How much paint for a feature wall?
1.6 litres 1 × 2.5 l · one wall 4 m × 2.4 m
A feature wall 4 m × 2.4 m (9.6 m²) needs 1.5 litres of emulsion for 2 coats, 1.6 litres with 10% spare: buy 1 × 2.5 l. The tin holds 2.5 litres, so some is left over for touching up.
One wall is the smallest paint job there is, and the smallest stock tin does it with paint to spare. That spare matters more here than on any other job, because a feature wall is usually a strong colour, and strong colours over a pale wall often need a third coat to look even.
Choose the wall your eye goes to when you walk in: the one behind the sofa or the bed, not the one with the door or the window in it. A wall broken up by openings shows more edge than colour.
Worked out for One wall 4 m × 2.4 m with no door or window in it, and 2 coats of emulsion that covers 13 m² a litre. Change the numbers
The working
- Feature wall: 4 m × 2.4 m = 9.6 m²
- Area to paint: 9.6 m²
- 9.6 m² × 2 coats ÷ 13 m² per litre = 1.5 l
- Plus 10% spare = 1.6 l
- Tins: 1 × 2.5 l = 2.5 l
The rules, and their sources
Emulsion coverage per litre
Dulux says its Walls & Ceilings matt and silk emulsions cover up to 13 m² per litre on average, per coat. B&Q's and Homebase's own calculators assume 10 m² per litre.
An industry guideline Sources: B&Q, Dulux Walls & Ceilings matt emulsion 2.5 l (checked 31 October 2026); B&Q, Dulux Walls & Ceilings matt emulsion 5 l (checked 31 October 2026); Screwfix, Dulux Pure Brilliant White silk emulsion 2.5 l (checked 31 October 2026); B&Q, Wall painting calculator (checked 31 October 2026); Homebase, Paint calculator (checked 31 October 2026).
Coats of emulsion
Two coats of emulsion is the usual advice for walls and ceilings; a strong colour change can need a third.
An industry guideline Sources: Homebase, Paint calculator (checked 31 October 2026); Dulux UK, How much paint do you need? (checked 31 October 2026).
UK emulsion tin sizes
Emulsion comes in 2.5 l and 5 l tins (some colours in 1 l). At B&Q a 5 l tin costs less per litre: £36 (£7.20/l) against £25 (£10/l) for 2.5 l of Dulux Walls & Ceilings matt.
Shop sizes Sources: B&Q, Dulux Walls & Ceilings matt 2.5 l (checked 31 October 2026); B&Q, Dulux Walls & Ceilings matt 5 l (checked 31 October 2026); Dulux UK, How much paint do you need? (checked 31 October 2026).
Other wall widths
The same wall height each time. One small tin does every wall here, with more left over the narrower the wall.
| Wall | Paint, with spare | Tins to buy |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 m × 2.4 m | 1 litres | 1 × 2.5 l |
| 3 m × 2.4 m | 1.2 litres | 1 × 2.5 l |
| 4 m × 2.4 m this page | 1.6 litres | 1 × 2.5 l |
| 5 m × 2.4 m | 2 litres | 1 × 2.5 l |
| 6 m × 2.4 m | 2.4 litres | 1 × 2.5 l |
Change the numbers
Your sizes will differ. The paint calculator opens with these numbers filled in: change any of them and the answer, the working and the drawing follow.
Editorial notes
Worked out by the Snuug team on 12 November 2026 with the same code as the paint calculator, so the two cannot disagree. Every rule cites its source, with the date we last checked it. A rule designers use is a convention, not a study.
Other sources the calculator draws on:
- Howarth Timber (Green, 14 Sep 2026), UK door sizes, checked 31 October 2026