Emulsion - The Versatile Paint - Part Two
How do I decide how much to buy?
First measure up the area that is to be painted. On most tins of emulsion a spreading rate will be quoted — usually somewhere between 12 and 16 square metres per litre. However, it is worth noting that the spreading rate applies to smooth surfaces: if you are painting rougher surfaces allow for a decrease in coverage of around 10 to 15 per cent; on highly textured surfaces the drop could be even more.
Emulsion paint is sold in 1 litre, 2.5 litres and 5 litre cans. They vary in price but generally the cheaper paints have more thinner in them and you may find that you need an extra coat.
On most surfaces you can budget for two coats of emulsion — although if you are re