Building & renovation
How much 2K paint and clear coat for a car respray?
How many litres and 2K kits of base coat and clear coat for car panels or full respray — from m², coats and spray coverage.
Quick answer
Body shops order 2K as mixed kits, not shelf litres, and sprayed coverage on prepared metal is far lower than brushing house paint. Two coats of base and two of clear, 10% waste:
Advanced settings
Base kits to buy
4
- Mixed base needed
- 3.8 L
- Mixed clear needed
- 5.3 L
- Clear kits to buy
- 6
⚠️ Approximate estimate. 2K coverage varies greatly by product, colour, number of coats and application — always order according to the product data sheet or ask your body shop.
Automotive 2K is ordered as paint + hardener kits. Defaults assume HVLP spray on prepared metal (~7 m²/L base, ~5 m²/L clear per coat). Always check your TDS — metallic and pearl colours often need more material.
How it works
| Layer | Coverage | Small car, 12 m² | One door, ~2 m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | ~7 m²/L | 3.8 L → 4 kits of 1 L | ~0.6 L |
| Clear | ~5 m²/L | 5.3 L → 6 kits | ~0.9 L |
Metallics, pearls and any panel that has to blend into the next one need more than this — edit the coverage in advanced settings from the technical sheet of the product you are spraying, because the difference between two clears is larger than the waste factor.
A single door (~2 m²) is a different order: ~0.6 L base and ~0.9 L clear with the same assumptions — often one kit each plus hardener. Metallics, pearls and blend panels need more material; edit coverage in advanced settings from your product TDS. Masking tape and automotive masking film are separate from paint volume.
The reason a single door is never really a single door: the panel next to it has been fading in the sun for years, so paint mixed exactly to the factory code will read as a different colour against it. Body shops answer that by blending — carrying the base out into the adjacent panel and clearing the whole thing — which is why the material for one door is quoted across two. One thing before you spray at home: 2K hardeners contain isocyanates, and a cartridge mask does not stop them. That job needs an air-fed respirator and real extraction, or it needs a shop.
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Frequently asked questions
How many litres to paint one car door?+
Rough guide: ~2 m² door, 2 base + 2 clear at 7 and 5 m²/L → about 0.6 L mixed base and 0.9 L clear before waste. In practice you buy a 1 L kit of each because hardener comes in matched packs — leftover clear stores better than mixed base.
What coverage should I enter for HVLP?+
Use 6–8 m²/L for solid base on metal, 4–6 m²/L for clear. High-build primers are lower (~4–5). If you spray at lower pressure or do wet-on-wet, reduce yield (use more litres). Your paint supplier TDS beats any online default.
Base and clear — separate kits?+
Yes. 2K base and 2K clear use different hardeners and mix ratios. Never interchange them. Order matched kit sizes (often 1 L + 0.5 L hardener) and catalyse only what you spray within pot life — typically 30–60 minutes.
Full car respray — how many m²?+
Planning estimate: small hatchback exterior ~10–12 m², sedan ~12–14 m², van/SUV ~16–20 m² — panels only, not undersides. Bumpers add ~1.5 m² each. Always measure your project; colour changes and inside door shuts add area.
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