Just learned how much paint a full size van really holds

I was mixing base coat for a 2021 Ford Transit at the shop and the paint system said it needed over 4 gallons just for the outside panels. I always thought it was closer to 2 or 3, but the manual for that specific model proved me wrong. Has anyone else been surprised by how much material a big job actually uses?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_cameron3mo ago

Ever notice how everything uses more stuff than you think? I just bought a single gallon of paint for my living room and it barely covered two walls. Makes you wonder where all that material actually goes.

finleymiller3mo ago

@the_cameron I had the same thing happen painting my kitchen. The can said it would cover a whole room, but I ended up needing another gallon just for the space behind the fridge. Maybe I'm just really bad at painting and waste half of it.

green.jessica2mo ago

Totally get that with paint, but it happens everywhere. My friend built a deck and the wood estimate was way off, they needed like three extra trips to the hardware store. Makes you feel like the math on the package is just a best case scenario for a perfect world that doesn't exist.