Most interior rooms take one to two days, and a full exterior usually takes three to five days, depending on weather. Here is how the time breaks down and how long the finished work should last in San Bernardino.
Price ranges on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. Local labor, paint prices and the condition of your own walls move the number up or down. Last checked October 2026.
How long does it take to paint a house inside, and how many days per room?
Most rooms take one to two days, and the whole interior of an average house takes several days to about a week. It depends on the number of rooms, whether ceilings and trim are included and how much repair the walls need.
As a published guide to labor time, HomeGuide lists 4 to 5 hours for a bedroom, 5 to 7 hours for a living room, 2 to 3 hours for a bathroom and 4 to 5 hours for a kitchen, plus 1 to 2 hours for trim and baseboards. Prep, drying and second coats come on top of that.
How long does it take to paint the exterior of a house?
A full exterior usually takes three to five days. The published national figure is 4 to 5 days for an average job. A single-story stucco ranch is at the short end. A two-story house, a lot of wood trim or heavy scraping pushes it longer.
Day one is usually washing. In San Bernardino's dry air the walls are often ready for repairs and primer the next day. Wind and extreme heat can cost a day.
How long should I wait between coats?
Follow the recoat time on the can. For most water-based wall paints that is about two to four hours between coats in normal conditions. Trim and cabinet enamels often need longer, sometimes overnight. Hot, dry air speeds surface drying, but recoating too soon can pull the first coat.
How long before furniture can go back?
You can put the furniture back the next day in most rooms, as long as it does not touch the walls. Leave a gap of a few inches for the first couple of weeks. Wait longer before hanging pictures or pushing a bed or bookcase against fresh paint, because new paint stays soft and can stick.
How soon can I shower after the bathroom is painted?
Wait at least 24 hours before you shower in a freshly painted bathroom, and longer if you can. Steam on paint that has not set can cause streaks and drips. For the first few weeks, run the fan and leave the door open after showers.
How long before I can wash or scrub new paint?
Wait about a month. Paint dries in hours but takes two to four weeks to cure, which means to reach full hardness. Until then, wipe marks gently with a damp soft cloth and no cleaner. After it has cured, a washable paint can be cleaned normally.
Can I stay in the house while it is painted?
Yes, most people stay in the home. The work goes room by room so you always have somewhere to be, and today's water-based paints have little odor. In San Bernardino you can keep windows open for much of the year. People with asthma, small children and pets are more comfortable kept away from the rooms being painted until they are dry.
The exception is lead-safe work in a pre-1978 home, where the work area is closed off until it has been cleaned.
How long does interior paint last?
There is no published figure for how long interior paint lasts, because it depends on the room. A guest bedroom or a ceiling can look fine for a decade or more. Hallways, kitchens, bathrooms and kids' rooms get worn and marked much sooner. HomeGuide's general figure for repainting is every 5 to 10 years.
How long does exterior paint last?
An exterior paint job should last 5 to 10 years on average, by the published national figures, with a range of 3 to 20 years depending on conditions. By surface, the same source lists 5 to 7 years on stucco and 3 to 7 years on wood siding.
San Bernardino is hard on paint because of sun, not rain. South and west walls and all wood trim wear out first. North walls often look fine for years longer.
How often should I repaint the outside of the house?
Repaint when the paint shows it is done, not by the calendar. The national guide is every 5 to 10 years. Look at how often the wood trim needs it too, since fascia and eaves here often need paint between full repaints.
- Chalk: rub your hand on the wall. A heavy powder means the paint is worn.
- Fading, mostly on the south and west sides.
- Hairline cracks in stucco that are opening up.
- Peeling or bare wood on fascia, eaves and window trim.
- Caulk that has cracked or pulled away.
A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (909) 487-2695.