How much paint for a ceiling?
Ceiling area = length × width. A 12×14 room has 168 sq ft of ceiling. At 350 sq ft/gallon and one coat, you need about half a gallon — buy one gallon for touch-ups.
Ceiling Paint Calculator
Ceiling paint is usually flat white — enter room length and width for ceiling square footage only. Walls are excluded so you get a quick gallon count for a ceiling-only refresh without overbuying wall paint.
Rooms
ft
in
ft
in
ft
in
Project settings
Default 10% for touch-ups
$
One coat vs two
White-over-white refreshes often need one coat if the old finish is sound. Water stains, nicotine, or colour changes need stain-blocking primer first — see our primer before painting guide, then run this calculator for the finish coats.
Popcorn or heavy texture covers less per gallon than smooth drywall. If your label assumes 350–400 sq ft/gallon on smooth ceilings, drop coverage toward 250–300 for texture.
Quick ceiling math
A 12 × 14 ft ceiling is 168 sq ft. Two coats at 350 sq ft/gallon ≈ 1.0 gallon — buy one gallon plus a quart if you cut in poorly or have patches. Open-plan great rooms add up fast; measure each zone or use the largest rectangle and add 10% waste.
Walls and ceiling together
For a full room repaint, use the room paint calculator or how much paint do I need with surface set to both. Keep ceiling flat and walls eggshell/satin as separate products — do not mix sheens in one estimate.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
One coat or two on ceilings?
Repainting white over white is often one coat. Color changes or stained ceilings need primer plus two coats — adjust in project settings.
Can I paint walls with this calculator?
This page sets surface to ceiling only. For walls and ceiling together, use the room paint or interior paint calculator.
Related calculators
Paint Calculator · https://paint-calculator.ca/ceiling-paint-calculator/