Most rooms take one to two days and a full exterior usually takes three to five days, depending on weather. The bigger questions are what happens between coats, when you can use the room again and how many years the work should last.
Time and lifespan figures on this page that are marked as national come from HomeGuide's 2026 pages. They are general guides, not promises about your job.
How long does it take to paint a house inside?
Painting the inside of an average house takes about a week, and a single room takes one to two days. How many days it needs depends on the number of rooms, the repairs and whether ceilings and trim are included. HomeGuide lists these painting times per room, before prep and drying:
| Room | Painting time |
|---|---|
| Bedroom | 4 to 5 hours |
| Primary bedroom | 5 to 6 hours |
| Bathroom | 2 to 3 hours |
| Kitchen | 4 to 5 hours |
| Living room | 5 to 7 hours |
| Trim and baseboards | add 1 to 2 hours |
Plaster repair adds drying time, because patches must dry and be sanded and primed before paint.
How long does it take to paint the exterior?
Painting the exterior of a house usually takes 3 to 5 days in dry weather, and HomeGuide's national figure for an average job is 4 to 5 days. A large Victorian, a triple-decker or a house with heavy peeling takes longer. Rain stops work and wet wood must dry out, so a job in a damp Boston spring can stretch across more calendar days than working days.
How long should I wait between coats?
Wait the time on the paint can, which for most latex wall paints is a few hours between coats. Enamels for trim and cabinets and oil-based primers need longer. Cold rooms and humid days slow drying. Painting the second coat too early can pull the first coat and leave marks.
How long before I can put the furniture back?
You can usually put furniture back the day after the last coat, kept an inch or two off the walls. Wait longer before pushing anything against a painted wall, leaning a mirror on it or hanging pictures. Fresh paint is soft and will stick to things pressed against it.
How soon can I shower after the bathroom is painted?
Wait at least a full day before you shower, and longer if you can. Steam on fresh paint can cause streaks and drips of brownish residue. Check the can for the product's own advice, and run the fan with the door open while the paint dries.
How long before I can wash or scrub new paint?
Wait about a month before you scrub new paint. Paint dries in hours but takes weeks to cure, which means to reach full hardness. Until it has cured, wipe marks gently with a damp soft cloth and no cleaner. The exact cure time is on the product's data sheet.
Can I stay in the house while it is painted?
Yes, most people stay in their home during interior painting. We work room by room so you always have a place to sleep and a usable kitchen and bathroom. Modern waterborne paints have little smell. The exception is lead-safe work in an older home: children and pregnant women should stay out of the work area until it has been cleaned, and for large jobs it can be simpler to be away.
How long does interior paint last?
There is no published figure for how long interior paint lasts, because it depends on use. HomeGuide's general guide is to repaint every 5 to 10 years. Bedrooms and ceilings go many years. Hallways, kitchens, kids' rooms and rental units wear much faster. Good paint that can be washed lasts longer than paint that marks and cannot be cleaned.
How long does exterior paint last?
An exterior paint job usually lasts 5 to 10 years, by the national figures, and the wall material matters. HomeGuide gives these ranges:
| 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 |
| Brick, acrylic latex | 3 to 5 years |
| Cement fiberboard | 10 to 15 years |
Boston's weather sits on the hard side for paint. Snow against lower boards, freeze and thaw, humid summers and salt air near the water all shorten the life of a coating. South and west walls fade first. North walls grow mildew.
How often should I repaint the outside of the house?
How often you repaint depends on the siding, and for wood in this climate it is often every 5 to 8 years. Do not wait for bare wood. Repaint when the paint is chalky, faded and just starting to crack. At that stage prep is light and the job costs less. Walk around the house each spring and touch up sills, lower boards and porch parts before small failures spread.
A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (617) 553-6484.