National University

COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE
ABTECN4: Specs Writing & Construction Estimate
Prepared By: Ar. Joffrey C. Chung, MEM

LESSON 6: Estimating Paint and Tile Work Finishes

I. Paint

A. Introduction

Paint is commonly referred to as a "Surface Coating." It is defined as " a coating applied to a surface or
substrate to decorate, to protect, or to perform some other specialized functions." One of the earliest
records on the invention and application of paint can be found in the Bible, as below:

"Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and
out with pitch."
- Genesis 6:14

The word "pitch" refers to a sealing substance which contains tar or coal. On this account, God specifically
instructed Noah to cover or paint the inside and exterior sides of the ark he was building with pitch to seal it
and prevent water from seeping or entering.

B. Properties

Paint is basically composed of the following ingredients:

1. Vehicle: Substance which gives the paint a film continuity and provides adhesion to the surface or
substrate.

2. Solvent: Are low viscosity volatile liquid used in coating to improve application properties

3. Pigment: Solid grains or particles of uniform and controlled sizes which are generally insoluble in the
vehicle, and functions to provide decoration, protection, to serve as fillers, etc.

4. Additives: Ingredients formulated to modify the properties of either the vehicle, the pigment, or both as
contained in the paint, providing properties like speed drying, fade resistance, etc.

C. Types

Using a popular brand of paint does not necessarily guarantee one to have a long lasting finish. Further,
applying a premium quality of paint neither provides such assurance. Applying a paint on a given surface
not suitable for its type is considered a technical failure. Therefore, it is imperative to know what type or
kind of paint should be applied with the kind of material surface that is at hand. Listed below are the
common and generic paint types and their application

1. Primer: functions to seal and fill on wood, plaster, and masonry surfaces; inhibits rust and improves
adhesion of subsequent coatings on metal surfaces

2. Sealer: purposes to prevent wood, concrete, plaster, etc. from absorbing paint, or protect a surface
from moisture

3. Enamel: applied for both wood and metal surfaces

4. Latex: applied for concrete, masonry, or plaster surfaces

5. Varnish: used for sealing and providing glossy film protection on wood surfaces

Table 6.01: Types of Paint and Area Coverage

Coverage
Type of Paint Uses Thinner
(per Gallon)
A. Primers
1. Interior Wood Interior wood surfaces Paint Thinner 25 - 30
2. Exterior Wood Exterior wood surfaces Paint Thinner 30 - 40
Rust-inhibiting primer or ferrous metal
3. Red Oxide Paint Thinner 35 - 40
surfaces
Exterior and interior metal surfaces under
4. Zinc Chromate Paint Thinner 30 - 40
normal industrial environment
Steel, aluminum, galvanized iron surfaces, Epoxy
5. Epoxy 30 - 40
and concrete (for top coat of acrylic enamel) Reducer
Acrylic solvent or water-based; for latex
6. Concrete Reducer 20 - 25
paint
 National University
COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE
ABTECN4: Specs Writing & Construction Estimate
Prepared By: Ar. Joffrey C. Chung, MEM

Table 6.01: Types of Paint and Area Coverage

Coverage
Type of Paint Surface Uses Thinner
(per Gallon)
B. Latex
Exterior / interior masonry and drywall 1/2 lit. water :
1. Acrylic Latex 30 - 40
(water-based) 4 lit paint
C. Enamel
1. Latex Hi-Gloss Furniture, cabinet doors, windows, wrought
Use as is 30 - 40
Enamel iron, primed metal
2. Quick Dry Enamel Wood (interior & exterior), metal Paint Thinner 30 - 40
3. Semi-Gloss Enamel Interior wood and metal Paint Thinner 25 - 30
4. Flat Wall Enamel Interior wall and ceiling Paint Thinner 40 - 50
5. Exterior Gloss
Exterior wood and properly primed metal Paint Thinner 40 - 50
Enamel
Lacquer
6. Lacquer Enamel Properly primed metal and wood 40 - 50
Thinner
D. Varnish
1. Non-Grain Raising
Wood None 30 - 40
Wood Stain
Paneling, cabinets, floors, furniture, door
2. Oil Wood Stain None 30 - 40
jamb, woodwork
3. Lacquer (Gloss,
Lacquer
Semi-Gloss, Hi- Furniture, cabinets, doors, panels 40 - 50
Thinner
Gloss)
E. Sealer
1. Acrylic Concrete Primer to old and new concrete (for top coat
Water 30 - 40
Sealer of water-based masonry paint)
2. Concrete 1 part neut.,16
Treatment to neutralize masonry surface 30 - 40
Neutralizer parts water

