Gundam Model Kit Paint Calculator

Estimate paint volume, pot count, and a rough checkout cost for a Gunpla or model-kit repaint from grade, runners, paint type, and finish scope.

Last updated: 2026-03-27

Gundam model kit paint calculator

Enter your values

Turn a rough kit plan into a paint-pot count before the checkout gets bigger than expected.

Estimated Total Pots

Choose a grade, finish scope, and paint type to estimate color pots, primer pots, and project cost.

Calculation History(0)

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Example calculations

Tap an example to prefill the calculator with sample values.

HG detail pass

Few runners, limited repaint scope

Useful for a standard High Grade build where the project is more about color correction and detail work than a full repaint.

Result: A small project usually lands in the low single-digit pot range

MG outer armor repaint

Mid-size project with standard coverage

A common Gunpla shopping case where the builder wants to repaint most visible armor panels without fully stripping the whole kit down.

Result: Outer armor projects usually need a visible primer and pot-count bump

PG full repaint

Large kit with a wide color plan

Good for sanity-checking whether a huge project is still a quick paint buy or has moved into a larger checkout than expected.

Result: A PG full repaint is much closer to a dedicated project cart than a casual paint top-up

How the Gunpla paint estimate works

The calculator treats kit grade as a starting proxy for total surface area, then refines the estimate with runner count, finish scope, and the number of accent colors. That keeps the model simple enough for shopping while still acknowledging that not every MG or HG is equally paint-hungry.

Primer and color pots are separated because they behave differently in real projects. Detail passes often need more colors than primer, while full repaints tend to drive both numbers upward together.

Gunpla paint FAQs

How to turn grade, runner count, and finish scope into a realistic paint checkout.

Why does runner count matter so much?

Because the grade name alone does not tell the whole story. A runner-heavy kit usually means more parts, more panel splits, and more surface area that needs some amount of paint, primer, or correction work.

Why is primer shown separately?

Primer usually behaves like a different purchase decision from color paint. A builder might already own accent colors but still need more primer, or vice versa, depending on how much of the kit is being repainted.

Is this estimate for hand brushing or airbrushing?

It is a mixed shopping estimate rather than a tool-specific usage calculator. Airbrushing can stretch paint farther in some cases, but overspray, thinning, and project size can also push usage back up.

Why can lacquer builds use fewer pots?

The calculator assumes a larger average jar size for lacquer-style paint, so the same project volume may round into fewer containers even if the total checkout is not dramatically cheaper.

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