How Often Should You Paint Your Walls: A Comprehensive Guide

Ready to repaint your walls? Maybe your interior walls are looking shabby, or maybe you've found a new paint color you just can't resist. Whatever your reason, you may be wondering if there's a basic interior painting timeline you should follow. Although there's a general guideline for how long a paint job will last, surprisingly, people tend to paint their walls long before the paint has worn out, faded, or needs repainting. 

Today's paint formulas are manufactured to be strong, durable, and long-lasting. But because paint can quickly and magically transform a room, many homeowners repaint because they want to update the color or aesthetic, not because the paint has seen better days. So if you're asking, how often should you paint your walls, our comprehensive guide provides everything you need to know – from how often you should paint to how long you can expect your paint job to last.

How Often Should You Paint Your Walls?

One of the best ways to keep your home looking beautiful is with freshly painted walls. Nothing creates a clean, bright, updated feel like new paint. Most people paint their walls long before the paint has reached the end of its lifespan. And with so many gorgeous tempting paint colors, the good news is that you can paint your walls as often as you want! Mainly, the frequency of repainting depends on:

• Wanting a New Color – Updating a room or the entire house with a new color is one of the main reasons people decide to repaint. Color trends come and go and a color that was popular three years ago may feel like yesterday's news today. 

• Wanting to Increase Resale Value – Many homeowners realize the value of painting before they put their house on the market. Fresh paint increases resale value because potential homeowners get the impression the home has been well cared for and maintained.

• Wanting to Personalize a New Home – Conversely, when people buy a house they often paint right away to match their taste and style. They choose colors that coordinate with their furniture and accessories. New paint can make new owners feel right at home.

How Long Does Paint Last on Interior Walls?

Paint is formulated to be long-lasting and takes quite a bit of wear and tear. But paint is more short-lived in high-traffic areas like children's bedrooms, foyers, hallways, bathrooms, and kitchens. Paint will last longer in a guest bedroom, dining room, or formal living room. Also, cleaning walls regularly will start to wear down the finish faster than in rooms where walls don't need to be cleaned. This would most likely be in bathrooms and kitchens. 

On average, you can expect interior latex paint in a satin or eggshell finish to last about 7-10 years or more depending on use. If you think your paint is wearing faster than it should, consult with a professional painter. Let the professional painter help you with suggestions about the best type of paint and the best finish for particular spaces and rooms in your home.

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When Is the Best Time to Paint Your Walls?

Most professional painters know that properly prepped and painted walls are long-lasting – in many cases, the paint will outlast your color preference and taste! But how long does paint last on walls? 

There isn't a black-and-white rule of thumb for exactly when you should paint or how long a paint job will last. It depends on how a room is used and if you're ready to change the color. You can change the color as often as you want, but generally, here's a guideline for how long a paint job will last for various rooms in your home:

Kitchen

Unless you simply don't cook, it doesn't take long for kitchen walls to accumulate a film of grease, smoke, stains, and food grime. As kitchen walls get periodically cleaned, the finish can start to wear down. Then the grime becomes harder to clean as the finish wears off – a clear sign that it's time to repaint. Whether from hard use or due to a color update, kitchens are one of the most frequently painted rooms in the home. For kitchens that get average use, expect to touch up or repaint the walls about every 4 to 5 years.

Whether painted or stained, kitchen cabinets are particularly susceptible to wear. Fingerprints, grime, grease, food stains, and accidental dings put cabinets through their paces. If professionally prepped and painted, kitchen cabinets will need to be touched up or repainted every 3 to 4 years.

Bathroom

You probably notice that your bathroom walls get dirty and mucky faster than any other room in your home. The constant moisture from showers and tubs condenses on the walls, mixing with soap, shampoo, and product scum. Soon you see streaks on the walls that run from the ceiling down to the floor. 

Cleaning bathroom walls eventually starts to wear down the paint finish. It's critical to maintain a durable finish on bathroom walls to protect the substructure of the bathroom. Otherwise, mold, mildew, and moisture problems can take hold behind the walls and cause serious drywall problems. Plan to repaint bathroom walls every 3 to 4 years.

Living Room

The wear and tear on living room walls usually isn't as apparent as with kitchen and bathroom walls. Most living rooms have a sofa or two, chairs, bookcases, and other pieces of furniture that can subtly rub against the paint finish, eventually scouring off the finish and the color. Once the underlying paint is exposed, you'll need to repaint it. Expect to paint your living room every 7 to 10 years.

Bedrooms

Children's bedrooms often need to be painted every 2 to 3 years. However, the paint in an adult or guest bedroom can last up to 10 years or more. Most people end up painting their bedroom walls to change the color long before the paint has worn out. 

Singletrack Can Help Transform the Walls of Your Home Quickly and Efficiently

Some people who want to repaint their walls attempt it themselves, then quickly regret their decision. DIY painting can be frustrating, time-consuming, and disappointing. If you want a high-quality paint job that gets completed efficiently, professional painting services are the way to go. 

Singletrack Painting has many years of experience with interior, exterior, and residential painting in the Denver metro area. Our expert painting services range from helping you choose the right paint for each room in your home, to skillfully prepping and painting. Reach out to Singletrack and request a quote if you want to update your wall color or refresh your walls with a new coat of paint!

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