More and more people are opting for home improvement to save money and get a sense of satisfaction from having done the job themselves. There is a range of difficulty levels for the virtually infinite number of DIY jobs, but many home improvement projects are actually quite simple. Interior painting, for example, is something that anyone with a little patience, a keen eye, and a steady hand can do. However, to maximize your cost savings, you’ll need to pay careful attention to how much paint you buy.
In most cases, you can return the standard colors if you have not opened the can or packaging. But with special custom colors, you basically keep the leftover paint. Therefore, careful selection of the amount of paint is imperative to avoid starting an endless collection of overpaint. Control of expenses is one of the keys to a successful home improvement.
Virtually all paint cans from major paint brands will have paint coverage descriptions on their labels. Generally, coverage measurements are given in terms of how many square feet are covered per gallon. Before you start doing your math, remember to factor in a little more for future touch-up paint jobs.
If the master bedroom is your painting project, for example, start by measuring the height and width of each wall. Multiply those two results, and the result is the surface area of the wall in terms of square feet. Repeat this step for each of the four walls, arriving at separate totals for each wall. The sum of these four totals will give you the total area of the walls. Determining the surface area of the ceiling is much easier: multiply the length of the room by its width, and that total (again in square feet) is the total surface area of the ceiling. Add this total to the total surface area of the wall and you get your final surface area.
Take measurements in the same way as doors and windows. Add these totals together and then subtract that total from the total you arrived at for the walls and roof. Once you’ve arrived at the total surface area to paint, you can head to your local home improvement center or paint store to select your colors and purchase your paint.
Coverage areas advertised on paint labels are not always what will confirm individual results. A safe rule of thumb is to reduce stated coverage totals by about 10 percent when arriving at your totals. Take the final measured square foot totals and divide them by the adjusted coverage totals (remember your 10 percent adjustment) listed on the paint label. The final total you arrive at will be the number of gallons needed to complete your project. Again, add a little more to have enough for minor refinishing needs.
Buy your paint now and let your home improvement skills and painting progress take over. In the end, you will have saved a substantial amount of money and beautified your room in the process.
