How Long Does It Take to Paint a House Exterior?

If your home’s exterior looks less than great, then paint could be the perfect pick-me-up! A new coat of paint can also protect your house, freshen up the style, and help you stay current with color trends.

A fresh coat of exterior paint can make your home look brand new. It’s even a good way to boost the value of your home for relatively little cost.

But how long does it take to paint a house’s exterior? Factors that affect the overall time investment required include the size of a home, how many stories it has, the number of painters, the weather in the area, and the materials being painted.

What to Expect

When understanding questions like “how long does it take to paint the exterior of your house?” the process can often be broken down into different phases so you have an idea of what to expect:

• Day 1 - 2: Preparation: Cleaning, sanding, repairs, masking windows, and trim with painter’s tape.
• Day 3 - 5: Painting: Applying the primer and at least two coats of paint. It could take longer, depending on the size and complexity of your home.
• Day 6 - 7: Clean up and inspection: Removing the tape, cleaning brushes, and ensuring an even finish.

Factors That Affect Painting Time

Several variables will influence the answer to the question: “How long does it take to paint a house exterior?” Whether it’s the size of your home, the weather, or the complexity of the prep work, these factors will all play a role in how long it’ll take to paint your house. Understanding these different factors will help you plan accordingly for this project and maintain realistic expectations. Communicating with your contractor can also help clear up any issues on the expected deadlines. 

If you have additional questions about your process, check out our frequently asked questions.

Size of Your Home

The size of your home will inevitably contribute to the project’s completion time. An average-size house will take an average of three to four days to paint with a team of two to three people. In this case, average means a home with one to two stories and four or fewer bedrooms. A large house, such as a three-story or five-plus-bedroom home, will take five to six days.

Size of Your Crew

Depending on your home size, you can typically expect to spend more than a week on exterior painting. The more helping hands you have access to, the faster your project will move. Our Neighborly pros typically assign more than one person for exterior painting, especially if it means completing work on a tighter deadline.

Weather

No matter how much time you invest in the prep, the weather might decide to rain on your parade. As paint adheres best to dry surfaces, try to choose a time of year with minimal rain and humidity.

And don’t forget to keep other environmental factors in mind. For example, if you live in a heavily wooded area, painting during fall could lead to leaves sticking to your paint. In spring, pollen could discolor your brand-new paint immediately. Keep a look out for these factors in addition to rain and humidity.

Not only do these negative factors impact your ability to properly paint your home, but they can also make it take longer. Adverse weather and environmental factors can add days to how long it takes to paint your home.

Prepwork 

Proper preparation for painting is the foundation of a successful exterior painting project. Skipping this step leads to uneven painting finishes, peeling paint, or shortened durability, but it will lengthen the process, especially if damages are discovered. 

To ensure your paint job withstands the elements, you should inspect it and repair it first. Consider hiring Mr. Handyman® to thoroughly examine the exterior and look for signs of rotting or damaged wood, gaps or cracks, and peeling or cracking paint. All of this will need to be addressed before painting can begin on your home. 

Washing

An important piece of the prep work will be power washing your siding. This step is crucial because it provides the best base for fresh paint to adhere. Clean siding will also extend the life of your paint job. A lot of homeowners prefer to do this on their own. However, if you think you’ll need help, you can leave this part of the process to the experts!

Woodwork

Speaking of siding, cleaning rotten wood won’t do much good in the long run. If it’s not fixed, it will continue to rot, and your paint job will go to waste. You’ll want to replace rotting wood or use a wood filler for small spots.

You might be painting your home exterior as part of a larger project to spruce up the rest of the space. Here are a few other ideas to get you started!

• Install landscape lighting to illuminate your outdoor pathways and living areas.
• Add outdoor wall sconces to showcase your new paint job at night.
• Clean up your trees, shrubs, and flower beds to complement your home’s new look.

Home Features

How long does it take to paint a house exterior? It could depend on the features that need to be painted. If your home has intricate designs or molding that requires careful painting, this will take longer than painting on a flat surface. Even if you don’t want them painted, it’ll take time to apply painter’s tape. 

Some home exteriors are also a mix of siding, brick, and wood, which all require different paint types and techniques. Switching between all of these can slow down the process, even for a professional. 

You might also have landscaping elements like tight spaces or bushes around your deck that might increase the length of the painting process.

Seasonality 

What is the best time of year to paint your house exterior? It’ll depend on where you live. Painting your home during the right season can prevent weather delays and ensure it gets completed faster. Spring and fall are typically the best time to paint your house exterior because they have lower humidity and moderate temperatures, creating the ideal scenario for painting. 

You can paint during the summer and use the warmer temperatures to speed up the drying times, but if the heat is too intense, it can crack the paint. If you live in an area with a mild winter, you could have your home painted in the off-season, but most locations aren’t prime conditions for painting.

How to Avoid Delays

Some of the most common delays that slow down your painting project are weather delays, underestimating the project, and insufficient prep. However, knowing the following expert tips can also make it easier to plan and prepare for them. 

To minimize weather delays, monitor the forecast and try to schedule your painting project during the next dry spell. 

Also, schedule your prep work in advance so you’re not waiting on that to start the project. Some homeowners will be tempted to skip repairing issues, but this can lead to uneven paint and redoing work. 

If you’re painting on your own, you might be under the false assumption that it won’t take as much time, which can lead you to rush and not fully complete the job. 

Leave it to the Pros

Painting your home’s exterior is faster and easier with a crew of experts. 

A professional painting crew brings expertise, efficiency, and peace of mind to your project. With the right team on your side, even a large home painting project can be done in a few days rather than weeks. You’ll also be working with skilled experts with all the necessary equipment, techniques, and licenses to safely paint anywhere, including hard-to-reach areas.

Enjoy peace of mind knowing all our work is backed by our Neighborly Done Right Promise™, which ensures your satisfaction with every job, no matter which brand. At Neighborly, we can connect you with local pros right in your backyard. Call us to schedule service today!

Services may vary by location. For more information, including the most accurate list of services and guidance, contact your locally owned and operated Neighborly® for details and a customized on-site assessment.