How Many Coats of Paint Do I Need? 

So you’ve decided to tackle that paint project you’ve been putting off. You’ve picked your color scheme, bought the necessary tools and supplies and now you want to get started. But how many coats of paint should you be putting on your surfaces in terms of primer and final color? We’ve got some answers for you! 

Buying The Right Amount of Paint 

To apply the right amount of paint to your home’s surfaces, it is important to buy the right amount at the store. To do this, measure the room including the height, width and depth of the space. This will help you determine the square footage and thus let you know how many gallons of paint you will need. 

Generally speaking, a one-gallon can of paint will cover up to 400 square feet, two gallons of paint will cover 800 square feet and so on. The attendant at your hardware or paint store should be able to help you calculate the right amount of paint and the proper tools to use depending on the surface and hue. Benjamin Moore also offers a paint calculator that you can use at home. 

Determining Coats of Paint 

Most professionals will explain that they do a coat of primer and two coats of paint in the final color. However, there are some exceptions to this general rule that we should discuss. 

Painting Over The Same Color 

Many homeowners fall in love with a color and stick with it. In this case, if you know it is the same color you may be able to use just one coat of paint to freshen a space. Most professional painters will still use two coats of paint due to fading from the sun or wear-and-tear on the primary color. 

Painting Over A Darker Color 

When painting a lighter color over a darker color, it is important to completely cover the dark color so that it does not bleed into the new coat of paint. In this case, a coat of primer and at least two coats of the main color. In most cases, a third coat will stop the darker color from polluting the new color. 

When painting over any darker or brighter color, you will want to use a high-quality primer that will help with coverage before the main coat is applied. 

Benefits of Using a Second or Third Layer of Paint

It may cost homeowners more time and money to apply two or more coats of paint on a surface, but the coat will last 3-5 times longer. 

It will indeed take you longer for each coat of paint you add to your surfaces. On average, an extra 4-5 hours may be needed to allow for drying time. However, the benefits of these extra coats include longer-lasting paint, and fewer paint problems like bubbling, chipping and fading. 

Many paint manufacturers also provide a longer warranty for more coats of paint used by homeowners. 

While it is common advice to apply at least two coats of paint for your paint project, it also depends on the surface you are painting and the colors being used. Talk to our paint professionals if you need help with your paint project and get started transforming your spaces today. 

Categorised in: How-Tos, Interior painting, Jerry Enos