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Timeline for Painting A Room

How Long Does It Take to Paint a Bedroom?

Having lived in six homes where I’ve painted and repainted each room at least once, I’ve painted quite a few bedrooms in my life. So with all of this hands-on experience, I can easily explain how to calculate the time it will take to paint your bedroom.

I like to devote a weekend to painting a bedroom. Since most surfaces need two coats, you have to account for drying time, which I use as a bonus. As soon as I finish rolling on one coat on the walls, I move to prep and paint a piece of furniture. By the time that’s done, the walls are dry enough for a second coat. Planning ahead allows you to work continuously to get every part of the room painted in less time.

To figure out how long it might take, it’s best to break the steps down so that the task doesn’t seem overwhelming:
  • First, figure out what has to be painted. Ceiling, walls, furniture and floors? If the ceiling paint is still okay, you just saved yourself a few hours.
  • Then make a list of each of item you’re going to paint and place a time next to it so you can schedule it (like my sample breakdown below).
Timeline for Painting A Room
Note: This time is based on an average sized bedroom (11′ x 12′). Adjust times accordingly for smaller or larger rooms.

Prep Work: This includes buying paint supplies, laying them out for easy access as you paint, cleaning dust and dirt from the walls and trim, patching and sanding small nail holes or dings, masking out areas and trim with painter’s tape, and covering furniture and floors with drop cloths.
  • Time required: 30 minutes–2 hours
Tips on Using Painter's Tape
Timing Breakdown: Painting a Bedroom from Top to Bottom

Painted bedroom

Timing Breakdown: Painting a Bedroom from Top to Bottom

Note: This time is based on an average sized bedroom (11′ x 12′). Adjust times accordingly for smaller or larger rooms.

Prep Work: This includes buying paint supplies, laying them out for easy access as you paint, cleaning dust and dirt from the walls and trim, patching and sanding small nail holes or dings, masking out areas and trim with painter’s tape, and covering furniture and floors with drop cloths.
  • Time required: 30 minutes–2 hours
Tips on Using Painter's Tape
Moving Furniture: When painting a ceiling, move furniture out of the way and cover it with drop cloths. If you’re just painting the walls, simply push the furnishings to the center of the room and place drop cloths on the floor.
  • Time required: 1–2 hours
Walls: Cut in along ceiling, floor, windows, doorways and corners with a paint brush and then roll paint on.
  • Time required: 1–2 hours per coat
Read About Drying Times Here

Moving Furniture and Walls

Moving Furniture: When painting a ceiling, move furniture out of the way and cover it with drop cloths. If you’re just painting the walls, simply push the furnishings to the center of the room and place drop cloths on the floor.
  • Time required: 1–2 hours
Walls: Cut in along ceiling, floor, windows, doorways and corners with a paint brush and then roll paint on.
  • Time required: 1–2 hours per coat
Read About Drying Times Here
Trim: Once painter’s tape is in place, painting the trim goes pretty fast.
  • Time required: 30 minutes to an hour per coat. If painting window sashes, add 30 minutes for each window to move them as you paint to avoid sealing the window shut when it dries.
Furniture: If you plan on painting the furniture in the room, do it while you wait for the ceiling or wall paint to dry to keep you moving towards the finish line.
  • Time required: Drawers or a dresser (2 coats of primer & 2 coats of paint) = 2 hours of actual painting time. Add 30 minutes to remove hardware and sand the piece before painting.
Accessories: This is an affordable way to use up leftover paint and bring new life to old objects.
  • Time required: A lamp or tray takes about 15 minutes per coat.
See More Helpful How-To Articles

Trim, Furniture, Accessories

Trim: Once painter’s tape is in place, painting the trim goes pretty fast.
  • Time required: 30 minutes to an hour per coat. If painting window sashes, add 30 minutes for each window to move them as you paint to avoid sealing the window shut when it dries.
Furniture: If you plan on painting the furniture in the room, do it while you wait for the ceiling or wall paint to dry to keep you moving towards the finish line.
  • Time required: Drawers or a dresser (2 coats of primer & 2 coats of paint) = 2 hours of actual painting time. Add 30 minutes to remove hardware and sand the piece before painting.
Accessories: This is an affordable way to use up leftover paint and bring new life to old objects.
  • Time required: A lamp or tray takes about 15 minutes per coat.
See More Helpful How-To Articles
Clean Up: Once you see the results of your painting efforts, you’ll be motivated to get the bedroom cleaned up and the furniture back into place. Paint can transform anything—old and new. By simply waving a brush or roller over a surface you can transform it, so it’s worth the time and effort required. And once you know how long the painting process takes, you might surprise yourself and enjoy watching what was old become fresh and new.

Find Your Favorite Paint Colors
Clean Up

Before and After bedroom

Clean Up

Clean Up: Once you see the results of your painting efforts, you’ll be motivated to get the bedroom cleaned up and the furniture back into place. Paint can transform anything—old and new. By simply waving a brush or roller over a surface you can transform it, so it’s worth the time and effort required. And once you know how long the painting process takes, you might surprise yourself and enjoy watching what was old become fresh and new.

Find Your Favorite Paint Colors