For the cost of painting per ping (1 ping ≈ 3.3 m²), first ask whether "ping" means wall area or floor area; in this article's worked examples, the two ways of calculating differ in amount by about 1.5 to 2.7 times. The PRO360 price page (showing a last update of 2025/09/30, checked 2026-11-07) says painting work costs about NT$300 to NT$1,500 per ping, of which latex paint with 2 coats (labor and materials included) is NT$500 to NT$1,000 per ping; the page says this range includes wall putty (批土) patching and paint application, while the price table on the same page separately lists putty at about NT$100 to NT$300 per ping, and the page does not say whether the two are double-counted. Quantity depends on the manufacturer's technical data: the Dulux (得利) 臻彩淨粹 latex paint page gives a coverage of 3 ping per 1 liter. Below, how to measure wall area, how to work out quantity, what a quote includes, and how to choose between painting it yourself and hiring a painter are set out together, with two worked examples with stated assumptions: a 3-ping room and a 10-ping living room.
Work out the wall area first: perimeter × height − doors and windows
Painting is calculated on the "surface to be painted", not the size of the floor. The steps are: measure the perimeter of the room, multiply by the ceiling height to get the total area of the four walls, then subtract the areas that will not be painted such as doors and windows; if the ceiling is to be painted, add it separately. For unit conversion, the explanation from the Sanchong land administration office of New Taipei City (新北市三重地政事務所) is "one ping ≈ 3.3058 square meters, and one square meter = 0.3025 ping".
Wall area (square meters) = perimeter × wall height − door and window area; wall area (ping) = square meters × 0.3025.
A special reminder: the "ping" on a quote is not necessarily wall ping. The PRO360 price page does not explain how its "per ping" is measured, but the page's room estimate says "painting a 10-ping room costs about $3,000~$15,000 per room", which equals NT$300 to NT$1,500 multiplied by 10 ping, that is, the unit price multiplied by the room's (floor) ping; the page also lists a 20-ping room at about NT$6,000 to NT$30,000. Ask the painter to write on the quote what this "ping" means and whether the ceiling is included (the page says a ceiling adds about NT$100 per ping).
How to work out quantity: read the manufacturer's coverage rate
Paint quantity depends on the "theoretical coverage" in the manufacturer's technical data, that is, the area one liter of paint can cover in one coat at the specified thickness. Different brands word it differently:
| Manufacturer page (checked 2026-11-07) | Product | Page marking |
|---|
| Dulux (得利) Taiwan website | 臻彩淨粹 latex paint | Coverage 3 ping per 1 liter; for light colors, 3 liters can paint about 4.5 ping with 2 coats; for vivid colors, first prime with solid white, and 3 liters can paint about 3 ping with 3 coats; dilute with about 10%-20% clean water (brush or roller); at least 60-90 minutes between two coats |
| Dulux (得利) Taiwan website | 健康居除甲醛 formaldehyde-removing latex paint | Coverage 3 ping per 1 liter; usually two coats if the substrate is in good condition; at least 60-90 minutes between two coats |
| Nippon Paint (立邦) Taiwan website | 臻賞絕色 textured latex paint (textured effect paint) | Theoretical coverage 12-13 square meters (3.63-3.93 ping) per liter per coat (dry film thickness 30 microns); 2 coats recommended; dilute by no more than 10% at most; touch-dry in 60 minutes (25-30℃); minimum recoat interval 2-3 hours |
The Nippon Paint product above is a textured effect paint, not an ordinary flat wall paint; it is listed here so you can see another way of writing it (square meters per liter per coat), not as a basis for quantity; for the paint you want to buy, read its own technical data. The Dulux page also states: "this data is provided as an estimate, and actual usage varies with wall conditions". In other words, the theoretical coverage is a value under ideal conditions, rough, absorbent walls use more paint, and there is no official figure to cite for how large a share more it uses (多吃幾成), so this article adds no allowance; leave a little margin yourself in the calculation, and follow actual work on site.
