How much paint do I need to paint a 1500 square foot home interior and what will the paint alone cost in NB?

For a 1,500 sq ft home interior, budget for roughly 15-25 gallons of paint total (walls, ceilings, and trim) and expect to spend $700-$1,500 on paint alone at NB prices, depending on the quality of products you choose.

That range accounts for two full coats on all surfaces -- which is the minimum standard for a complete interior repaint. Here is how the math breaks down.

Walls are the biggest volume consumer. Standard 8-foot ceilings in a 1,500 sq ft home typically yield 2,000-2,800 sq ft of wall surface when you account for the full perimeter of all rooms (subtract door and window openings, but add up multiple rooms, hallways, and stairwells -- they add up). A gallon of quality interior latex covers approximately 350-400 sq ft per coat, so walls alone need roughly 6-8 gallons for the first coat and the same for the second -- call it 12-16 gallons of wall paint, likely in 2-4 colours depending on your design choices.

Ceilings are typically 1,500 sq ft of coverage at 350-400 sq ft per gallon -- so roughly 4-5 gallons for two coats. Ceiling paint is usually a dedicated flat white product, which helps keep it separate from your wall colour order.

Trim and doors -- baseboards, window casings, door frames, doors themselves -- are typically quoted separately and consume 2-4 gallons in a 1,500 sq ft home, depending on how much original trim detail the house has. Older NB homes in Moncton and Fredericton with wide baseboards and deep window casings have significantly more trim surface than modern builds.

Cost in NB: At mid-range quality (Dulux Diamond, Benjamin Moore ben, Behr Ultra), budget $45-$55 per gallon -- total paint cost of $700-$1,100. At premium quality (Benjamin Moore Regal Select or Aura, Sherwin-Williams Emerald), budget $60-$75 per gallon -- total paint cost of $950-$1,500. The premium products typically cover slightly better (so you may use marginally fewer gallons), and they are significantly more washable and durable -- worth the upgrade in kitchens, hallways, and rooms with kids.

Practical tip: When buying paint for a full-house project, buy your wall colours in 4-litre cans rather than smaller cans -- you save $5-$10 per litre in unit cost. Most NB paint stores offer a courtesy tinting guarantee: if the colour is off when applied, they will adjust it for free. Keep all your receipts and a note of every paint formula in case you need touch-up paint years later. Nothing is more frustrating than having a chip and no formula.

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