Walls

• Measure each wall in the kitchen. Use a tape measure to measure the length of the wall and the width (height) of the wall from the floor to the ceiling. Multiply the length of the wall by the width to find the square footage of the wall. Do this for each wall in the kitchen. After you have all of the wall measurements in square footage, add all of the wall calculations together to determine the total wall square footage. For example, if wall one is 15 square feet, a second wall is 32 square feet, a third wall is 43 square feet, and a fourth wall is 15 square feet, you would have 105 square feet.
  
  

Ceiling

• If you plan to paint the ceiling, multiply the length and the width of the ceiling and add that total to the total wall square footage.
  
  

Windows and Doorways

• Measure the length and width of the first window in the kitchen. Multiply the length and the width of the window to find the square footage. Continue to measure each window and doorway. Find the square footage of each window and doorway. Add the total square footage of all windows and doors together to find the total square footage of the windows and doors. Subtract the total square footage from the total square footage of the walls.
  
  

Cabinets

• Measure the cabinet length and width. Do this for all cabinets on all walls. Each length and width measurement for each cabinet section is multiplied together to find the square footage of each cabinet section. Add the square footage together. Subtract the total cabinet square footage from the total square footage remaining after subtracting the windows and doors from the total wall footage.
  
  

Final Calculations

• If you have backsplashes on any of the walls, measure the length and width of each section. Multiply the length and width of each section and add the total square footage of each section together. Subtract that total from the total square footage sum you have after you subtracted the windows, doors and cabinets. This will be the total square footage you need to cover. Look at the can of paint to see how many square footage it will cover and buy enough for your total square footage. If you plant to apply two coats, double the square footage you need.