Most interior rooms take 1 to 2 days and a full exterior usually takes 3 to 5 days, depending on weather. The paint is dry within hours. It takes a few weeks to reach full hardness.
How long does it take to paint a house inside?
How many days depends on the number of rooms and the prep. Most rooms take us 1 to 2 days each with patching, two coats and trim. A whole house interior commonly runs from several days to two weeks.
For the painting alone, HomeGuide lists 4 to 5 hours for a bedroom, 5 to 7 hours for a living room and 2 to 3 hours for a bathroom, with 1 to 2 hours more for trim and baseboards.
How long does it take to paint the exterior?
A full exterior usually takes 3 to 5 days, depending on the size of the house and the weather. Heavy scraping, wood repair or a tall house adds days. In Michigan, spring and fall jobs often pause for rain or a cold morning.
How long should I wait between coats?
Follow the recoat time on the can. Many latex wall paints can take a second coat after about 2 to 4 hours, and oil-based and enamel paints need much longer. Cool or humid air slows drying, so a damp basement room takes longer than the label says.
How long before furniture can go back?
You can usually put furniture back the next day. Keep it an inch or two off the walls for a couple of weeks, and wait before you hang pictures or push a headboard against fresh paint.
How soon can I shower after the bathroom is painted?
Wait at least 24 hours before you shower, and longer if you can. Steam on fresh paint causes streaks and drip marks. Run the fan and leave the door open for the first few days.
How long before I can wash or scrub new paint?
Wait until the paint has had time to cure, which for most latex paints is about two to four weeks. Dry and cured are not the same. Paint is dry to the touch in an hour or two, but it is still soft. Scrub early and you leave shiny patches.
Can I stay in the house while it is painted?
Yes, most people stay in their home while it is painted. We work room by room, so you keep the use of the others. Modern low-odor latex paints make this easy. For work that disturbs old paint in a pre-1978 house, people and pets stay out of the work area until it is cleaned.
How long does interior paint last?
There is no single published figure for how long interior paint lasts. It depends on the room. Ceilings and adult bedrooms can go ten years or more. Hallways, kitchens, bathrooms and children's rooms show wear much sooner.
How long does exterior paint last?
Exterior paint should last 5 to 10 years on average, by HomeGuide's national figure, with a full range of 3 to 20 years.
| Surface | Published lifespan |
|---|---|
| Wood siding | 3 to 7 years |
| Aluminum siding | 5 to 10 years |
| Vinyl siding | 5 to 10 years |
| Stucco | 5 to 7 years |
| Cement fiberboard | 10 to 15 years |
Michigan is on the hard side for wood. Snow, freeze and thaw and summer sun all work on the paint film, and south and west walls fade first.
How often should I repaint the outside of the house?
How often to repaint depends on the siding: about every 5 to 10 years for most houses, sooner for wood in full sun. Do not wait for bare wood. Repaint when you see fading, chalk on your hand, cracked caulk or the first peeling. Prep costs far less at that stage.
What slows a job down?
- Rain, cold or high humidity on exterior work.
- Plaster repair and wallpaper removal.
- Lead-safe set-up on older homes.
- Color changes that need primer or a third coat.
- Stairwells and high ceilings.
We give you a schedule with the written quote. Call or text (734) 399-4198.