Estimating Amount of Paint Required
PaintBasics
PPG Industries, Inc.
Architectural Coatings
One PPG Place
Pittsburgh, PA 15272
www.ppg.com
Technical Services
1-800-441-9695
1-888-807-5123 fax
Architect/Specifier
1-888-PPG-IDEA
PPG Canada, Inc
Architectural Coatings
4 Kenview Blvd
Brampton, ON L6T 5E4
Eaves
PLAIN: Multiply width by length and add 50% to determine total
number of square feet in area.
WITH RAFTERS RUNNING THROUGH: Multiply width by
length and triple the resultant figure to determine the total area.
Fences
PLAIN: Multiply height by length and double.
PICKET: Multiply height by length and multiply the result by 4
to obtain total area.
Residential – Interior
Wall Areas
Measure overall dimensions. Add lineal footage (width) of each
wall. Multiply total by the ceiling height to determine square foot
area of walls. Do not allow for openings totaling less than 100 feet.
Ceilings, Floors &Wood Trim
Measure total area to be varnished, stained and varnished, or
painted. Multiply length by width for total square foot area,
ceiling and floors.
Commercial
The measuring of surfaces in commercial or industrial structures
differs little from residential work except in buildings or plants
of mill construction where there may be large areas of exposed
beams, girders, columns, posts, structural steel, pipe lines, etc.
In unfinished buildings of this type, care should be taken to see that
the total areas of the ceilings, which are in reality the under side of
the roofs, are figured according to the pitch of the roof and that
sufficient footage is added to take care of the 3 exposed sides of
beams, rafters, braces, pipe lines, etc.
When figuring wall areas, be sure that the areas of any
studding, pillars, columns, pipe lines, etc. are added to the
measured wall areas.
Areas of Polygons
Multiply the base of one triangle of the polygon by half the height
and then by the number of such triangles involved in the polygon.
Towers frequently present this problem for figuring.
Areas of Spheres
Multiply the square of the diameter by 3.1416.
Table of Spheres:
Diameter in Feet Approx. Sq. Ft. Approx. Sq. M
1 3.2 .03
2 12.6 1.17
3 28.3 2.63
4 50.3 4.67
5 78.6 7.30
6 113.1 10.51
7 154.0 14.31
8 201.0 18.67
9 245.5 22.81
10 314.2 29.19
11 380.2 35.32
12 452.4 42.03
15 707.0 65.68
20 1256.6 116.74
25 1963.5 182.41
30 2827.0 262.63
40 5026.0 466.91
Areas of Cylinders or Tanks
For area of tank or cylinder tops, multiply the square of the
diameter by .7854. If bottom is to be painted, multiply area of tank
top by 2. For the sides of the tank, multiply the circumference
(circumference = 3.1416 x diameter) of the tank by its height
which, when added to the area of the top, or top and bottom, gives
the total area to be painted.
Estimated Square Footage per Ton of Structural Steel
when Thickness is Known:
Thickness Sq. Ft. Per Ton Sq. M Per Ton
1/8
" 800 74.33/16
" 533 49.51/4
" 400 37.25/16
" 320 29.73/8
" 267 26.71/2
" 200 18.65/8
" 160 14.93/4
" 144 13.47/8
" 133 12.31
" 100 9.31 1/2
" 57 5.32
" 50 4.6