Paint consumption and yield – Calculate your need for each project

Carrying out painting on a vehicle or any other type of support requires different products, such as primers and primers, undercoats, paints, varnishes, etc. This article is intended to answer questions about the needs in quantities of paint, pure or after mixing and dilution to carry out different types of projects. → Consumption depends on the type of paint or product, and the thickness that must be applied to the support. A primer, a paint, a lacquer, a varnish have different consumption. This theoretical consumption or yield is approximate, because each shade is unique and may have different covering power. → Technical support will be able to tell you what you need to carry out a touch-up or a complete painting, depending on this or that type of paint.

Paint calculator: how to estimate the surface area of a vehicle of an object?

♣ To know the quantity of paint needed, the first thing to do is to very approximately estimate the quantity of surface to paint by always rounding up, without trying to detail:

Simply imagine a square of 1 meter² of which each side measures 1 meter and visually and quickly transfer it to the surface of the vehicle in front of you, then multiply it by measuring the approximate length and width.

When you have a round room, just imagine a 1 m² tablecloth that can cover the entire room. For small rooms, we can count a “half tablecloth”, i.e. ½m² = 0.5m², or 2/3m² = 0.66 m² or even 1/4m² = 0.25m².

► Find the yields and consumption with spray paint (aerosols) below.

Needs and consumption by type of parts

In Liter ready to use (already mixed)

Minimum and general quantities and are indicated in an indicative manner.

Needs and consumption according to types of vehicles and supports

In Liter of pure product (thinner or hardener not included)

Minimum and general quantities, and are indicated in an indicative manner.

Needs and consumption by type of tubular parts

Quantity of ready-to-use products (already mixed with hardener and thinner).

The yields of spray paints

Aerosols are extremely practical packaging because they allow you to paint without the need for a compressor or a gun and eliminate the need for cleaning, etc. Their prices seem attractive. However, it must be understood that paint requires propellant gas to be sprayed. Propellant gas constitutes approximately 75% of the aerosol volume.

Here are the actual product contents in the aerosols.
All primers, paints and varnishes 1C (one-component): 100ml
All 2C primers, lacquers and varnishes (two-component): 150ml *
(The hardener part is not a pigmented filler and therefore does not contribute to the covering power).

Primer requirements depend on the condition of the vehicle's surface.

Consumption of primer, paint and varnish

► Primers have very variable yields:

A filling primer is intended to load in thickness and depending on the number of coats applied, the final consumption can be from 2.5 to 10 m² per Liter. Recommended thickness: 50-150 µm

An adhesion primer, on the contrary, must be applied in a thin layer to better adhere: the final yield can reach 10 m² with 1 Liter. Recommended thickness: 25µm

► Paints

Automotive or motorcycle color code paints or special effect paints generally have final consumption of around 4 to 5 m² / Liter of ready-to-use product. Pearl and metallic paints generally have less coverage than simple opaque colors.

► Varnishes

UHS automotive varnishes have a very stable yield of around 5-6 m² / Liter of ready-to-use product. Recommended thickness: 50 µm

► Yield in m²/L

Consumption is expressed in L (liter) or KG (kilos) per M² (square meter):

♦ is finished (All layers necessary until complete coverage) .

♦ or per layer (Consumption for one layer).

How to know the need on the technical sheet?

The basic information to know the covering power or the performance of a given paint is always indicated on an information page of the product or on its technical sheet. There are two things to take into account on a technical sheet to know the paint consumption:

► Consult the product page and look at the yield per meter². The yield is expressed either in 1 coat or in total/final.

Example:

Ready-to-use pearlescent paint: 10m² / L in one coat or Ready-to-use pearlescent paint: 5m² / L final

When the yield is expressed in a single coat, then simply divide it by 2 (coats) to obtain the total final yield. If a paint must be applied in 4 coats, then divide 10 m² by 4 = 2.5 m² / L to obtain the final yield.

► Pure or Ready to use?

Depending on the manufacturers, the technical sheet indicates a yield for the pure product (without the hardener or diluent) or the ready-to-use product (mixed with its hardener and diluent and ready to spray).

Examples:

1 L of pure varnish = 12 m² / 1 coat

or

1 Liter of ready-to-use varnish* = 8m² / 1 coat

*(600ml of varnish + 200ml of hardener + 200ml of thinner)

♣ The theory

Sometimes, on a technical sheet, no yield in square meters / Liter is indicated. Instead, there is a suggested wet thickness and consumption in grams per square meter (g/m²). The thickness method is reserved only for industrialists or professionals equipped with a “measuring comb” for the thickness of paint layers.

The dry thickness is logically deduced as follows: 1 kg of paint is applied to 10 m² or 100g/m². This paint has a VOC rate of 50% (volatile matter), It will therefore remain 50 g/m² or 50µm thick. This final suggested quantity, which is the thickness in microns on the surface, must of course be applied in several installments to avoid runs.