You’re wanting to boost your home’s curb appeal.

Or maybe the 80s paint colors in your kitchen just aren’t doing it for you anymore.

You’ve thought about giving your house a fresh new look with paint, but are wondering how long it might take.

We can help!

Read on to find out what you can expect when painting your home’s interior or exterior.

Table of Contents

How Long Does it Take to Paint a Whole House? — 3 Factors to Consider

If you’re wondering, “How long does it take to paint a house?” the answer will depend on several things, including: 

  • The size of the home
  • Hiring a contractor vs. doing the job yourself; and
  • Whether you are painting new construction or doing a renovation

Taking into account each of these factors, the painting of a house should be able to be completed within 2 – 10 days.

Factor #1: Size

How Long Does it Take to Paint a Small House?

A small to average-size house (2,500 square feet or less) takes around 2 – 4 days to paint with a team of two to three painters. 

How Long Does it Take to Paint a Big House?

A larger home (such as a three-story or five-plus-bedroom house) generally takes about 5 – 7 days from start to completion with a team of 2 to 3 painters.

Factor #2: Hiring a Contractor vs. Doing it Yourself

While a DIY project may seem like a cheaper option at first, it usually winds up being more expensive — and time-consuming — than it would have been to hire an experienced painting contractor.

There are many advantages to hiring a company like A1 Paint Removal, Painting, & Restoration to complete your painting project, including:

  • Contractors deliver quality results. 
    • With their experience and skill, contractors can provide you with professional, long-lasting results.
  • Contractors are in the know when it comes to paint colors. 
    • If you want to give your home’s exterior — or interior — a fresh new color, contractors can help. They will be able to save hours you would otherwise spend standing in the paint aisle at your local home improvement store. 
    • Not only can they advise on color selection, but they will also know the type and quality of paint that will work best for your project.
  • Contractors know how to get the job done safely. 
    • Painting is what they do for a living, so professional painters have all the correct …
      • Tools
      • Equipment: like paint buckets, drop cloths, and ladders
      • Certifications; and 
      • Training 

… needed to keep the job accident-free.

  • Contractors are trained to spot structural problems. 
    • Whether it is termite damage or rotting wood, contractors have the professional eye and know-how needed to find and deal with any pre-existing structural or cosmetic issues. 
  • Contractors carry insurance. 
    • Should anything happen while they are working, the contractor’s insurance would cover medical expenses or any needed repairs.
  • Contractors can get the job done quickly. 
    • Whether you are wanting to paint your whole house or just one room, a professional team will be able to complete your project much faster than you could if you were doing it yourself.

Factor #3: New Construction vs. Renovation

Painting new construction generally takes less time than it does to paint a renovation. 

New construction is frequently painted using a compressor to spray both the outside and the inside of your home, including the: 

  • Walls
  • Doors
  • Moldings; and 
  • Trim

The interior of new construction is also typically painted before the installation of any flooring, so taking care to avoid getting paint on …

  • Carpet
  • Flooring; and 
  • The homeowner’s personal belongings

… isn’t the issue it would be on a renovation project.

With a renovation project, however, painting is usually done using brushes and rollers – which takes a little longer but provides a higher-quality finished product.

How Long to Paint a House Interior: From Start to Finish

When you’re determining the amount of time it will take a professional painting company to complete a painting job on the interior of a home, it usually averages out to a room per day per painter. If you’re doing the job yourself, you will need to factor in additional time.

So, to fully paint the interior of an average-sized 1,500 – 2,000 square foot home, you can plan on it taking around 3 – 6 days from start to finish. 

This depends on the following 6 variables:

  1. The amount of furniture that requires moving
  2. The size of the paint crew
  3. The number of needed repairs
  4. How much prep work is required
  5. Whether the project involves new construction or is a renovation; and
  6. The number of rooms to be painted

Step #1: Cleaning the Surface

1/2 – 1 day —

The first step in painting the interior of any home involves a thorough cleaning of the surfaces that will be painted. 

