Recently we have received several reader inquiries on how long it takes to paint a room. We talked to our painting professionals and asked them how to answer this question. We know that there are several factors that play into the time it will take to finish a painting job, and we did not want to give any false or misleading information.
The pros told us that the best way to answer our readers was to tell them what things they needed to consider about painting so they could calculate their possible time frame. The experts told us when they bid on a painting job, they have a list of considerations that help them decide how long the job will take, how much paint the job should take, and what special considerations the job might have.
The Size of The Room
The size of the room will play the largest factor in determining the amount of time it will take for you to paint it. For the purpose of this article, we are going to examine how long it would take to paint a room that measures 12’ x 12’.
12’ x 12’ with 8’ ceilings and drywall on both walls and ceiling
If you have a room this size it should take you about five hours to paint the area using a typical manually operated roller. This estimate only covers painting the walls and ceilings. It is going to take about three more hours for you to paint the trim, doors, and other details in the room.
The Factors to Consider When Painting a Room
If you are going to paint then you have to consider all of the different jobs involved in the process.
Taping
Taping a room involves placing painter’s tape over trim, hinges, windows, and in areas where you do not want to get paint. You will find that many painters go around the room and place painter’s tape around the edge of the ceiling so they do not accidentally transfer paint from their roller onto the ceiling. Let’s learn how to remove painter’s tape
A professional painter can install this tape in a 12’ x 12’ room in less than an hour. A homeowner or non-professional will generally need 90 minutes to 2 hours to complete this task.
Rollers
These are the most common application methods used on interior painting projects. A roller can apply paint smoothly and help you not have lines and streaks like often happen when you use a brush. The roller covers a larger area in less time than a brush does. Rollers are affordable and easy to use. People also love that most roller covers are disposable.
Rollers come in different sizes. If you are using a 9-inch roller then it will take you twice as long to paint a wall as it would take if you use a larger 18-inch roller. Make sure that the paint tray you have will accommodate the roller size you plan to use.
Brushes
Using a brush to paint a large area like a wall will take a lot more time than using a roller. The brush applies less paint at a time and it is going to leave brush marks that will be visible when the paint dries.
Brushes are used in conjunction with rollers because the brush is the easiest way to reach inside corners and to establish a cut-in of paint around the room.
Paint Guns
Paint guns are capable of applying the paint to walls and ceilings in half the time it would take for you to use a traditional brush and roller combo. Paint guns are fast, they apply thin layers that dry quicker, and they allow you to paint a smooth finish onto a wall with any texture.
The problem with paint guns is the time it takes to prepare before you use the equipment. Paint guns do have over-spray that can get onto other items in the room so you have to take more care, and more time, covering the things in the room for protection.
Clean-Up
One of the things that people often forget to figure out when they are going to do a paint project is the cleaning and straightening of the room after the paint is applied. Once the paint is on the walls, the equipment you used to paint with must be cleaned. You must also clean any paint drips or dirt that has been tracked into the room.
The clean-up time will be decided by the paint you used, the application method you used, and the availability of running water. Normally the clean-up after painting a room this size should be less than 2 hours.
Tips from the Pros to Paint a Room Quickly
The professional painters we talked to said there are things you can do that will make your painting go faster.
Prepare the Surfaces
Before you can paint a wall, the wall must be free of dirt and grime. Even normal household dust can impede your painting progress. Before you can paint a room, you must clean the room, and make sure the surfaces are ready for paint.
Things to do
- Pull any nails out of the wall that are there for the purpose of hanging pictures and such
- Spackle or repair any holes in the walls or places where the drywall has peeled
- Cover any stains made by water or grease with a blocking agent so they do not bleed through the paint
- Sand rough spots to create smooth surfaces
- Clean away all dust
Do you know why painters wear white pants?
Assemble Everything Before You Start to Paint
Before you start to paint you should assemble everything that you are going to need to do the job. Tape, stir sticks, paint, primer, brushes, rollers, roller covers, drop cloths, clean dry cloths, paint tray, and an empty bucket for paint consolidation.
Consolidate The Paint
If you have purchased paint and have bought two or more gallons of the same color so you have enough paint then you need to buy a five-gallon bucket and consolidate the paint. Each time paint is mixed there can be slight variations in the color. These variations may not be noticeable in the original container, but when the paint dries on the wall the variations may be very noticeable.
To stop the variations from being problematic you should pour all of your paint containers into one bucket. Use a stir stick and thoroughly blend the paints together so you develop one uniform color and consistency for all of the paint.
Practice Makes Perfect
The experts told us that you should never paint without trying your application method out on a practice area. They suggest large pieces of cardboard be used. This thought is especially true if you are using a paint gun to paint with. You have to master the skills required to operate the applicator if you are going to get flawless results.
With spray guns, you have to learn how to spray with less overspray and you have to choose the right tip.
With paint rollers, you have to learn to load the right amount of paint on the roller. If you put too much paint on the roller you will get drips and streaks, if you put too little paint on the roller you get areas where the paint is not uniformly covering the wall.
With brushes, you have to learn to make a light stroke that will not leave brush marks on the surface.
Ventilation Affects Drying Time
When you are painting you know that you are supposed to ventilate the room in order to prevent your becoming overpowered by the fumes of the paint. What you may not realize is that ventilation also increases the ability of the paint to dry quickly.
Make sure that you have plenty of ventilation and air circulation in the area you are painting and this will increase the speed that the paint dries. This allows you to apply second coats of paint quicker, and move things back into the room quicker.
Temperature Matters
When you are painting the temperature and weather conditions outside make a big difference in the speed of the paint drying. If the temperature is below 350 F you should not paint at all. Humid conditions like you get on rainy and cloudy days can also slow the process and leave you waiting long periods of time for the paint to dry.
Try to plan your painting projects for times of the year when it is likely to be warm and sunny. On warm and sunny days your time to paint a room will be much faster than it would be on wet or cold days.
Paint Matters
The amount of time it takes to paint a room is affected by the drying time of the paint you purchase. Water-based paints will dry more quickly than oil-based paints.
One-coat paints that have primer mixed into them take longer to dry than plain paints or primers do. Always figure out the drying time of the paint when figuring out the amount of time, it will take to finish the work.
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Final word
Painting inside your home does not require a professional. This is a job that anyone can do. Achieving professional-looking results while painting requires you to not rush the work, use the right equipment, and use high-quality paints.
You can paint a room in just one day, but it is much better if you allow yourself several days when you take on this kind of project. By doing this, you can stop when you are tired, and small inconveniences will not bother you as much. Most people can paint a 12’ x 12’ room in one day.
