Calculate exactly how many litres of paint you need. Multiple rooms, surface types, African paint brands, primer calculation, and cost estimation — all free.
1. Enter your room dimensions (length, width, height). 2. Set doors and windows to deduct from wall area. 3. Choose surface type and paint brand for accurate coverage. 4. Click "Add Another Room" for multi-room totals. 5. Hit Calculate to see litres needed, tin sizes, and cost.
Whether you're painting a new build in Lagos, renovating a flat in Nairobi, or refreshing your Johannesburg home, knowing exactly how much paint to buy saves money and avoids running short mid-project. This calculator accounts for room dimensions, doors, windows, surface type, paint brand coverage rates, number of coats, and even primer requirements to give you the most accurate estimate possible.
Paint coverage (spreading rate) varies by product and surface. Standard emulsion paints cover approximately 10-12 m² per litre on smooth plastered walls. Textured or rough walls absorb more paint, reducing coverage to 8-10 m² per litre. New bare plaster is the most absorbent at 6-8 m² per litre, which is why a primer coat is essential. Previously painted surfaces in good condition offer the best coverage at 10-14 m² per litre.
Africa has a thriving paint manufacturing industry. In Nigeria, Dulux, Berger Paints, and CAP Plc dominate the market. South Africa's Plascon (owned by Kansai Paint of Japan) and Dulux SA are the leading brands. Kenya is served by Crown Paints, Basco, and Sadolin. Ghana has Azar Chemical Industries and Dolphin Paints. The Japanese firm Kansai Paint has expanded across the continent, making it the most truly pan-African brand.
Emulsion paint is the standard choice for interior walls — it's water-based, low-odour, and easy to apply. Weathercoat or exterior paint is formulated to resist UV, rain, and temperature fluctuations common in African climates. Gloss or enamel paint is used for woodwork, doors, and window frames. Textured coatings provide a decorative raised finish and can hide minor wall imperfections.
Primer is essential on new bare plaster, concrete block walls that have never been painted, and when making drastic colour changes. Primer seals the porous surface, improves paint adhesion, and reduces the amount of topcoat needed. In Africa, where many construction projects involve painting newly plastered walls, skipping primer is one of the most common and costly mistakes.
African climates present unique challenges for painting. High humidity in coastal cities like Lagos, Mombasa, and Dar es Salaam promotes mould growth — use anti-fungal paint or add mould inhibitor to your paint. Extreme heat in Saharan and interior regions causes paint to dry too quickly, leading to cracking. In these areas, paint during cooler hours. Heavy seasonal rains in tropical regions mean exterior paint must be truly weatherproof — always use manufacturer-recommended exterior-grade products.