This means removing every bit of:

  • Mildew 
  • Grease; and
  • Dust

And as critical as it is to get all surfaces squeaky-clean — it is equally important to make sure that everything is perfectly dry. If primer or paint is applied to walls that have residual moisture, you may wind up with blistering paint.

Step #2: Preparing the Interior

1/2 – 1 day —  

Prepping the interior of a house for painting involves several steps, including:

  • Moving furniture
  • Positioning drop cloths
  • Taping surfaces that are to be left paint-free
  • Sanding any rough areas 
  • Wiping away residual dust; and 
  • Allowing the surfaces time to dry

If you are painting over any surfaces that …

  • Had been previously painted with glossy paint; or
  • Have flaking or cracking paint

… they will need to be smoothed with fine-grit sandpaper, wiped down, and allowed to dry to ensure proper adhesion of the paint and a smooth finished product.

Step #3: Painting and Cleanup

2 – 5 days —

We’ve talked about what needs to be done before the painting begins. Now let’s take a look at some variables that can affect the timeframe for interior painting projects.

Depending on the …

  • Size of the rooms
  • Existing paint color; and 
  • New paint color

… this step will take a varying amount of time. 

Do the surfaces need one or more coats for complete coverage? Is there a lot of trim that needs to be painted? 

If so, you’ll want to factor in a longer timeframe.

Last, you’ll want to allow some extra time for cleanup, such as: 

Step #4: Enjoying the Results

Once complete, you should be able to enjoy your interior paint job for 5 – 10 years to come!

How Long to Paint a House Exterior: A Complete Timetable

Painting the exterior of your home is much more convenient than painting the interior because all the work is happening on the outside. 

And hiring the professionals at A1 makes it even easier!

Calculating how long it takes to paint the exterior of a home is a little different from determining how long it takes to paint a house interior.  

For example, with exterior paint jobs, you’ll need to consider:  

  • The weather 
    • As rainy periods can extend the timeframe significantly
  • The amount of repair work needed 
    • Such as replacing rotting trim 
  • Whether the project involves new construction or is a renovation; and
  • A DIY paint job vs. hiring professionals

If everything goes according to plan, depending on the size and condition of your home, professional house painters should be able to complete your exterior painting project in 2 – 7 days.

Step #1: Cleaning the Exterior

1 day —

The first step in painting the exterior of a home is a thorough cleaning of all outside surfaces. 

This will involve using a pressure washer to remove:

  • Mildew 
  • Loose paint
  • Pollen
  • Dust; and
  • Any other contaminants

The surfaces will then need to dry thoroughly after cleaning. For a home with wood siding, this may require more than 24 hours, depending on the weather.

Step #2: Preparing the Exterior

1 – 3 days —

Next comes the prep work. Preparing outside surfaces for painting is one of the most important steps in the process.

Prep includes:

  • Sanding
  • Priming; and
  • Caulking

The length of time the prep stage will take depends on factors like:

  • The amount of stripping and priming that is required
  • Repairs; and 
  • The number of items that need to be protected from paint, such as:
    • Mailboxes
    • Shutters; and 
    • Windows

Step #3: Painting and Cleanup

2 – 3 days —

If you’ve hired professional painters, it shouldn’t take more than a few days to paint your home. If you’re doing it yourself, however, you’ll want to factor in considerably more time.

Experienced house painters have the skills and equipment that not only allow them to get the job done faster — but also increases the longevity of your paint job.

Step #4: Enjoying the Results

Now comes the part you’ve been waiting for.

Enjoy your home’s fresh new look! 

Maybe you want to drive around the block a few times just to soak in your new curb appeal.

If your home’s exterior has been professionally painted — with the proper prep and quality paint — you can expect it to last about 5 – 8 years.

A1 Paint Removal: Your One-Stop Shop for All of Your House Painting Needs

A1 Paint Removal, Painting, & Restoration has been serving the greater Portland area  — including our neighbors in Vancouver and Southwestern Washington — for over 25 years. 

We’ve had the honor of working on many historical homes and are proud of our contribution to the preservation of Oregon’s architectural legacy and historical beauty.

If you are looking for professional interior and exterior painters in the Portland area, contact us today for a free estimate.