A 5 gallon bucket of paint weighs about 55 lb plus the pail: Kompozit PRO Satin holds about 54.5 lb of paint and NEO Flat about 56 lb. Our delivery page calls a full one a 60 pound bucket. One 5 gallon bucket covers 1,500 to 2,000 square feet per coat, so two coats cover 750 to 1,000 square feet of siding. A two story house in Queens with 1,800 square feet of siding needs about 10.3 gallons at 350 square feet per gallon: two buckets plus one gallon, or two buckets plus two gallons on rough siding. PRO is $285 a bucket, which clears $150 for free local delivery in New York and New Jersey.
How much does a 5 gallon bucket of paint weigh?
The weight of a 5 gallon bucket of paint is the weight per gallon times five, plus the pail. Ours for exterior work, from the typical values on our data sheets:
- PRO Satin: 10.9 lb a gallon, about 54.5 lb in the bucket.
- NEO Flat: 11.2 lb a gallon, about 56 lb in the bucket.
- PRIME primer: 10.7 lb a gallon, about 53.5 lb in the bucket.
Our delivery page calls a full one a 60 pound bucket.
How much paint does a 5 gallon bucket cover?
A 5 gallon bucket covers 1,500 to 2,000 square feet in one coat. Our data sheets give 300 to 400 square feet per gallon, depending on how porous the surface is. New and bare surfaces take at least two coats, which brings one bucket to 750 to 1,000 square feet of wall. A big color change or a rough surface can need one more. Primer is counted separately. Plan near 400 on smooth painted siding and near 300 on rough stucco, brick and bare cedar.
Count it before you buy
- Measure each wall: width times height. For a gable, half the width times the peak height.
- Take off big openings only, like garage doors and picture windows.
- Double it for two coats.
- Divide by 350. That's your gallons. Five gallons make a bucket.
A Brooklyn row house back wall, 20 feet wide and 30 feet tall, is about 600 square feet. Two coats come to 1,200, so 3 to 4 gallons. Buy gallons for that one: four gallons of PRO come to $232 before sales tax, which clears $150 for free local delivery in New York and New Jersey.
Why buy by the bucket
On a house that takes more than one bucket, mix cans of the same product, sheen and color together before you start, as the data sheet says. A bucket also clears $150, so it gets free local delivery in New York and New Jersey. NEO is $218 for 5 gallons, $27 under five single gallons at $49.
Prep by surface
In a home built before 1978, test old paint for lead before you sand or scrape it. If it tests positive, or you can't rule lead out, follow EPA lead-safe practices for all the prep below.
- Wood siding and trim: scrape loose paint, sand the edges smooth, fill holes. Weathered wood: strip the loose gray fibers. PRO primes bare wood itself, and NEO takes PRIME first. Some new wood needs a tannin-fighting stain-blocking primer, per both data sheets.
- Stucco and masonry: let new work cure at least 30 days and check that its pH is 10.0 or less before you paint. Wash off chalk and dirt. More on this in our brick and stucco guide.
- Vinyl siding: wash with detergent and rinse. Pick a color as light as the original or lighter, since darker colors soak up heat and can warp panels.
- Metal: remove all rust and mill scale, then prime bare steel and iron with a rust-inhibiting primer the same day, per both data sheets. Rusted railings: see our Rust Converter guide.
- Mildew: Test a small area first, since bleach can discolor or damage the old finish. Then 1 part bleach to 3 parts water, 10 minutes, rinse well, and let the surface dry completely before you paint. Wear goggles, waterproof gloves and protective clothing, and do not add detergents or ammonia to the bleach and water.
The weather window
Paint between 50 and 90°F, air and surface, and keep it from dropping below 50°F for the next 48 hours, the floor on the PRIME data sheet. PRO and NEO alone allow 35°F on walls if it stays above 35°F for the next 48 hours, with 50 to 90°F recommended, and need 50°F or higher on large areas of metal. Skip the day if rain or snow is due within 48 hours. Start after the morning dew dries and stop before the evening dew lands on wet paint. From November to March a forecast of 32°F on the delivery route holds the order until we call you.
Application
Brush, a 3/8 inch or thicker roller, or airless. Don't thin it. Wear eye protection and gloves, wear a respirator when you sand dry paint or spray, and keep the work area ventilated, per the safety data sheet. Dry to the touch in about an hour and ready to recoat in 2 to 4 hours at 77°F; cooler or damp air takes longer.
What's in the bucket: price and delivery
PRO is 100% acrylic paint and primer for inside and outside, in Flat, Eggshell, Satin and Semi-Gloss. The PRO Satin data sheet lists 44% volume solids and an anti-microbial additive against mold, mildew and algae on the film. NEO is an acrylic flat or satin for inside and outside. Both are made in Deerfield Beach, Florida.
Send a color code from any brand's fan deck; our color matching page has the steps. Custom tinted orders placed before 2pm on a business day are normally mixed that day. Local delivery in New York and New Jersey is $15 per order, free over $150.
Questions we get
How much does a 5 gallon bucket of paint weigh?
About 55 lb of paint plus the pail. PRO Satin holds about 54.5 lb, NEO Flat about 56 lb, and our delivery page calls a full one a 60 pound bucket.
How much paint does a 5 gallon bucket cover?
1,500 to 2,000 square feet in one coat, or 750 to 1,000 square feet in two coats.
How many gallons of exterior paint for a house?
Siding area times two coats, divided by about 350. A house with 1,800 square feet of siding needs about 10.3 gallons: two buckets plus one gallon. Rough siding at 300 square feet per gallon needs 12, two buckets plus two gallons.
Can I paint the outside in November?
On some days. With PRIME on the job, the air and the wall need 50°F or more while you paint and for the next 48 hours, with no rain or snow due in that time. Watch the forecast day by day.
Do I need a primer on painted siding?
Not with PRO: its data sheet lets it prime previously painted surfaces itself. The NEO data sheet calls for a latex primer, so use PRIME first.