The quickest method for personalizing and updating any room in your home is to apply new paint. Fortunately, interior painting is so much simpler than exterior painting, so you can easily do the job yourself instead of hiring a professional.
But, how long does it take to paint an average 12×12 room? It varies, depending on many factors, and it also helps if you plan in advance.
If your room has approximately an eight foot high ceiling, it shouldn’t take any more than five hours. Of course, adding in the windows, doors, and baseboards, you may have to add another three or four hours.
Just remember, many factors determine whether this is an accurate estimate. Some variables that will affect the time needed to paint a room include:
- Whether you need to paint over a much darker or brighter color, which requires additional coats
- The walls’ texture
- The house’s actual age
- Whether you choose multiple colors
- Whether you have experience painting
- How fast the paint dries, allowing you to add the second coat (do this even if your paint contains a primer
To help you along, here are a few insider tips from our seasoned house painters to help you get your room painted in no time, while still doing a thorough, neat job:
Make a list of all the supplies required to get the job done and be sure to accumulate them far in advance. In addition to the paint itself, you’ll need rollers, brushes, painter’s tape, paint trays, and drop cloths.
Also, don’t forget to have extra paint on hand, in case you run out. That way you won’t have to go back to the store.
Next, conduct all your prep work ahead of time. That means placing drop cloths, moving tables and sofas away from walls, and filling holes and cracks with spackle.
Remember, this compound needs to dry completely before sanding, so you must allow some time for it to do so.
Another method pros recommend for saving time is skipping the application of painter’s tape. This may not be wise for everyone, but, if you can make it work, it will significantly speed up the painting process.
Here’s what you do: Get an angled paint brush and, rather than just using your arm or hand, incorporate your whole arm into painting. Use a steady, but smooth, motion across edges until there is no more paint on the brush. Then, add more paint and swipe it closer until it meets the ceiling or edge. Have a wet rag handy to quickly erase any mistakes. If you follow this tip, you are sure to have a clean, sharp look without wasting any time on sticking painter’s tape.
Another greater way to speed up your painting is by using rollers to coat walls, while saving the brushes for trim only. And, remember, there are 18 inch rollers available that can complete twice as much work as a 9 inch roller in the same amount of time.
Finally, recoating needs to be done based the paint that you are using. For example, water-based paints can dry completely in as little as an hour, and are ready for recoating after about four hours, so it is a better choice if you are in a hurry. Conversely, oil-based paints take up to eight hours to dry and cannot be painted over for up to a whole day.
In conclusion, there are many ways to paint a room efficiently, neatly, and yet, quickly. Keep these tips in mind if you plan on painting any room.
Are you short on time and need a professional? Call us today at 831-269-2837 to get started. Our experts will be sure to help you with all your interior painting needs.