How to Calculate the Effect Paint Price per m²?

Short answer: The effect paint price per m² is found by dividing the price of the product's packaging by the number of square metres that packaging covers; primer, topcoat product and labour are then added. The area covered is determined by the coverage value (g/m² or m²/kg) on the silkcoat.com product pages. Silkcoat product pages do not show prices; the current price is requested through the contact page using the "Get a Quote" button on each product page. In this article we explain, step by step, how to calculate the cost per m² once you have the price in hand.

What is the effect paint price per m²?

The effect paint price per m² is the total cost of covering one square metre of wall with effect paint, made up of the material cost plus the application cost. On the material side there is the effect paint itself, primer and filler for surface preparation, and the topcoat product required for the specific product. On the application side there is labour and the tools used.

With standard flat emulsion paint, the cost per m² is usually calculated from a single product. With effect paints the calculation involves more items, because many products use a separate topcoat and coverage varies widely from one product to another. According to silkcoat.com figures, coverage across Silkcoat effect paints ranges widely, for example from 1500-2500 g/m² for Travertino to 70-110 g/m² for Arteco. That is why two different effect paints can have very different prices per m² even when their bucket prices are the same.

Which formula is used to calculate the effect paint price per m²?

The material cost per m² of effect paint is found by dividing the bucket price by the area the bucket covers: cost per m² = bucket price ÷ m² covered by the bucket. To find the area a bucket covers, use the coverage value on the product page. The formula is set up according to the unit in which the value is given on the page:

Value on the page	Area covered by the bucket	Material cost per m²
g/m² (product used per 1 m²)	Bucket weight (g) ÷ g/m² value	Bucket price ÷ area covered
m²/kg (area covered by 1 kg)	Bucket weight (kg) × m²/kg value	Bucket price ÷ area covered
m²/lt (area covered by 1 litre)	Bucket volume (lt) × m²/lt value	Bucket price ÷ area covered

If the packaging on the product page is given in kg and the coverage in litres, the two units cannot simply be multiplied together. In that case it is safer to calculate using the g/m² value; if the page has no g/m² value, you will need to ask about the product's density and consumption when you request a quote.

How many m² does one bucket of a Silkcoat product cover?

Using the g/m² values and packaging on silkcoat.com, for example, 10 Kg of Velvetto covers about 28-40 m², while 25 Kg of Travertino covers about 10-16 m². The table below shows approximate calculations based on the packaging and g/m² values on the product pages; to find the cost per m², all you need to do is divide the bucket price by the area in the last column.

Product	Packaging (silkcoat.com)	Coverage (silkcoat.com)	Approximate area covered by one bucket
Velvetto	10 Kg	250-350 g/m²	About 28-40 m²
Decortivo	10 Kg	200-250 g/m²	About 40-50 m²
Arteco	10 Kg	70-110 g/m²	About 90-140 m²
Travertino	25 Kg	1500-2500 g/m²	About 10-16 m²

This table shows why two products in the same price range can have very different costs per m²: because of its low consumption, a 10 Kg bucket of Arteco covers a much larger area than a 10 Kg bucket of Velvetto. Travertino, on the other hand, is a thick-textured product, so it uses far more material per square metre. For the coverage values of all products, see our effect paint coverage table.

How do you calculate the effect paint price per m² step by step?

The effect paint price per m² is calculated in five steps: measuring the area, taking the product value, working out the number of buckets, and adding the extra products and labour. Following this order ensures that no item is left out:

1. Measure the area: Multiply the width of the wall by its height; subtract door and window openings.
2. Get the product's coverage value: Read the g/m², m²/kg or m²/lt value of your chosen product in the technical data section of the product page.
3. Work out the material needed and the number of buckets: Multiply the area by the g/m² value to find the amount of product needed, then choose the packaging combination that covers that amount.
4. Add the extra products: Calculate the primer, filler if needed, and the topcoat product specified on the product page (Silkomatt, Arteco or Silkobase) in the same way and add them to the total.
5. Add labour and divide by m²: Add labour to the total material cost and divide the result by the area to be painted. The figure you get is the effect paint price per m² for that wall.

Example: if Velvetto is to be used on a 20 m² wall, the 250-350 g/m² value means about 5-7 kg of product is needed, so a single 10 Kg bucket is enough. In this case the material cost is one bucket of Velvetto plus the other products such as primer; the price per m² is then found by dividing this total plus labour by 20. If the leftover product in the bucket will be used on another wall, you can also base the calculation on the amount actually used rather than the whole bucket.

Which items increase the effect paint price per m²?

The items that raise the effect paint price per m² the most are the topcoat product, surface preparation, the number of coats and labour. Looking only at the bucket price makes the real cost per m² seem lower than it is. The items to take into account are:

• Topcoat product: According to silkcoat.com, Silkomatt is used as the topcoat for Palace, Cashmere, Velvetto Soft and Metalico Soft; Arteco for Travertino and Betoncoat; and Silkobase for Cracos. These products are a separate material item.
• Number of coats: For products whose page specifies a two-coat application (for example Marmarito, Velvetto, Metalico), the application system is reflected in the cost.
• Surface preparation: A damaged, cracked or absorbent surface requires filler and primer; an absorbent surface also increases the effect paint's consumption.
• Labour: Effect paints are technical applications done with a spatula, trowel and brush. The applicator's experience affects both the labour cost and material consumption.
• Waste and leftover material: Because packaging is sold in fixed sizes, there may be a difference between the amount needed and the amount bought.

For the meaning of texture and application terms, take a look at our effect paint glossary.

How can you find out the price of Silkcoat effect paint?

The current price of Silkcoat effect paints is requested via the contact form using the "Get a Quote" button on the product pages. silkcoat.com product pages do not show prices; the "Get a Quote" button takes you to the contact page together with the name of the product concerned. Sharing the following information when you request a quote makes it easier to give you an accurate m² calculation:

Information to share	Why it is needed
Product name and colour	Price and packaging choice vary by product
Area to be painted (m²)	The number of buckets needed is calculated from the area
Condition of the surface	Determines the need for primer and filler
Who will carry out the application	Determines whether labour is included in the calculation

If you would like to see the texture before choosing a product, take a look at our articles on velvet effect paint Velvetto, travertine effect paint Travertino and particle decorative paint Decortivo.

Conclusion

• The effect paint price per m² is found by dividing the sum of the material cost and the application cost by the area to be painted.
• The basic formula for material cost is: cost per m² = bucket price ÷ m² covered by the bucket. The area covered by the bucket is calculated from the coverage value on the silkcoat.com product pages.
• According to silkcoat.com figures, for example, 10 Kg of Velvetto covers about 28-40 m² and 25 Kg of Travertino about 10-16 m²; that is why the bucket price alone does not show the cost per m².
• The topcoat product, primer, filler, number of coats and labour must always be taken into account. For a current price and m² calculation for your project, get in touch with us; you can browse all products on the effect paints page.