How long does it take to paint a house?

Painting the outside of your house can greatly refresh the look and feel of the property. Certain paints can even assist heating and cooling depending on the colour and material they are made from. If you’ve decided house painting is on the cards, you might be wondering how long it takes to paint a house.

So how long does it take to paint a house? You can generally expect it to take 2-4 weeks for us to complete the job. There are many variables that go into the time it takes to paint a house including the weather, type of cladding, and the amount of prep work required.

Weather

Probably the biggest and most unpredictable variable for house painting is the weather. Paint needs time to dry so that it will adhere to the surface properly. If it’s too wet or rainy, there isn’t enough time for this to happen.

Temperature is also a factor. Paint won’t dry effectively when the temperature is too low. Low singles or negatives can essentially halt the drying process. Heat isn’t as much of a factor in Southland, as usually it would need to be around 30 degrees for heat to affect paint. The ideal temperature for painting is in the mid-teens to low twenties.

Can painting be done all year round?

While it’s theoretically possible to do painting all year round, we think it’s not worth the risk. During winter, Southland has rain too often to carve out a safe time for house painting. Early spring and late autumn can also be challenging. There’s a greater possibility for favourable weather during this time, but it’s still a high risk. It takes us around 5-8 hours of clear weather to do a coat of paint on a home exterior.

Ideally, we think it’s best to keep exterior house painting for Mid-Spring until Mid-Autumn. This gives most of autumn and spring as well as all of Summer. The warmer weather helps paint to dry faster, meaning that it will also take less time to paint a house in summer. This means even if there is a stretch of good weather it will probably still take longer in the cold months.

Cladding

Different cladding materials take a different amount of time. Depending on the smoothness, adherence properties, and prep time required, it could be a couple of weeks difference for how long it takes to paint a house. Water blasting is an important part of prep work for almost any kind of cladding; see our article Can water blasting clean houses?

• Wooden Weatherboards take a long time to prep so they can be properly painted. This includes sanding back the weatherboards so that the paint will stick better to the surface. Primers and fillers help fill in any space or gaps in the wood surface so the paint can go on easily and evenly. Because of the extra work required, it will typically be closer to 5-6 weeks to paint a house with wooden weatherboards.
• Brick can be difficult depending on its condition. In good condition, brick is relatively easy to paint. But if it is damaged or rough, it can take longer to prepare it to get an even coat.
• Vinyl has the advantage of being available in practically any colour. But if you want a change in colour and your vinyl cladding is in good condition, it can still be painted. Vinyl is relatively easy to paint when it’s in good condition and will be around 2 weeks. If it’s not in the best shape, 3 weeks is more likely.
• Roughcast is generally easier to paint. Usually, it will have been painted previously. Depending on the condition and quality of that paint job, the old paint may need to be removed first. In many cases, roughcast will be closer to 2 weeks than 4 but again that can vary depending on the condition.

Choose Nexus for House Painting in Southland

If you’re looking to get your house painted in Southland, consider using us at Nexus Property Services. We’re experienced with house painting and can do both exterior and interior painting. We use top-quality paint brands so that your paint job will last. We work quickly, efficiently, and do what we can to see you pleased with our work. Give us a call or contact us to find out more about painting or to get a quote for your home.

House painting time by cladding type