How Often Should You Paint Your Home’s Interior?

If you ask the typical homeowner how often they should repaint the interior of their home, they’re not likely to have a very definitive answer. And yet it’s a question that many people ask themselves: How often should you paint your home? How can you tell when you “need” to apply a new coat of paint? And why do people repaint their home, anyway? Let’s take a closer look at the answers to these three important questions to help you decide how often you should paint your home’s interior.

Why Paint?

There are three typical reasons why someone would paint the interior of their home, whether it’s an entire room, just one wall, or even multiple rooms in the home. These reasons are:

• The paint/style of the room looks outdated
• The paint/style of your new home doesn’t match your personal style
• The paint is scratched, chipping or otherwise damage

For instance, you might find that the bright orange accent wall from your home’s 1970s past no longer looks attractive in the current year, so an easy resolution of a new paint job will do the trick. Or you might find yourself craving a home with a bright pastel aesthetic, so your old dark green accent wall no longer looks quite right.

How Can You Tell If It’s Time to Paint Again?

Assuming that you’re painting for aesthetic reasons, the way to tell if it’s time for a new interior paint job is to ask yourself if you still like the look of the paint in the room. Does it suit the changing style of your home? Does it mesh well with your personal tastes? If the answer to these types of questions is “no,” then it’s time to paint again.

If you’re not focused on aesthetic issues but simply want to know when to repaint to ensure that the interior paint looks its best, then you’ll need to routinely look for damages in the paint job. This can include stains from various household liquids, areas where the paint is chipped or otherwise stripped, as well as areas of discoloration. If you spot any of these, especially in larger patches, then it is time to paint your home’s interior again.

How Often Should You Paint?

The answer to this question is a solid: “It depends.” The frequency of your painting will depend on the condition of the wall and how well it takes to paint; whether or not you used primer which can extend the paint’s lifetime; the style, finish and overall quality of the paint you used; and how often the wall is touched by human hands or other substances that can cause the paint to thin or break down.

As a general rule of thumb, modern paints are much more long-lasting than paints used in previous decades. You can expect modern paint to last for about 5 to 10 years, depending on where the paint was used, the quality of the primer, and the overall condition and texture of the wall itself.

If you or someone you know is in the market for a professional interior painting project, be sure to contact us here at Straight Edge Painting. Our experienced team will ensure that your interior home painting project goes smoothly snd looks amazing.