A litre of paint claiming 12-14 m² coverage means one thin, even coat on primed drywall — dark-to-light changes, bare plaster, or textured surfaces routinely need a second coat, doubling real consumption.
Manufacturer coverage figures are measured under ideal lab conditions — real walls absorb unevenly and colour changes need full opacity, not just an even film, which is why buying "exactly enough" paint so often falls short.
Bare plaster can absorb the best part of a first coat, and a strong colour change routinely needs three. Spraying is worse again through overspray. Buying to the tin's coverage figure on new plaster is how people end up a litre short of a colour that has been discontinued.
Estimate with the rule, then check it against the calculator that models it properly.
Open Paint Coverage Calculator →A litre of paint claiming 12-14 m² coverage means one thin, even coat on primed drywall — dark-to-light changes, bare plaster, or textured surfaces routinely need a second coat, doubling real consumption. Manufacturer coverage figures are measured under ideal lab conditions — real walls absorb unevenly and colour changes need full opacity, not just an even film, which is why buying "exactly enough" paint so often falls short.