House painting
How much paint does a house need? A Gwalior homeowner’s guide
Step 1: measure the walls, not the floor
Paint covers walls and ceilings, so the floor area of a flat is only a starting point. For each room, add the lengths of all four walls and multiply by the height. Subtract doors and windows. Add the ceiling (length × width) if you are painting it too.
A typical room in a Gwalior house has a 10 foot ceiling. A 12 × 12 foot bedroom therefore has about 480 sq ft of wall before you take out the door and window, and another 144 sq ft of ceiling.
Step 2: check the coverage on the pack
Every Berger product has a coverage figure on its data sheet, given in square feet or square metres per litre for one or two coats. The figure assumes a smooth, primed wall. Rough plaster, old cracked paint and porous walls take more. We look up the figure for the exact product you choose, because economy and luxury emulsions are not the same.
Step 3: count coats and the base layers
A fresh coat of emulsion over a sound wall usually needs two coats. A change from a dark to a light shade may need a third. Below the paint you may also need:
- Primer: one coat on new plaster, repaired patches and walls that have been scraped back
- Wall putty: one or two coats where the surface is uneven, for example Berger Bison Wall Putty
- Crack filler on hairline cracks before putty
Putty is bought in kilograms, not litres, and the amount depends on how uneven the wall is. That is the hardest number to guess without seeing the wall.
Why a site visit gives a better number
Most extra spending on a paint job comes from two mistakes: buying too little and stopping work for a second trip, or buying the wrong base layers and redoing a wall after damp shows through. A visit lets us check for seepage, loose paint and old distemper, which change the product list as much as the area does. In Gwalior city the site visit is free, and we write down quantities for paint, primer, putty and tools so your painter has nothing to guess.
Before the painter starts: a short checklist
- Fix leaks and damp first; paint will not stop water coming through a wall
- Scrape loose and flaking paint; sand glossy patches so the new coat grips
- Fill cracks, then prime repaired spots and any bare plaster
- Use putty only where the wall is uneven, and sand it smooth
- Cover floors and furniture; remove switch plates and fittings
- Note the shade code of every tin, so a later top-up matches
Questions to ask your painter before work starts
- Which walls need scraping, primer or putty, and which do not?
- How many coats of each product are included in the price?
- Who supplies material, and will you show me the sealed tins and shade codes?
- How will furniture, floors and fittings be protected?
- How many days will the job take, and how long between coats?
Berger products that suit this job
| Product | Range | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Berger Bison Emulsion | Economy | Bison Emulsion is Berger's best-known budget interior paint. |
| Berger Rangoli Total Care | Premium | Rangoli Total Care gives a smooth, buttery finish and has a bio-resistant, anti-microbial formula. |
| Berger Easy Clean | Premium | Easy Clean is Berger's washable interior emulsion. |
| Berger Bison Wall Putty | Economy | Bison Wall Putty is a white cement-based powder putty for interior and exterior walls. |
| Berger BP White Primer | Economy | BP White Primer (WT) is a low-smell, air-drying primer for interior masonry. |
Buying Berger outside Gwalior city
PT Enterprises supplies more than 70 Berger dealers across the Gwalior region, so the products in this guide are available in Gwalior, Morena, Bhind, Sheopur, Shivpuri, Datia, Guna, Ashoknagar. Call or WhatsApp +91 77559 81105 and we will tell you the nearest dealer and check stock.
Useful next steps
- Free site visit and estimate in Gwalior
- Painting service in Gwalior
- Colour consultation
- Our Berger DOCO store in Gwalior
Frequently asked questions
Is the 3.5 times carpet area rule accurate?
It is a rough estimate for interiors and works best for ordinary flats. Houses with high ceilings, many windows or open stairwells can differ a lot, so measure each room or ask for a site visit.
Should I buy a little extra paint?
Buying about 10 percent extra is sensible, and keep one small tin of the same shade code for touch-ups. Because our tinting is computerised, the same shade code can be mixed again later.
Do you calculate quantity for houses outside Gwalior city?
Yes. Send room sizes or photos on WhatsApp to +91 77559 81105 and we will work out the list, or point you to the nearest Berger dealer in your district.
About this guide: written by the team at PT Enterprises, the authorised Berger Paints distributor for the Gwalior region, which supplies dealers in eight districts and runs a Berger DOCO store in Gwalior. Product details follow Berger’s published data sheets; check the data sheet of your exact product for coverage, coats and drying time.