Quantity formula
- Liters needed per coat = wall area (ping) ÷ coverage (ping per liter).
- Total liters = liters per coat × number of coats (finish coats are mostly 2 coats; for dark or vivid colors, add coats following the manufacturer's instructions).
- Primer and putty are calculated separately using their own technical data.
Worked examples for a 3-ping room and a 10-ping living room
All assumptions are listed, and the numbers are arithmetic results, not market prices:
- Room A: 3 ping of floor (about 9.92 square meters), roughly square, with sides of 3.15 meters and a perimeter of 12.6 meters.
- Living room B: 10 ping of floor (about 33.06 square meters), roughly square, with sides of 5.75 meters and a perimeter of 23.0 meters.
- Wall height is assumed to be 2.4 meters for both (an assumed value).
- A subtracts 1 door (0.9 × 2.1 meters) and 1 window (1.5 × 1.2 meters); B subtracts 1 door and 2 identical windows.
- For coverage, the 3 ping per liter from the Dulux 臻彩淨粹 latex paint page is used (1 ping ≈ 3.3058 square meters, so about 9.92 square meters per liter), light colors, 2 finish coats, ceiling not painted.
- For unit prices, the PRO360 price page's latex paint with 2 coats (labor and materials included) at NT$500 to NT$1,000 per ping and putty at NT$100 to NT$300 per ping are used, assuming "ping" is wall ping.
| Item | Room A (3 ping) | Living room B (10 ping) |
|---|
| Total wall area (square meters) | 30.24 | 55.20 |
| Wall area after subtracting doors and windows (square meters) | 26.55 | 49.71 |
| Wall area (ping) | 8.03 | 15.04 |
| Needed per coat (liters) | 2.68 | 5.01 |
| Total for 2 finish coats (liters) | 5.35 | 10.02 |
| Hiring a painter: latex paint with 2 coats, labor and materials included (NT$) | 4,016 to 8,031 | 7,519 to 15,037 |
| Putty (NT$) | 803 to 2,409 | 1,504 to 4,511 |
| Total of the two items (NT$) | 4,819 to 10,440 | 9,023 to 19,548 |
| For comparison: if the "ping" on the quote is room ping (the PRO360 whole-room estimate works this way), latex paint with 2 coats (NT$) | 1,500 to 3,000 | 5,000 to 10,000 |
The last row is the side-by-side calculation: for the same "NT$500 to NT$1,000 per ping", calculating by wall ping or by room ping differs by about 2.7 times for room A (4,016 to 8,031 versus 1,500 to 3,000) and by about 1.5 times for living room B (7,519 to 15,037 versus 5,000 to 10,000), so the quote must say clearly which it is. Material cost is not listed, because the price per liter depends on the product you buy and the price on the day; multiply the liters in the table above by the store price to calculate it yourself.
Latex paint, cement paint and the green building material label: how to tell them apart
The PRO360 price page lists "cement paint, 1 coat" (NT$300 to NT$500 per ping) separately from "latex paint, 2 coats" (NT$500 to NT$1,000 per ping) and "latex paint, 3 coats" (NT$1,000 to NT$1,500 per ping), and says: "although cement paint has a shorter service life, its price is only half that of latex paint, and if the budget is limited you can use cement paint instead of latex paint first." The page does not go on to compare scrub resistance, hiding power and other performance, and this article draws no conclusion of its own. The website of paint brand 虹牌 describes its 436 latex paint as a "premium water-based coating for interior building walls", used as a protective and decorative finish for interior cement walls in homes and similar. Trade terms are not always strict, so it is best for the quote to give the specific product name and model rather than just "latex paint" or "cement paint".
