Bathroom paintable wall area — subtract doors, windows, and tiled surfaces from the wall area
Paintable wall = wall area − doors − windows − tiled surfaces. In an 8 ft × 5 ft bath with an 8 ft ceiling: 208 − 20 (door) − 15 (window) − 66 (tub-surround tile) = 107 sf painted. Subtracting the tiled area so paint isn’t over-bought is the whole reason composers exist.
What this diagram shows
A bathroom’s four walls unfolded into one horizontal strip to show why a composer paints less wall than the room has. For an 8-foot by 5-foot bathroom with an 8-foot ceiling, the gross wall area is 2 times 8 plus 5, times 8, which is 208 square feet. From that the composer subtracts the openings and the tiled wet area: a 20-square-foot door, a 15-square-foot window, and a tub-surround tiled 11 linear feet wide by 6 feet high, which is 66 square feet. What is left, 208 minus 20 minus 15 minus 66, equals 107 square feet of paintable wall. Subtracting the tiled area is the whole reason a composer exists: the paint and wall-tile calculators would each grab the same wall, so without the deduction you would buy paint for wall you are actually tiling.
Use this diagram — free
You're welcome to use this diagram on your own site, blog, handout, or lesson at no cost. The only condition is a visible credit link back to the source page. Copy the snippet below and paste it into your page — the credit is already included.
Please keep the credit link intact and don't alter the diagram itself. Redistribution as part of a competing diagram library or template pack isn't permitted. Questions? Reach us via the site.
Was this diagram helpful?
Bathroom Remodel Calculator
Combine drywall, paint, flooring, and wall-tile estimates into one bathroom materials list. Tile-vs-paint overlaps handled automatically. Free.
