How often should you paint the interior of your home?
The frequency you re-paint the interior of your house will vary from five to seven years. Some walls require painting more often than others due to wear and tear. If you have a home with little kids and indoor pets you may find yourself needing to paint more often than a single individual who is rarely home. Typically the rooms you use the most will require more touch-ups, for example, your guest bedroom that only sees a visitor a couple of weeks out of the year will not need as frequent touch ups as your entryway or living room.
Living Room and Dining Room
The living and dining rooms are typically highly used. These are the walls that will proudly display the tiny little fingers, teenage hand prints and nose art from your pooch. You will want to use a durable paint in a Satin or Eggshell. With a high quality paint your paint could last anywhere from five to seven years. If you use a lower quality or a flat paint, you will need to paint more frequently. A word of caution for flat paint in high traffic areas, anytime you try to clean scuffs off the wall you will gradually rub paint off and eventually the sheetrock. Your Satin and Eggshell has a bit of a hardener in the paint to protect your walls.
Kitchen and Bathrooms
The kitchen and bathroom are like a revolving door. Always someone using them. These are the rooms that will capture the messes and liquid splashes. They’re often the rooms that call for durable, waterproof paint for easy clean-up. If you don’t use a moisture resistant paint in these areas, your paint can peel. Think about how much steam your shower puts off or when you have a pot boiling on every burner during the holidays. You could practically give yourself a steam facial. It is suggested to re-paint the kitchen and bathroom every three to four years. Look for paint specific to high moisture areas for the best results.
Bedrooms
The bedrooms that are lived in will need re-painting every two to three years. The frequency you re-paint bathrooms depends on who the room belongs to. Adult bedrooms typically require less painting than children’s rooms unless you want to change the color. Children tend to play in their rooms more, causing more wear and tear, and thus, more frequent re-painting.
Hallways
Hallway paint tends to hold the most scuffs and dings compared to other areas of your home. The most walked-through regions of your house need re-painting every two to three years. You might be able to wait a few more years if you don’t need to repair any dents or scuffs.
Ceilings
Painting the interior ceiling is required every ten years or so. If you have a water leak or must cover stains, you may need to re-paint more often. The time may vary based on the room as well.
Trim and Baseboards
The trim and baseboards take on tons of damage over time. When you re-paint a room, make sure to cover the trim and baseboards. They require re-painting every two to four years, on average. How often you paint them depends on what the room is used for, however. If the trim or baseboards appear worn, it’s time to retouch the paint. Keeping your baseboards and trim clean will help protect the paint. Taking a warm washcloth and a household cleaner to these areas every couple of months will help preserve the paint.
Best Time to Paint House Interior
Painting indoors allows you to take fewer variables into account. The best time to paint the interior of your house, regardless of the room, is during the winter. The colder months of the year typically offer less humidity so your paint dries better but it may take a little longer to fully dry. Since interior paint typically takes more dry time your paint could take longer to dry if it’s humid, so wait for dry weather or use a dehumidifier in the room you’re painting.
When you are ready to give your home a splash of color or a fresh new look we are here to serve you. Give us a shout. -Kelsey 214-908-3655