Low emission under the green building material label
A press release published on 2025-11-02 (updated 2026-11-04) by the building research institute under the Ministry of the Interior (內政部建築研究所) says that the green building material label (綠建材標章) requires interior finishing materials to have emission rates meeting formaldehyde ≦0.05 mg/m2.hr and volatile organic compounds ≦0.19 mg/m2.hr, and recommends giving priority to products with the green building material label; the press release also points out that interior finishing materials, furniture and paints can all release such substances. Whether a product has the label must be seen from the packaging and the official website; for example, the paint brand 虹牌 458 全效 latex paint page says "meets the 'green building material label' requirements", and the Nippon Paint (立邦) 淨味全效 flat-finish interior wall latex paint page lists the "green building material label"; the Dulux 臻彩淨粹 and 健康居除甲醛 pages do not list the label, and whether they have obtained it should be confirmed with the manufacturer. For label details and air quality after new renovation, see the on-site article formaldehyde and indoor air standards after a new renovation.
What a labor-and-materials quote includes
The prices on the PRO360 price page are stated as labor and materials included, and the page says that the putty price and the paint price are separate; this appears on the same page as the earlier-cited statement that "NT$300 to NT$1,500 per ping includes putty patching", and the page does not explain how the two correspond, so when comparing against a quote, ask the painter to say clearly whether putty is charged separately. The table below is a sample of unit prices from that page (checked 2026-11-07), for comparison with quotes only:
| Item | Price shown on the page |
|---|
| Overall painting work | NT$300 to NT$1,500 per ping |
| Cement paint, 1 coat | NT$300 to NT$500 per ping |
| Latex paint, 2 coats | NT$500 to NT$1,000 per ping |
| Latex paint, 3 coats | NT$1,000 to NT$1,500 per ping |
| Putty and sanding | NT$100 to NT$300 per ping |
| AB-glue patching (補 AB 膠) | NT$100 to NT$150 per ping |
| One primer coat and two finish coats (一底二度; listed separately on the page) | NT$200 to NT$300 per ping |
| Two primer coats and three finish coats (二底三度; listed separately on the page) | NT$400 to NT$700 per ping |
| Ceiling | About NT$100 per ping extra |
| Skirting board | About NT$20 per chi (尺) |
| Hand brush, roller (application only, putty not included) | NT$400 to NT$900 per ping |
| Spray gun (application only, putty not included) | NT$500 to NT$1,200 per ping |
These numbers come from the same platform page, and the page itself lists "number of coats" and "primer and finish coats" in different ways, so they are not consistent with each other and cannot be stacked into a "standard price". When you get a quote, confirm item by item, and you can also record each item separately with the on-site repair quotation generator:
- Wall preparation: whether putty, filling joints and sanding are included.
- Protection: covering of floors, furniture and outlets and switches.
- How many primer and finish coats, and which product is used.
- Whether "ping" means wall or floor, and whether the ceiling, skirting board and door frames are included.
- If the wall has wall efflorescence and peeling (壁癌) or water seepage, deal with the cause first; the site has a dedicated article for reference: wall efflorescence repair and myths in Taipei and New Taipei.
Painting it yourself or hiring a painter: how to choose
| Item | Painting it yourself | Hiring a painter |
|---|
| Materials | You work out the liters and buy the paint and tools | Quoted with labor and materials included; the painter provides the materials |
| Wall preparation | You have to do the putty, sanding and filling yourself, and if it is not done well it is plainly visible | The quote can include putty and sanding |
| Time | Each coat has to dry; the Dulux page says at least 60-90 minutes between two coats | The painter's schedule |
| Suitable for | Small areas, even walls, partial refreshes with little color difference | Whole house, large areas, walls with cracks or needing putty, vivid colors |
The "suitable for" row in the table above is general work experience, not a quote from a source.
Basic DIY process and tools
- Move the furniture away, and cover the floor and outlets and switches.
- Check the wall: if there is wall efflorescence and peeling, water seepage or loose old paint, deal with the cause before painting.
- Fill small holes and fine cracks with filler, and sand after it dries; for the method, see filling nail holes and fine cracks and touching up paint.
