How much pool paint you need
gallons = sq ft ÷ coverage of coat 1 + sq ft ÷ coverage of each later coat · sq ft = length × width + 2 × (length + width) × average depth
Pool paint is sold by the gallon and bought by area: the floor and all the walls. A 16x32 pool, 3.5 ft at the shallow end and 7.5 ft at the deep end, has 1,040 sq ft. Olympic's Poxolon 2 epoxy covers about 225-250 sq ft per gallon on the first coat and 300 on the second, so two coats take 8-9 gallons. On a textured or rough surface every coat spreads at about 225-250: 9-10 gallons. Quick rule from the same maker when you have no depths: length × width × 1.5 for a rectangle, 1.55 Roman, 1.6 free-form, 1.65 oval or Lazy-L.
| Pool | Sq ft | Epoxy | Synthetic rubber-base | Waterborne acrylic | Insl-X chart (acrylic) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12x24 | 432 | 4 | 4 | 3-4 | 4 |
| 15x30 | 675 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 6 |
| 20x40 | 1,200 | 9-10 | 9-10 | 8-10 | 9 |
| 25x45 | 1,688 | 13-14 | 13 | 12-14 | 13 |
| 30x60 | 2,700 | 20-21 | 20-21 | 18-22 | 20 |
Coverage by paint type
| Paint | First coat | Later coats | Thinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epoxy (Olympic Poxolon 2) | 225-250 | 300 smooth, 225-250 rough | about 1 gal per 10 gal |
| Synthetic rubber-base (Olympic Paralon 2) | 250-275 (thinned 25 %) | 275 | about 1 gal per 10 gal |
| Waterborne acrylic (Insl-X) | 250-300 | 250-300 | none, do not thin |
Stay with the paint type already on the pool. Insl-X's test: rub a little alcohol on one hidden spot and xylene on another. If the coating softens under alcohol it is water-based, under xylene rubber-base, and if neither softens it is probably epoxy. Insl-X waterborne paint is not for metal, fiberglass or vinyl pools, and once it is on, later coats should be the same system. Paint is the cheapest finish, 1 to 2 USD per sq ft installed, against 4 to 8 for plaster (HomeGuide, Angi): compare them in the pool resurfacing cost calculator. Refill time and water cost after the paint has cured: the pool fill time calculator; then balance the new water with the pool LSI calculator.
Coverage: Kelley Technical Coatings, Bulletin No. 143 "Estimating the Quantity of Coating Required" (02-10): Poxolon 2 epoxy 225-250 sq ft per gallon first coat, 300 second coat, 225-250 on a textured or rough surface; Paralon 2 rubber-base 250-275 first coat (thinned 25 %), 275 second; about one gallon of solvent per ten gallons of coating; shape factors 1.5-1.65. Benjamin Moore, "Insl-X Waterborne Pool Paint Guide" (2/26): 250-300 sq ft per gallon, two thin coats 4 to 6 hours apart, 7 days (outdoor) or 14 days (indoor) before filling, gallons chart for two coats. Price per sq ft: HomeGuide, "Pool resurfacing cost" (April 25, 2025), and Angi, "How Much Does Pool Resurfacing Cost? [2026 Data]" (August 1, 2026). Material lost in mixing and rolling comes on top; the makers' rates vary with the surface. Read October 23, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate how much paint I need for my pool?
Work out the floor and walls: length × width + 2 × (length + width) × average depth. Divide by the paint's coverage per gallon for each coat and add. A 16x32 pool with a 5.5 ft average depth has 1,040 sq ft; two coats of epoxy at 225-250, then 300 sq ft per gallon take 8 to 9 gallons.
What kind of paint do I use to paint a pool?
Pool paint, in one of three types: epoxy, synthetic rubber-base or waterborne acrylic. Use the type already on the pool. Insl-X's test: alcohol softens water-based paint, xylene softens rubber-base, and epoxy resists both. Insl-X waterborne acrylic also goes on bare concrete, marcite and gunite, but not on metal, fiberglass or vinyl pools.
How much paint do I need for a 20x40 pool?
About 1,200 sq ft of floor and walls by Kelley's rule (length × width × 1.5), so 9 to 10 gallons of epoxy or 8 to 10 of waterborne acrylic for two coats; Insl-X's own chart says 9. The pool itself holds about 32,900 gallons of water at a 5.5 ft average depth, which is what refilling it takes.
How much to resurface a 10,000 gallon pool?
A 12x24 pool with a 4.5 ft average depth holds about 9,700 gallons and has 612 sq ft of floor and walls. Paint at 1 to 2 USD per sq ft installed comes to about 610 to 1,220 USD, plaster at 4 to 8 USD to 2,450 to 4,900 (HomeGuide, Angi). Painting it yourself takes about 5 gallons of epoxy.
How long after painting a pool can you fill it?
Insl-X asks for at least 7 days after the final coat for an outdoor pool and 14 days indoors, with fans moving the air down in the pool, and 4 to 6 hours between coats. Other paints print their own cure time on the label. A painted finish lasts about 5 to 7 years before the next repaint (HomeGuide).