One gallon of exterior paint typically covers about three hundred fifty to four hundred square feet per coat on smooth surfaces, so plan coverage and supplies accordingly.

When estimating for a house paint job start by measuring total surface area including walls, trim, and soffits and subtract areas for windows and doors to get an accurate square footage number. Use the thumb rule that one gallon covers about three hundred fifty to four hundred square feet on smooth surfaces and reduce that coverage estimate for rough or textured surfaces because porosity can cut effective coverage by up to forty percent. Always plan for at least two finish coats for durability and color uniformity and add a coat of primer for bare wood, repaired areas, or when switching from a dark to a light color because primer improves adhesion and hides stains. For porous substrates like new stucco or rough wood allow for additional material and consider a sealer primer that penetrates and evens absorption so topcoats spread evenly. When calculating total gallons divide your adjusted total square footage by the coverage per gallon then round up to the next whole gallon and add an extra five to ten percent for waste, touch ups, and field variation.

Common mistakes include relying on factory coverage numbers without adjusting for surface texture and porosity which causes runs out of paint midproject; fix this by testing a small area to measure real coverage and adjust your quantity before purchasing. Another frequent error is skipping primer on bare wood or patched areas which leads to peeling and poor color development; remedy this by blocking time for priming and using a primer specified for your substrate. People also underestimate paint needed for trim, doors, and soffits thinking they are small areas but these require different application and sometimes different formulations; account for them separately in your calculations and buy a little extra in each sheen and color for touch up.

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