- For vivid colors, the Dulux page says to prime with one coat of solid white (tinting paint color code 00NN 72/000) first, and 3 liters can paint about 3 ping with 3 coats; for other products, follow each manufacturer's instructions.
- Mix the finish paint according to the manufacturer's dilution advice and apply it in two coats, waiting until the first coat is completely dry before applying the second.
- Clean the tools after finishing; while the paint is still wet, wipe with newspaper or a damp cloth and then rinse with clean water, a reminder that appears on the Dulux page.
The tools commonly used are a roller and a brush (for corners), masking tape, a putty knife, sandpaper, a floor cover and a bucket; this is a general work tool list, not a quote from a source. For more on the work and common mistakes, see the on-site painting tips. What follows is general work experience, not a quote from a source. Common failures are: no putty, so marks show through; no primer, so the color is uneven or soaks in; and applying the second coat before the first has dried.
When to stop
In the following situations it is advisable to hire a painter: large areas of the wall peeling, damp, or wall efflorescence and peeling coming back repeatedly; high places, high ceilings or stairwells where scaffolding is needed; cracks in the wall that are structural cracks; and a rental where the contract does not allow changing wall color.
Frequently asked questions
How much paint is needed per ping?
It depends on the product. Taking the Dulux 臻彩淨粹 latex paint page as an example, the coverage is 3 ping per 1 liter, that is, 1 liter paints about 3 ping in one coat; two finish coats need about 0.67 liters per ping of wall (2 ÷ 3), and the page notes that actual usage varies with wall conditions.
How many liters should I buy for a 3-ping room?
Based on this article's assumptions (wall height 2.4 meters, subtracting 1 door and 1 window, 2 coats), about 5.35 liters; in practice, look at your own wall dimensions and the product's technical data, and leave some margin.
How much more expensive is latex paint than cement paint?
On the PRO360 price page, cement paint with 1 coat is NT$300 to NT$500 per ping and latex paint with 2 coats is NT$500 to NT$1,000 per ping; but the two differ in number of coats and method, so it is not a simple price difference.
Is a low-formaldehyde paint the same as having the green building material label?
Not necessarily. "Formaldehyde removal" in a product name and whether it has obtained the green building material label are two different things. Check whether the packaging or the official website shows the label, and go by the label.
Sources
- PRO360: painting work price page (checked 2026-11-07, in Chinese): price ranges per ping, labor-and-materials unit prices, putty, ceiling, price differences by method, whole-room estimates and the last update of 2025/09/30.
- Dulux Taiwan website: 臻彩淨粹 latex paint (checked 2026-11-07, in Chinese): coverage, example quantities, dilution, coating intervals, note that figures are estimates.
- Dulux Taiwan website: 健康居除甲醛 formaldehyde-removing latex paint (checked 2026-11-07, in Chinese): coverage, coating intervals, reminder on cleaning tools.
- Nippon Paint Taiwan website: 臻賞絕色 textured latex paint (checked 2026-11-07, in Chinese): coverage (square meters per liter per coat), recommended number of coats, dilution, drying time.
- Nippon Paint Taiwan website: 淨味全效 flat-finish interior wall latex paint (checked 2026-11-07, in Chinese): the page lists the green building material label.
- paint brand 虹牌 website: 458 全效 latex paint (checked 2026-11-07, in Chinese): the page says it meets the green building material label requirements.
- paint brand 虹牌 website: 436 latex paint (checked 2026-11-07, in Chinese): type and purpose description.
- Building research institute under the Ministry of the Interior (內政部建築研究所): press release on testing building materials and furniture for emitted formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (checked 2026-11-07, in Chinese): emission rate limits of the green building material label.
- Sanchong land administration office of New Taipei City (新北市三重地政事務所): how to convert between "square meters" and "ping" (checked 2026-11-07, in Chinese): conversion between 1 ping and square meters.
