Water based emulsion paints, on average, cover a greater SqM of surface per Litre than any other type of paint. This ease of cover makes them ideal for painting large indoor expanses of walls and ceilings.

Tips for calculating amount of paint required

• 1 Litre of Emulsion covers approximately 14 SqM of indoor wall space.
• This figure refers to one coat of paint only.
• Most emulsion paints require at least 2 coats to throughly cover the wall, and up to 5 coats if painting over a darker colour with a lighter one.
• Remember; if you are planning to paint onto newly applied plasterwork, you may need to 'seal the wall' with a 50:50 mix of emulsion and water before applying the first coat. If so this will need to be accounted for when deciding how much paint to purchase.

Paint Calculator

Use the matrix below to help decide how many Litres of Matt or Silk emulsion paint you will need.

Further information and useful links

• Guide to paint
• Painting Tools & Tips
• More painting & decorating topics

• Find a Decorating Store near you