D. Estimating Painting Works

To simplify estimating works on painting, surfaces are generally classified into three (3) types, which have its
corresponding area coverage, esp. for water based paints. Please refer to list below:
2
1. Coarse to Rough: 30m
2
2. Fine to Coarse: 35m
2
3. Smooth to Fine: 40m

Sample Problem 1:

A CHB wall fence with a total perimeter length of 45.0m and a height of 2.00m, and a fine to coarse surface is
to be painted on one of its sides with two (2) coats of acrylic latex paint. Compute for the following materials
and labor to be used for such item work.
1. Concrete neutralizer
2. Acrylic concrete primer / sealer
3. Latex paint (water-based)
4. Labor

Step 1: Compute for total wall area to be painted.

Total Wall Area (TWA) = Total Wall Length x Total Wall Height
TWA = 45.00m x 2.00m
2
TWA = 90m

Step 2: Compute for amount of concrete neutralizer to be used.

Referring to Table 6.01 for coverage range and given surface is fine to coarse, coverage shall then
2
be 35.00m .

Quantity of Solution (gallon) = TWA / Coverage Area

Quantity of Solution = 90 / 35
Quantity of Solution = 2.57 gallons
 National University
COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE
ABTECN4: Specs Writing & Construction Estimate
Prepared By: Ar. Joffrey C. Chung, MEM

Since the neutralizer used is a mixture of 1 part neutralizer and 16 parts of water, the pure
neutralizer content is only 1 / 17 or 5.88 or say, 6% of the entire solution quantity. Thus, the total
amount of pure neutralizer is:

Quantity of Neutralizer (pure) = 2.57 gallons x 6% or 0.06

Quantity of Neutralizer = 0.1542 gallon

* Given 1.00 gallon is equal to 3.78 liters, another unit measure for the neutralizer is:

. 

0.1542 gallons x = 0.583 liter

. 

Step 3: Compute for amount of concrete primer to be used.

2
Referring to Table 6.01, One (1) gallon of concrete primer can cover 35m of fine to coarse surface.
The computation is thus shown below.

Quantity of Sealer = TWA / Coverage Area

Quantity of Sealer = 90 / 35
Quantity of Sealer = 2.57 gallons

Step 4: Compute for amount of latex paint to be used.

Referring to Table 6.01, half (1/2) liter of water mixed with four (4) liters of latex paint can cover
2
35m of fine to coarse surface. The computation is thus shown below.

Quantity of Paint Mixture = TWA / Coverage Area

Quantity of Paint Mixture = 90 / 35
Quantity of Paint Mixture = 2.57 gallons

Since the required number of topcoat is two (2), therefore:

Total Quantity of Paint Mixture = Quantity of Paint Mixture x No. of Coatings

Total Quantity of Paint Mixture = 2.57 gallon x 2
Total Quantity of Paint Mixture = 5.14 gallons

Given the paint is diluted with water as thinner, the portion of pure latex is 4.00 liters / 4.50 liters of
water-paint mixture. This is equivalent to 88.89%. Total amount of paint required therefore is:

Quantity of Paint (gallon) = Paint Mixture x 88.89%

Quantity of Paint (gallon) = 5.14 gallons x 0.8889
Quantity of Paint (gallon) = 4.568 gallons, or 5.00 gallons

Step 5: Compute for the total amount of labor / manpower required with the given productivity rate of 2.58
man-hours / m2 for three (3) coats of one (1) primer and two (2) topcoats. Another 2.58 man-hours
/ m2 rate is given for preparation, which includes applying neutralizer, applying putty, and sanding.

