Understanding your result
The headline is the paint, or the number of spray cans, and the sub-line gives the cans to buy and the primer. The three figures show the area, the coats and whether a primer is used.
The table measures the piece face by face: the top, the front, the sides, the back if painted, and the drawer edges and door insides, then the paint and primer with their coverage and cans. Under a quart the paint is shown in fluid ounces (millilitres in metric), because chalk paints are sold in small tins and the difference between 10 fl oz and a quart matters on one piece.
Furniture sits between cabinets and woodwork. The cabinet paint calculator counts a whole kitchen of doors and drawers; the wood stain calculator measures the same box for stain and clear finish; and the door paint calculator covers room doors.
How we calculate this
The box is measured in inches and turned into square feet by dividing by 144. Drawer fronts are already part of the front face; the 0.5 sq ft per drawer adds their edges and profiles. A door painted inside adds about 2.5 sq ft for a typical 15 × 24 in furniture door. The 15% allowance is higher than for a wall, because brushes and small rollers lose a large share of a small quantity.
The coverages are what the products quote: about 150 sq ft per quart for chalk paint, 100 per quart for furniture and cabinet enamel, and 20 sq ft per coat for a 12 oz aerosol on flat surfaces. The coverage rates table lists them with the other paints. The primer guide explains which primer suits which old finish, and the cabinet painting guide covers the prep that makes enamel stick.
The assumptions behind the numbers
| Assumption | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Chalk-style paint | 600 sq ft per gallon (150 per quart) | Chalk-paint makers’ coverage figures (about 150 sq ft per quart or litre) |
| Furniture enamel | 400 sq ft per gallon (100 per quart) | Cabinet and furniture enamel labels |
| Spray paint | 20 sq ft per 12 oz can per coat | Aerosol labels quote 12–25 sq ft |
| Bonding primer | 350 sq ft per gallon | Bonding primer data sheets |
| Drawer edges | 0.5 sq ft per drawer | Site estimate |
| Door inside face | 2.5 sq ft per door | A 15 × 24 in furniture door |
| Allowance | 15% | Brush and roller loss on a small job |
Assumptions last reviewed October 8, 2026.
The calculator does not model legs, spindles and carving beyond the box (raise the coats or add the area), the inside of carcasses, or a clear topcoat or wax over chalk paint, which goes on at about the same coverage as the paint.
Two worked examples
A dresser in chalk paint
36 × 18 × 30 in, top, front and sides, three drawers, two coats, no primer.
- Area: 4.5 + 7.5 + 7.5 + 3 × 0.5 = 21 sq ft
- Paint: 21 ÷ 600 × 2 × 1.15 = 10.3 fl oz, a quart or a small tin
The same dresser free-standing in enamel, with two doors painted inside and a bonding primer, is 33.5 sq ft: 24.7 fl oz of enamel, a quart, and about 14 fl oz of primer, another quart.
A nightstand in spray paint
18 × 18 × 24 in, one drawer, two coats.
- Area: 2.25 + 3 + 6 + 0.5 = 11.75 sq ft
- Cans: 11.75 ÷ 20 × 2 = 1.18, so 2 cans
Spray light coats from 8 to 12 inches and expect to use every can; legs eat paint.
Where to find your inputs
Dimensions. Overall width, depth and height.
Back. Paint it if the piece stands away from a wall.
Drawers and doors. Count drawer fronts and any doors you will paint inside.
Paint and coats. Two coats for most colours; three over dark wood with a light colour.
Primer. For enamel over a glossy, lacquered or laminate surface.
Common mistakes
- Enamel straight over lacquer. It chips at the edges; scuff-sand and prime.
- Chalk paint with no topcoat. It marks and rubs off where hands go.
- Painting drawer sides. They stick; wax them instead.
- Light paint over oak without a shellac primer. Tannin bleeds through as yellow stains.
- Heavy spray coats. They run on vertical faces.
- A quart of enamel for a side table. A smaller tin or a sample pot may do.
Questions people ask
- How much chalk paint for a dresser?
- A 36 × 18 × 30 in dresser painted on the top, front and sides, with three drawers, is about 21 sq ft. Chalk paint at about 150 sq ft per quart takes about 10 fl oz for two coats with the allowance, so a quart with plenty left, or a smaller tin if the brand sells one.
- Do I need to prime furniture before painting?
- For chalk paint, usually not, if the piece is clean and the old finish sound. For enamel over lacquer, varnish, laminate or anything glossy, yes, a bonding primer after a scuff-sand. Over oak, mahogany or old finishes that may bleed, use a shellac-based primer.
- How many spray cans for a piece of furniture?
- A 12 oz can covers about 20 sq ft per coat on flat panels. An 18 in nightstand, about 12 sq ft, takes two cans for two coats. Legs, spindles and open frames waste more.
- Chalk paint or enamel?
- Chalk paint is easy, sticks to most things without primer and gives a matt, distressable finish, but it is soft and needs a wax or clear topcoat. Furniture and cabinet enamels cure hard and resist wiping and knocks, and need more prep.
- Do I paint inside the drawers?
- Usually not; paint on drawer sides makes them stick. Paint the fronts and their edges, which the calculator includes, and wax the runners.
- Why add the doors separately?
- Because a door painted inside as well as out has two faces, and the inside is not part of the box's outer surface. The calculator adds about 2.5 sq ft per door for the inside face.