Guides
Answers to common questions before a project starts, such as how far paint goes, how much material a job takes and how to read the numbers.
How Much Does a Gallon of Paint Cover?
One gallon covers 350 to 400 sq ft in a single coat, though your walls will probably do worse.
ReadHow Much Paint Do I Need?
Worked gallon counts for five common room sizes, plus the formula to run your own.
ReadHow Much Does 5 Gallons of Paint Cover?
A bucket covers about 1,750 sq ft in one coat. Whether that saves you money depends on the job.
ReadHow Many Shingles Are in a Bundle?
26 in a 3-tab bundle, about 21 in an architectural one. Neither is the number you order from.
ReadHow Many Bundles of Shingles Are in a Square?
Three bundles make a square on almost every asphalt shingle, but some designer lines take four.
ReadHow Many Board Feet in a 2x4?
5.33 for an 8-footer, and a table for every common length and size you will find at the yard.
ReadHow to Calculate Board Feet
One formula, one worked example, and the mistake that makes people come up a third short.
ReadHow Much Does a Yard of Concrete Weigh?
About 4,000 pounds, or two tons. What that means for a truck, a trailer, and a deck.
Read