How Long Does it Take to Paint a Bedroom? [A Quick Guide]

Love it or hate it, sooner or later every bedroom needs a fresh coat of paint.

If you’re not used to decorating a bedroom however (full guide on that here, btw), you may be wondering – how long does it take to paint a bedroom? Will I need to take a day off work to do it? Or is it something I can do in an evening?

Let’s take a look.

Side note: You may also be wondering what colors to use for your bedroom. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Product Recommendation

PRESTIGE Paints Interior Paint and Primer In One, 1-Gallon, Eggshell

Prestige Paints offers a comparable color to Benjamin Moore’s trademarked shades, using advanced technology. This 100% acrylic latex paint ensures smooth application, ideal for living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and more. Easy to clean with soap and water, it has a low VOC content (less than 5 g/L) for a safer environment.

$52.99

Buy on Amazon

Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

How Long Does it Take to Paint a Bedroom? (Short Answer)

The time it takes to paint a bedroom can vary depending on a few factors such as the size of the room, the condition of the walls, the type of paint being used, and the level of detail required.

As a general estimate, painting a bedroom can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours for a standard-sized room with two coats of paint. This is assuming however that the walls are in good condition and only require a simple coat of paint.

Obviously, if the wall has numerous dents or screw holes that need to be filled in first, things are going to take a little longer.

I’ve had to fill in numerous holes and blemishes on a wall before, and I can attest to them taking quite a bit of extra time.

To give a rough guide:

Simple Room: If you have a small bedroom in good condition that only requires one coat of paint, you can likely complete the project in 4-6 hours.

Average Room: For an average-sized bedroom with moderate wall condition that requires two coats of paint, you can expect to spend 6-8 hours on the project.

Complex Room: If your bedroom has intricate details, requires wall repair or prep, or requires three or more coats of paint, the project can take 8-12 hours or more.

How Long Does it Take to Paint a Bedroom? (Detailed Answer)

Unfortunately, life isn’t that simple. While the above is useful as a general estimate, each specific case is going to have certain factors that will affect the time it takes.

Let’s go through some of these factors.

Room Size

Quite simply, the larger the room, the more time it will take to paint.

A small bedroom may only take a few hours to paint, while a larger room may take a full day or more.

I’ve painted rooms of average size, and to do it properly it’s taken me a good 6-8 hours (including tea breaks of course!).

Wall Condition

If the walls are in good condition and only require a simple coat of paint, the painting process will be quicker.

However, if the walls need to be repaired or prepped before painting, this can add additional time to the project.

Filling in any dents and imperfections on the wall is an easy thing to do (just use some putty or spackling paste), but you’ll have to wait for it to fully dry before you can paint over it.

Number of Coats

If you are painting the walls a different color than the existing paint, you will likely need to apply multiple coats to ensure the color comes out as intended.

For example, if you are re-painting a wall from a darker colour to a lighter one, you’ll want to apply a white primer first. Otherwise, the darker colour underneath will seep through, making the lighter, top layer not show as it’s supposed to.

This will add additional time to your bedroom painting project.

Type of Paint

Different types of paint have different drying times and application requirements. Some paints may require multiple coats or longer drying times, which can extend the overall time required to complete the project.

For example, oil-based paints will usually be dry to the touch in about 6 hours or so, but you’ll need to wait a full 24 hours in order to apply another coat.

Latex paints on the other hand are a lot quicker, being dry to the touch in about 1 hour or so, and you can apply another coat after 4-5 hours.

Tips for Efficient Bedroom Painting

Now you know the factors to consider when gauging how long it’s going to take to paint your bedroom, we thought we’d run through some tips you can use to make the process as efficient and effective as possible.

Prepare the Room

Before you start painting, move all of your furniture out of the room or cover it with plastic/sheets. Remove switch plates and outlet covers, and use painter’s tape to protect baseboards and molding.

Try and get this all done before you paint anything, as you don’t want to be constantly stopping and starting because you need to move something out of the way or cover something up.

Plus, removing all the furniture first ensures you don’t accidently get paint on it by carelessly swinging the paintbrush around. Trust me, I’ve been there before!

Choose the Right Paint

Opt for high-quality paint that has good coverage and dries quickly to save time. As mentioned earlier, latex paint is a good choice!

As with many things in life, don’t opt for the cheapest variety, as this usually comes at the expense of quality. If you’re going to paint your bedroom, do it justice and opt for a high-quality paint.

Use the Right Tools

Use a roller and brush that are appropriate for the type of paint you are using. This will help you achieve even coverage and reduce the need for multiple coats.

As tempting as it may be, try not to just use the old tools you have laying around from a previous painting job. Using non-ideal tools can lead to complications.

For example, using the wrong roller can lead to you applying to thick a coat of paint to your wall, which will not only make your wall seem patchy and unevenly coated, but will also make the wall take a lot longer to dry!

Work in Sections

Finally, instead of trying to paint the entire room at once, work in sections.

You know what they say – trying to take on a big job all at once can seem daunting, but by breaking it up into small achievable chunks, you will get through it a lot quicker and with less stress.

A win-win!

Wrapping Up…

Painting a bedroom can be a fun and rewarding DIY project (if that’s your thing!).

However, it’s important to plan ahead and have a good understanding of how long it will take to complete.

By considering the factors that impact painting time and following some simple tips for efficiency, you can complete your painting project with ease and enjoy the results for years to come (as well as not have to take off any unnecessary days from work!).

Related Posts

• Top 5 Wooden Bedroom Decor Ideas
• How to Decorate Bedroom Walls [A Quick Guide]
• How to Organise a Small Bedroom

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.