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PAINT CALCULATOR

Furniture refinishing calculator

Refinishing furniture takes less paint than people expect — a quart usually does a dresser, a pint does a chair. Tally the pieces below for an exact estimate. Use semi-gloss or satin for durability; chalk paint for distressed / matte finishes.

HOW IT WORKS

How the per-piece math works

Refinishing furniture takes far less paint than people expect because a single piece is only a few square feet of surface. The calculator assigns a typical paintable area to each piece you enter, multiplies by your number of coats, and divides by the coverage of the paint type. A quart of furniture paint covers roughly 100 to 150 sq ft, so one quart handles a dresser with room to spare, and a pint is plenty for a single chair.

These are the per-piece areas the tool uses, counting every visible side, leg, and drawer front.

  • Chair: about 10 sq ft — legs, seat, back, and all sides.
  • Side / end table: about 14 sq ft.
  • Dining / coffee table: about 30 sq ft.
  • Dresser / nightstand: about 25 sq ft — top, sides, and drawer fronts.
  • Bookcase: about 40 sq ft — interior shelves plus the outside.
  • Bedframe: about 50 sq ft.

Chalk vs. acrylic vs. milk paint

Chalk paint sticks to almost anything without primer, dries to a matte finish, and is the easiest to distress with sandpaper. The downside is that it must be sealed with wax or polyacrylic to hold up to daily use, and that topcoat needs weeks to fully cure. Acrylic semi-gloss is more durable straight from the can and stands up to kitchen and tabletop wear, but it needs proper sanding and a bonding primer on glossy surfaces. Milk paint is finicky to mix and apply but produces beautiful period-correct finishes on antique pieces.

Because the formulas lay down differently, the calculator uses different coverage for each, so switching paint types updates the estimate.

Prep decides whether it lasts

Chalk paint can skip the sanding step — that is the manufacturer's big sales pitch — though a quick scuff and a clean surface still help. Acrylic cannot skip it: scuff-sand the existing finish, prime, then paint. Skipping prep is the single most common reason DIY furniture paint chips off within months, because slick factory finishes give the new paint nothing to grip. Whatever paint you choose, let the piece cure for a couple of weeks before heavy use.

What it costs to refinish furniture

The biggest reason to DIY furniture is cost. The paint itself is cheap — a quart of chalk or furniture acrylic is about $20 to $40 and covers two or three pieces — so most single pieces come in at $60 to $150 once you add primer, sandpaper, a brush, and a topcoat wax or polyacrylic. That is your whole bill when you do the work.

Hiring it out costs several times more because labor is roughly 85 percent of the price and a pro charges $40 to $100 an hour. Here is the rough picture per piece:

  • DIY paint job: $60 to $150 per piece in paint and supplies.
  • Pro painting: $200 to $500 per piece, depending on size and detail.
  • Pro strip and refinish: averages about $185 for a simple piece and runs $125 to $1,550 — a chair or end table at the low end, a carved armoire or large dining table at the top.

For a whole-room or multi-piece project where you want paint and labor totaled together, run the paint cost calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to refinish furniture?+
Doing it yourself, most pieces cost $60 to $150 in paint and supplies — a quart of furniture or chalk paint is about $20 to $40 and covers several pieces. Hiring a pro averages around $185 per piece and runs $125 to $300 for a chair or small table, since labor is roughly 85 percent of the bill.
Is it cheaper to paint furniture yourself or hire someone?+
Much cheaper to do it yourself. A DIY chair or dresser runs $60 to $150 in materials, versus $200 to $500 per piece for a pro to paint or $150 to $1,550 to fully strip and refinish. The savings is almost entirely labor, which a pro charges $40 to $100 an hour for.
How much paint do I need to refinish a dresser?+
A standard dresser has about 25 sq ft of surface, so one quart in two coats covers it with paint to spare. A quart of most furniture paint covers roughly 100 to 150 sq ft, which is two or three pieces.
Will one quart of paint cover a chair?+
Easily. A chair is about 10 sq ft, so a single quart covers several chairs in two coats. A pint is plenty for one chair on its own.
Do I have to sand furniture before painting?+
For acrylic and most paints, yes — scuff-sand the glossy finish and use a bonding primer so the paint grips. Chalk paint is the exception and can go straight over a cleaned surface, which is its main selling point.
Is chalk paint or acrylic better for furniture?+
Acrylic semi-gloss is more durable straight from the can and handles kitchen and tabletop use. Chalk paint is easier to apply and distress but must be sealed with wax or polyacrylic to hold up.
Why does my painted furniture keep chipping?+
Almost always skipped prep. Paint over a slick, unsanded, unprimed factory finish has nothing to grip and peels within months. Clean, scuff, prime, then paint.
How long before I can use refinished furniture?+
It is dry to the touch in hours but the paint keeps curing for two to four weeks. Wait several days before heavy use, and longer before setting items on a painted tabletop, or the finish can mark or stick.
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