Compute for the total man-hours for preparation. Compute first for total wall area of preparation.

Total Wall Area for Preparation (TWAPREP) = TWA

2
Total Wall Area for Preparation (TWAPREP) = 90.0m

Manpower for Preparation (MPPREP) = TWA x Preparation Rate

2
Manpower for Preparation (MPPREP) = 90.0 x 2.58 man-hour / m
Manpower for Preparation (MPPREP) = 232.2 man-hours

Manpower for Painting (MPPAINT) = TWA x Preparation Rate

2
Manpower for Painting (MPPAINT) = 90.0 x 2.58 man-hour / m
Manpower for Painting (MPPAINT) = 232.2 man-hours

Total Manpower for Painting = MPPREP + MPPAINT

Total Manpower for Painting = 232.2 + 232.2
Total Manpower for Painting = 464.40 man-hours
 National University
COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE
ABTECN4: Specs Writing & Construction Estimate
Prepared By: Ar. Joffrey C. Chung, MEM

II. Tile Works

Ceramic tile is one of the oldest building material finishes that has been used, as early as during the medieval
times, as in Islamic Architecture, from Persia to Spain, and even up until now. This is due to the unique,
functional, and decorative properties of said finishing material. There are basically at least three (3) types of
ceramic tiles which are:

1. Natural Clay Tile - made from either the pressed or plastic method from dust clay that produce a dense
body with distinctive slightly textured appearance.

2. Glazed Ceramic Tile - ceramic tile with a glossy white coating

3. Porcelain Tile - a form of ceramic tile but which is denser and homogenous in composition

Sizes of ceramic tiles vary from as small as 3 inches by 3 inches (7.5cm x 7.5cm) to 12 inches by 12 inches
(30cm x 30cm). Computing for the number of tiles is obtained simply by dividing the total floor or wall area by
the area of the tile. Also, computed along with this are the number of bags of cement paste mortar and white
cement filler paste.

Sample Problem 1:

A given floor of a room 3.00m x 4.00m is to be installed with ceramic tiles of 200mm x 400mm. Given that one
(1) sq.m of ceramic tile installed requires 0.076bag of paste mortar and 5kg of filler paste, compute for the
following:

1. Total number of ceramic tiles

2. Total number of bags of paste mortar
3. Total number of cement filler paste

Step 1: Compute for the total number of ceramic tiles.

Total Number of Ceramic Tiles = Floor Area / Size of Tile

Total Number of Ceramic Tiles = 3.00 x 4.00m / 0.2m x 0.40m
Total Number of Ceramic Tiles = 12.0m2 / 0.08m2
Total Number of Ceramic Tiles = 150 pcs.

Step 2: Compute for the total number of bags of paste mortar.

Total Number of Paste Mortar = Total Floor Area x 0.076bag per sq.m
Total Number of Paste Mortar = 12.0m2 x 0.076bag per sq.m
Total Number of Paste Mortar = 0.912 bag ~1.00 bag

Step 3: Compute for the total number of bags of cement filler paste

Total Number of Filler Paste = Total Floor Area x 5.0kg per sq.m
Total Number of Filler Paste = 12.0m2 x 5.0kg per sq.m
Total Number of Filler Paste= 60.0kg

Step 4: Compute for the total manpower for installing tiles.

2
Given the installation of ceramic tiles has a productivity rate of 4.76 man-hours / m

Total Tile Installation = Total Floor Area x Productivity Rate

2 2
Total Tile Installation = 12.00m x 4.76 man-hours/ m
Total Tile Installation = 57.143 man-hours
 National University
COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE
ABTECN4: Specs Writing & Construction Estimate
Prepared By: Ar. Joffrey C. Chung, MEM
III. References:

https://philconprices.com/tag/philippine-construction-productivity-rates/

Fajardo, Jr., Max B.(1995).Simplified Construction Estimate, Third Edition. 5138 Merchandising, Diliman,
Quezon City
Tagayun, Vicente A.(2002).Estimating Bill of Materials. Tagayun Associates, Sta. Mesa, Manila