Painting the exterior of a house is a big project. If you’re planning to do it yourself, you’ll want to do your research to be sure you find out everything you need to know to get the same quality results that you would get from professional painters.
An important part of planning an exterior residential painting project is figuring out how much paint you need. Learn how to calculate paint quantities and more in this guide to painting your home’s exterior.
How to Calculate Paint Quantity
Calculating how much paint you need is important because you want to make sure you have enough and that you don’t buy too much extra. When you choose a specific color swatch at the store, more can always be made and it should come out the same. But to get a perfect match it is best to get all of the paint you need at once.
An easy way to calculate how much paint you need for your exterior, start by measuring the perimeter of your home. Then measure the height of your home from the lowest to the highest point. Multiply these two numbers together to get the total square footage of your home. The number will not be exact, but it’s a good estimate. Of course you can subtract the square footage of your doors and windows, as well as any gables in your roof. The can of paint will have a square foot coverage listed so you can determine how many gallons you’ll need. Add an extra gallon to your total number to be safe.
When it comes to trim, if you’re using a different color you’ll want to get one gallon for every 6 gallons of your main color. To get a more accurate estimate, you’ll need to measure the square footage of your window trim, doors, shutters, gutters, and any other trim you plan to paint.
Factors That Could Increase Your Paint Quantity
There are a few factors that could increase the amount of paint you’ll need to sufficiently cover your exterior:
- Narrow lap siding. If your siding has narrow planks, meaning each piece that overlaps the next piece is particularly narrow, you may need more paint.
- Masonry. Brick or stone tends to soak up more paint than wood or vinyl siding, so you’ll need to calculate differently.
- Shingles or shakes. Cedar shingles or shakes or another type of material can require more paint.
- Stucco. Stucco soaks up more paint than traditional siding as well, so you’ll want to calculate accordingly.
- Paint sprayer. If you’re using a paint sprayer, especially an airless one, those often distribute the equivalent of 2 coats of paint at once, so you may need twice as much.
Additional Painting Equipment You’ll Need
In addition to paint, you’ll need other equipment to paint the exterior of your home. A quality ladder that is safe and allows you to reach the highest point in your home will be necessary. Or you can use scaffolding to make it easier to cover more area without having to repeatedly move your ladder. Paint sprayers, rollers, brushes, paint pans, painters tape, and more will add to the total cost of your painting project, not to mention prep equipment like paint scrapers and sanders.
Advantages of Hiring Professional Painters
If all of this is starting to sound like a hassle, you may want to consider hiring a professional painting company to handle your home’s exterior. Benefits include:
- Professional looking results. Professional painters provide professional looking results. Your home’s curb appeal depends on a top quality paint job.
- No risk of paint quantity miscalculation. Painting companies have the experience to calculate paint quantities down to a fairly exact amount.
- Avoid safety risks associated with heights. Too often homeowners are injured climbing ladders for home improvement projects. Let the experts do the climbing while you stay safely on the ground.
Trico Painting Provides Residential Exterior Painting
If you’re looking for professional painters with experience painting home exteriors, Trico Painting provides premium results. Take the hassle out of house painting and hire professionals who can make your home look stunningly beautiful.
Trico Painting is a professional company providing interior and exterior residential painting Roseville, California and the surrounding area. Call (916) 550-9648 or contact us today to schedule a free estimate.
Daniel