How Much Paint for an Accent Wall? One Wall Chart
A 12 × 8 ft accent wall is 96 sq ft, and two coats at 350 sq ft a gallon take 0.55 gallons: buy 3 quarts. A 10 ft wall under the same ceiling takes 2 quarts, and a 16 ft wall under a 9 ft ceiling takes 1 gallon. The chart below gives one wall from 8 to 20 ft wide at three ceiling heights.
How much paint for one wall: the chart
Two coats on a solid wall with no door or window, at 350 sq ft a gallon. The gallons are the exact amount, and the cans are that amount rounded up to whole quarts, as the paint calculator on its one-wall setting does.
| Wall width | Area at 8 ft | 8 ft ceiling | 9 ft ceiling | 10 ft ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 64 sq ft | 0.37 gal: 2 quarts | 0.41 gal: 2 quarts | 0.46 gal: 2 quarts |
| 10 ft | 80 sq ft | 0.46 gal: 2 quarts | 0.51 gal: 3 quarts | 0.57 gal: 3 quarts |
| 12 ft | 96 sq ft | 0.55 gal: 3 quarts | 0.62 gal: 3 quarts | 0.69 gal: 3 quarts |
| 14 ft | 112 sq ft | 0.64 gal: 3 quarts | 0.72 gal: 3 quarts | 0.80 gal: 1 gallon |
| 16 ft | 128 sq ft | 0.73 gal: 3 quarts | 0.82 gal: 1 gallon | 0.91 gal: 1 gallon |
| 18 ft | 144 sq ft | 0.82 gal: 1 gallon | 0.93 gal: 1 gallon | 1.03 gal: 1 gallon + 1 quart |
| 20 ft | 160 sq ft | 0.91 gal: 1 gallon | 1.03 gal: 1 gallon + 1 quart | 1.14 gal: 1 gallon + 1 quart |
The area column is for the 8 ft ceiling. Paint is sold by the quart and the gallon, and a gallon is 4 quarts, so once the answer reaches 3 quarts compare the price with a full gallon before you buy: the spare paint is useful for touch-ups.
The formula for one wall
Worked example: a wall 12 ft wide under an 8 ft ceiling is 12 × 8 = 96 sq ft. Two coats is 192 sq ft of painting, and 192 ÷ 350 = 0.55 gallons. That is more than 2 quarts, so buy 3 quarts. Open this wall in the calculator and change the width and height to yours.
For comparison, all four walls of a 12 × 12 ft room with the same ceiling take 2.19 gallons before doors and windows come off, four times as much. An accent wall is a quart-sized job where a room is a gallon-sized one.
Coats and color: what changes the amount
An accent wall is usually a stronger color than the wall it replaces, and that is what moves the number. This is the same 12 × 8 ft wall under different settings of the calculator:
| The job | Paint | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| One coat, same or similar color | 0.27 gal | 2 quarts |
| Two coats, smooth wall (the usual job) | 0.55 gal | 3 quarts |
| Two coats, textured wall (300 sq ft a gallon) | 0.64 gal | 3 quarts |
| Two coats, dark or bold color (250 sq ft a gallon) | 0.77 gal | 1 gallon |
| Three coats, big color change | 0.82 gal | 1 gallon |
| Three coats of a bold color (250 sq ft a gallon) | 1.15 gal | 1 gallon + 1 quart |
| One coat of primer (400 sq ft a gallon) | 0.24 gal | 1 quart |
The 250 and 300 sq ft rates are the calculator's settings for dark or bold colors and for textured walls. The coverage printed on your own can is the figure to use if it differs. Going from a dark wall to a light one, or the reverse, a coat of primer first can save a coat of the more expensive color.
A wall with a door or a window
Accent walls are often the wall behind a bed or a sofa, with nothing in them. If yours has an opening, take it off: the calculator deducts 21 sq ft for a door and 15 sq ft for a window.
| 12 × 8 ft wall | Paintable area | Two coats | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solid wall | 96 sq ft | 0.55 gal | 3 quarts |
| One window (15 sq ft off) | 81 sq ft | 0.46 gal | 2 quarts |
| One door (21 sq ft off) | 75 sq ft | 0.43 gal | 2 quarts |
| One door and one window | 60 sq ft | 0.34 gal | 2 quarts |
Open the wall with one window in the calculator to try your own mix of doors and windows.
Tall and long walls
A stairwell or a vaulted living room wall is where an accent wall stops being a quart job. A 20 ft wall under a 10 ft ceiling is 200 sq ft and takes 1.14 gallons for two coats: 1 gallon + 1 quart. For a wall that is not a rectangle, such as a gable end, measure it as a rectangle plus a triangle (half the base times the height) and enter a height that gives the same area.
What else to buy for one wall
- Painter's tape for the two corners, the ceiling line and the baseboard. The corners where the accent color meets the other walls are the lines everyone will see, so press the tape down firmly and pull it off while the last coat is still slightly wet.
- A 2 in angled brush to cut in (paint the strip along the edges that a roller cannot reach) and a 9 in roller with a cover to suit the wall.
- A drop cloth the length of the wall. A runner 4 ft wide is enough for one wall.
- Primer if the color change is big or the wall has patches: one coat on the 12 × 8 ft wall is 1 quart.
For the full room list see what you need to paint a room, and for all four walls how much paint do I need. Papering the wall instead? See how many rolls of wallpaper.
Frequently asked questions
How much paint do I need for one wall?
Multiply the wall's width by its height, multiply by the number of coats and divide by 350, the square feet a gallon covers on a smooth wall. A 12 × 8 ft wall is 96 sq ft, so two coats take 0.55 gallons: buy 3 quarts.
Is a quart of paint enough for an accent wall?
Only for one coat on a small wall. A quart covers about 87.5 sq ft at 350 sq ft a gallon, and two coats on a 10 × 8 ft wall need 0.46 gallons, which is 2 quarts. Most accent walls take 2 or 3 quarts, or a gallon.
How many coats does an accent wall need?
Plan on two. A deep or bold color over a light wall often needs a third, which takes a 12 × 8 ft wall from 0.55 to 0.82 gallons. The paint calculator's 3-coat setting is for that kind of color change.
How much paint for a 12 foot wall?
With an 8 ft ceiling, a 12 ft wall is 96 sq ft and takes 0.55 gallons for two coats (3 quarts). With a 9 ft ceiling it is 108 sq ft and 0.62 gallons (3 quarts).
Do I subtract a door or window from an accent wall?
Yes, if it takes up a real share of the wall. The calculator takes off 21 sq ft for a door and 15 sq ft for a window. On a 12 × 8 ft wall, one window brings two coats down from 0.55 to 0.46 gallons, which is 2 quarts.
More guides
Tools & materials for this project
Affiliate links As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. These links do not change what you pay.
Estimates only. Quantities depend on your materials, site and supplier. Confirm important numbers before you order, and follow local building codes for anything structural.
Open the calculator →