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Exterior Paint Cost Calculator

Estimate gallons and the cost to paint your house exterior by size, stories and siding type.

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Paint in the shade, not the sun

Paint applied to siding in direct sun dries too fast, shows lap marks and can blister. Follow the shade around the house: start on the west side in the morning and the east side in the afternoon. Most exterior latex also needs air and surface temperatures above about 35 to 50 degrees F, depending on the product.

How to estimate exterior paint and cost

Exterior wall area is estimated as perimeter × wall height per story × stories, plus an allowance for gable triangles, fascia and trim. Ten percent suits a typical gable-roof house; use 15 to 20 percent for steep gables or lots of trim, and 0 to 5 percent for hip roofs. Windows and doors are not deducted, because the trim around them gets painted too.

Gallons are area × coats × siding factor ÷ coverage. Smooth siding spreads near the label rate of about 350 sq ft per gallon. Rough cedar and shakes soak up more paint, and stucco and brick can take 50 percent more or better, which is why masonry coating data sheets list much lower coverage.

Professional labor is figured per square foot of siding and increased by 15 percent for two stories and 30 percent for three to cover ladders, staging or lifts. Angi's 2026 data puts exterior painting at about $1.50 to $4 per sq ft all in, so $1.75 of labor plus paint lands in the middle of that range for a simple one-story house with light prep.

Prep such as scraping, sanding, caulking, repairing rotted boards and priming bare wood is where exterior jobs vary most. Heavy prep can add 20 to 50 percent to labor, so raise the labor rate if your siding is peeling.

Where these numbers come from

The formulas and default values in this calculator are based on:

  • Angi, Interior and Exterior Painting Costs (2026 data: exterior about $1.50–$4 per sq ft
  • exterior latex $20–$50+ per gallon)
  • Sherwin-Williams exterior paint product data for coverage

These are planning estimates. Check product labels, your local building code, and a licensed contractor before you buy materials or build.

Frequently asked questions

How do I measure the perimeter of my house?

Walk around the house with a tape measure or measuring wheel and add up the length of every exterior wall, including bump-outs. You can also add up the outside dimensions from a survey or floor plan. Attached garages count if you are painting them.

Why not subtract windows and doors?

On the exterior, the window and door trim is usually painted, often in a second color, and it takes about as much paint and time as the siding it replaces. Leaving openings in the estimate covers the trim and gives you a small cushion for touch-ups.

How long does exterior paint last?

A quality acrylic latex on well-prepared wood or fiber cement siding typically lasts about 7 to 10 years, and longer on stucco or on walls that do not face strong afternoon sun. Two coats last noticeably longer than one, which is why most painters and manufacturers recommend two.

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