How Many Coats of Paint Do You Need?

When one coat is enough, when you need two or three, and how the number of coats changes the amount of paint to buy.

Two coats is the standard answer, and for good reason: the second coat evens out the color, hides roller marks and makes the finish last longer. But there are times one is enough and times you need three.

Here's how to decide.

One coat is enough when…

• You're refreshing walls in the same color, and the old paint is in good condition.
• You're using a high-quality, high-hide paint over a similar light color.

Two coats when…

• You're changing color, even slightly.
• The walls are newly primed.
• You want an even, durable finish (almost always).

Three coats (or primer + two) when…

• You're going from dark to light, such as navy to white.
• You're painting a deep or bright color like red or yellow, which often needs extra coats.
• You're painting over stains or new plaster without a dedicated primer.

How coats change the paint you need

Each coat needs the full amount of paint again, so two coats need double and three coats triple. A 12×12 room needs about 1 gallon for one coat, 2 for two and 3 for three. Change the coats in the paint calculator to see the difference.

Tip: a tinted primer close to your final color can save a coat of expensive paint.