Ceilings are the line item people forget. They are the same footprint as the floor, they take a full coat, and they are the slowest surface to paint because of the overhead work. If you are painting a room properly, the ceiling is usually one to two extra gallons on its own.
How to measure this job
Kitchen walls are mostly cabinets, which is good news for paint and bad news for estimating: the wall area behind the units is not painted, but the area above them, beside them and around the window is. Measure the full perimeter and the height, then subtract the run of full-height cabinetry rather than guessing.
Count doors and windows carefully, and remember the ceiling. Kitchens take grease and steam, so the ceiling almost always needs a coat even when the rest of the house does not.
Mistakes that cost real money
Buying for one coat
One coat only works over the same colour in the same finish. Changing from a dark colour, going from bare drywall, or moving between sheens all need two coats minimum, and a strong colour change needs three. Buying for one coat means a second trip mid-job, in a different batch.
Painting over kitchen grease
Cooking grease leaves an invisible film that stops paint bonding, and it fails within months as peeling flakes. Degrease with a sugar-soap solution, rinse, and let it dry completely. This step takes an hour and saves the whole job.
Painting the wall above the cabinets without degreasing
The strip above wall cabinets collects airborne grease that you cannot see. Paint over it and the finish stays tacky for weeks and then peels in sheets. Wash with sugar soap, rinse, and let it dry fully.
Cutting in around cabinets with too much tape
Taping every cabinet edge takes longer than cutting in freehand and still bleeds under textured edges. A good angled brush and a steady line against a cabinet is faster and cleaner, with a damp cloth for the occasional slip.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a gallon of paint cover?
About 350 to 400 sq ft per coat on a smooth, sealed surface. Expect the low end on bare or porous drywall, on a deep-nap roller, and on heavily textured walls. Rough surfaces can drop coverage to 250 sq ft per gallon, which turns a three gallon job into four.
How much paint for a 10x12 kitchen?
About 2 to 3 gallons for the walls over two coats, allowing for cabinets and one window, plus 1 for the ceiling. If the kitchen is open to a dining area, the wall area is larger than the room dimensions suggest.
How much paint for a 10x12 kitchen?
Two gallons for the walls at two coats, three if the ceiling is included. Subtract very little for cabinets: the wall behind them is not painted, but the area above, beside and around them usually is.
Does a kitchen need a special paint?
It needs a washable finish — matte or eggshell with a scrubbable rating. Standard flat paint marks permanently with a wet cloth. In a kitchen with a gas hob, a stain-blocking primer above the cooker is worth the extra coat.
What will the materials for this cost?
A planning range of $177 to $394 for everything in the shopping list, with $259 as the realistic middle. That is materials only: it excludes labour, delivery, tool hire and disposal of the old surface. Treat it as a budgeting figure, not a quote.