Exterior planning / Cost calculator
Build a transparent exterior paint budget from the outside wall measurement, openings, surface, prep, product coverage, and labor choice. Change an assumption and the estimate updates immediately.
This is for exterior walls and measured trim—not room floor area. For interior planning, use the Interior Paint Cost Calculator.
Use the exterior perimeter, or the home length and width for a simple rectangle. Stories and per-story wall height are separate inputs.
Planning estimate only. Verify measurements, product coverage, local prices, wall condition, access, and weather exposure before you purchase or hire.
How the number works
Exterior paint uses the wall surface that faces the weather. Start with the building perimeter or its length and width, multiply by wall height and stories, then remove openings.
The library keeps the exact gallon calculation visible, then rounds up to the whole containers most homeowners purchase. Trim adds to paintable area; prep is calculated on wall area.
Worked examples
These are adjustable planning assumptions, not contractor quotes. Swap in your measurements, product coverage, local prices, and prep level above.
Small single-story vinyl
Assumption: 1,200 sq ft of gross wall area, 2 doors, 16 windows, two coats, vinyl coverage of 350 sq ft per gallon, and $55 per gallon. After a 280 sq ft opening deduction, 920 wall sq ft needs about 5.3 gallons, or 6 whole gallons to buy; that is $330 in wall paint before any trim or primer.
Two-story home
Assumption: 180 ft perimeter, 9 ft per story, two stories, 2 doors, 16 windows, two coats at 350 sq ft per gallon, $55 paint, $38 primer, low siding prep, and $1.75 professional labor per square foot. Gross walls are 3,240 sq ft; openings remove 280 sq ft. That leaves 2,960 wall sq ft: about 17 paint gallons and 10 primer gallons. With the 1.12 two-story access multiplier, the modeled total is about $7,561 before trim.
Trim included
Assumption: 2,100 net wall sq ft plus 320 sq ft of measured fascia, soffit, and exterior-door trim. The trim adds 320 paintable sq ft to paint and primer gallons, while the prep reserve remains based on the wall surface. This keeps trim from disappearing inside a generic percentage.
Read the budget correctly
The same footprint can have very different scope once access, condition, and product choices enter the picture.
Siding, stucco, brick, wood, and vinyl have different coverage and preparation multipliers. Brick and porous stucco can absorb more product.
Cleaning, scraping, caulking, mildew treatment, patching, and replacing failed material can matter more than the paint itself.
Taller homes may need ladders, lifts, staging, and more setup. This calculator applies an access multiplier to professional labor.
Fascia, soffits, shutters, railings, and exterior doors are separate measured surfaces. Include their area instead of burying it in a guess.
Coverage and price vary by product. Use the can’s spread rate and your actual per-gallon price, not a universal paint assumption.
DIY labor is shown as $0. Professional labor is an editable planning rate multiplied by paintable area and story access.
Sun, rain, freeze-thaw cycles, salt air, and wind can change preparation and coating choices. A local painter may recommend a different system.
National planning range
These broad U.S. professional planning bands use paintable exterior wall surface, not interior floor area. The material-specific per-square-foot ranges are scaled by the measured surface; the stucco row uses a second, more specific Angi guide. They are a first check, not a bid.
| Paintable wall area | Surface example | Professional project range |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | Vinyl siding | $1,250–$3,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | Wood siding | $1,500–$4,500 |
| 2,000 sq ft | Stucco | $3,600–$7,200 |
| 2,500 sq ft | Brick | $3,750–$11,250 |
Adjustable planning bands only, calculated from wall area × the cited per-square-foot range. Final bids vary with prep, access, region, product, and scope.
Questions before the ladder comes out
Each door deducts 20 square feet and each window deducts 15 square feet. Add other opening area for garages, large sliders, arches, or unusual wall sections. These are planning defaults—replace them when you have measured openings.
Use perimeter when you have measured the outside wall run, especially for an irregular footprint. Use length and width for a simple rectangle; the calculator derives 2 × (length + width).
No. Exterior paint is based on paintable wall surface: perimeter × per-story wall height × stories, less openings, plus optional measured trim. Interior floor area is not a substitute for exterior wall area.
The estimate reports the exact calculated gallons and a whole-gallon purchase quantity. Rounding up helps avoid a shortfall when the practical shopping unit is a gallon, although a product may be sold in quarts or larger containers.
Prep is a transparent reserve based on the chosen low, medium, or high level and the surface multiplier. It is not a repair quote and does not promise to cover hidden damage, replacement, or specialty access.
Save stores the numeric project locally in this browser. Opening a saved project restores it through the local planner. Share uses Web Share when available and otherwise copies a short summary; Print / PDF opens the browser print dialog.
Keep planning
Builexa · Home project planning
Exterior Paint Cost Calculator
Estimated total $815.10 — 8 paint gallons to buy
156 ft perimeter, 1 stories at 9 ft per story, 1 door(s), 10 window(s), 2 coat(s), Siding surface.
Planning estimate only. Verify measurements, product specifications, local prices, access, and site conditions before purchase.