Paint & Finishes
Quick Reference
| Tier | Brand examples | Price/gallon | 5-gal bucket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Behr Premium Plus, Glidden Essentials | $25–$35 | $110–$140 |
| Mid-tier | Behr Premium, Valspar Reserve | $35–$50 | $150–$200 |
| Premium | Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint | $50–$70 | $220–$290 |
| Designer | Benjamin Moore Aura, Farrow & Ball | $70–$110 | $300–$450 |
Total cost = gallons × price per gallon. For multi-room jobs, calculate gallons for each room separately, sum them, then round up to whole gallons (or to a 5-gallon multiple if buying buckets).
Mid-tier paint: 2 × $40 = $80. With 20% coupon: $64. Add ~$30 for primer if needed.
Buy 5-gallon buckets: 6 × $180 = $1,080. Significant savings vs. $1,400+ in 1-gallon cans.
Related questions
Premium paints have higher solids content (better hide), more durable resins, and richer pigments — they often need only one coat and last twice as long.
Per gallon yes (10–20% savings). But only if you'll actually use it all within 12–18 months. Open paint dries up and develops mold.
Latex/acrylic paint lasts 5–10 years sealed. Once opened, 1–2 years if resealed properly. Oil-based paint lasts 15+ years sealed.
May (Memorial Day), September (Labor Day), and Black Friday. All major retailers run 30–40% off rebates during these weeks.
More answers
How Much Paint Do I Need?
Most rooms need 2 to 3 gallons of paint for two coats. A standard bedroom needs 2 gallons; a large living room with cathedral ceilings can need 4–5.
How Many Square Feet Does a Gallon of Paint Cover?
A US gallon of paint covers about 350 square feet in one coat on smooth, primed drywall. Textured or porous surfaces drop coverage to 250–300 ft².
More Tools
Free calculators for the most common construction and DIY materials.
Use this concrete calculator to find out exactly how much concrete you need for a slab, footing, patio, or dri…
A concrete slab calculator that handles patios, garage floors, basements, and shed pads. Enter your dimensions…
Use this mulch calculator to plan a flower bed, tree ring, or full landscape refresh. Enter the area and depth…
Use this gravel calculator for driveways, French drains, paver bases, or pea-gravel paths. It returns both cub…
Convert any roof pitch from rise/run to angle, percent slope, or square footage. Useful when ordering shingles…
Plan a floor, shower, or kitchen backsplash. Enter the room area and the tile size — you'll get the exact tile…