Before getting started on a house painting project, most homeowners like to know how long the whole thing will take, roughly speaking. As you can imagine, though, the time it takes to paint a house varies wildly depending on a number of factors. While we can’t provide a clear-cut answer for how long it takes to paint a house, we can break down the variables that will determine this timeframe. Keeping these factors in mind will prepare you for the amount of work to come.

Interior, Exterior, or Both?

Painting a house can refer to painting its exterior, interior, or both. Some homeowners spread out their interior and exterior painting projects to reduce the workload at a given time. Others would rather get the whole thing done in one fell swoop, however. If you’re painting both your exterior and interior, the whole job can take up to a week, or more if you’re doing it on your own.

Surface Size and Condition

If you’re performing both exterior and interior painting, you’re going to have that much more surface area to cover. Even if you’re only focused on painting one part of your home, the amount of surface you need to cover obviously plays into how long the job takes. In other words, size matters.

The condition of your surfaces also matters. If your walls or siding are in rough shape, for instance, you may need to hold off on painting and invest in some repair work first. Or, if you’re painting over a darker color with a lighter one, you’ll need an extra coat or two for full coverage. All of this will increase your project’s length.

Make Time for Preparation

Preparation is a significant part of any paint job. It takes time to prepare your home for a proper coat of paint. How long the prep work takes also depends on your home’s size, and if you’re focused on the exterior or interior. Preparing your home’s exterior, for instance, requires proper cleaning, usually done via pressure washing. This will rid your surfaces from dirt, dust, mold, and/or mildew, and help the new coat of paint stick better. Your home needs to dry, too, so all in all this cleaning process may take an entire workday on its own.

As for your interior, you should also clean your surfaces by scrubbing and sanding them. You’ll also want to remove furniture and other items from the room, place drop cloths underneath your painting stations, tape off certain areas, etc. This interior prep work may take an hour for each room you’re painting.

Different Painting Methods

The way house painters choose to apply paint can also affect how long it takes to paint a house. Sometimes using a paint sprayer makes the most sense for exterior surfaces. This method is quick, though it can get messy and uneven if applied improperly. Using a roller is the next best option for both exteriors and interiors, as you can cover large amounts of space with an even coat in little time. Brushing is often best for hard to reach areas, smaller surfaces, and other fine-tuned tasks.

The Professional Difference

If you hire the right team, professional painters will get the job done quicker and better. Experienced painters know the best strategies for painting a house, inside and out. Plus, hiring painting services means you’ll have an entire team tackling the project as opposed to one or two people with less experience. While it may take you weeks to finish painting your entire house, the pros can get it done in a matter of days.

Of course, the actual time it takes to paint your house also depends on all of the other factors listed above. But the bottom line is, if you want the job to get done faster, hire the professionals. All American Painting Plus knows what it takes to paint a house, and our experience allows us to get the job done efficiently so you can enjoy your fresh-looking home as soon as possible. To learn more about all that we do, give us a call at (703)-620-5563!