Are you wondering how much it will cost to have your interior doors painted? There are many factors that influence the cost of painting doors inside your home. Even if you know the average cost of painting interior doors, it can be hard to sort through all the information to figure out how much your particular project will cost.
In this article, we’ll look at the average cost of painting interior doors and break down some things that impact painting costs for doors to help you figure out how much you can expect to pay to have your particular interior doors painted.
We’ll also look at some questions to ask when hiring a painter so if you’re not planning to complete the work yourself you’ll be able to find the best professional painting contractor for the job.
How much does it cost to Paint an Interior Door?
Average Cost
Average price generalizations don’t always tell you a lot about what you can expect to pay for your individual project but they can be a good starting point and give you a general idea of the cost of painting interior doors.
The average cost to have a professional painter paint a single door in your home is somewhere around $175-$250. This can vary depending on where you live and a number of other factors that we’ll look at below.
The actual cost to paint your door can be much lower or much higher than that, sometimes as low as $75 and as high as $800.
Labor Cost to Paint Doors
If you’re not painting the door yourself, labor will be the biggest cost. Labor includes not only painting the door itself but also preparing the door by cleaning, sanding, and making small repairs as needed, protecting the floor and areas around the door from paint splatter, and cleaning up at the end of the job.
Some painting contractors charge hourly rates and some charge a flat rate for the job. Your painter may break down the job and charge separately for each item. You can sometimes save money by opting to do some of the steps (like prepping the door) yourself. Thecost of painting interior doors can go down if you are hiring a painter to do more work than just your doors, too.
Factors That Impact the Cost of Painting Interior Doors
What Type of Paint is Needed?
Interior doors are often made of wood, either solid-core or hollow-core. If some or all of the doors you’re painting are made of a different material like metal or vinyl, they’ll need a different type of paint that may cost more.
Whether your paint is oil-based or water-based can also impact price. Oil-based paint tends to be more expensive, less environmentally friendly, and less popular overall, though it does have some advantages such as being very durable.
The paint sheen you choose also impacts the cost of paint, though this is usually a small difference. It’s probably not worth choosing a less preferred sheen to save only a few dollars.
What Type of Trim do You Have?
Intricate trim can be really beautiful but it takes time and careful technique to paint it properly. The more trim you have and the more intricate it is, the more you can expect to pay.
If your door has a lot of glass panels it will require less paint, but maybe not less time because there will be more to protect by masking.
A door with a lot of slats may take a long time to get all of the slats painted evenly and thoroughly, so be prepared the cost of painting interior doors with more slats could cost more.
What Type of Door do You Have?
What your door is made of and what style of door you have makes a difference in how long it will take to paint and finish everything.
For example, a barn door will need to be removed and rehung but may not have much additional hardware to remove or paint around. A pocket door will also need to be removed and then reinstalled once it’s fully dry. French doors may be smaller or larger than other doors. We’ll look more closely at how the style of your doors impacts the cost of interior door painting below.
How Many Doors are You Painting?
Not surprisingly, the more doors you have to paint the more it will cost but if you are painting a lot of doors all at once it may be a bit cheaper than if you paid to have each door done individually. It’s like getting a bulk discount. The price per door often works out to be cheaper if you have a large project.
Are you Changing the Color of the Door?
A fresh coat of paint in the same color is easier and may need fewer coats. Fewer coats means less time and less paint so it can be cheaper than painting your doors a brand new color.
This can be especially true if you are covering a dark color with a much lighter color. It will take more coats of paint and primer to fully cover the dark color beneath.
Different Interior Door Styles
The style of your doors can make a huge difference in the overall cost of painting interior doors because of the time and technique it takes to paint them. For example, a flat panel door is going to be much faster and easier to paint and therefore much cheaper than a bifold door with a lot of slats or a door with intricate patterns and trim.
Millwork and detailed trim on your door can be absolutely beautiful, but it will take more time to paint it well and that means it will be more expensive.
Bifold Doors
Bifold doors are sometimes used on closets and may have a lot of slats, panels, or be flat. The more complicated your bifold doors, the more time it will take and therefore the more expensive they will be to paint.
French Doors
French doors open together and may be used on closets or to separate rooms, such as a living room from an office. They can also vary a lot in their style, some are paneled, some have glass, some have a lot of trim, and some are plain.
The features on your door will impact how long it takes to paint and how much paint you’ll need for the door.
Raised Panel Doors
Raised panel doors may have a few or a lot of panels and will take longer than flushed doors but less time than doors with glass or other more intricate trim. They are some of the cheapest doors to paint, but not quite as cheap as flushed doors.
Flushed Doors
Sometimes called flat panel doors, flushed doors are the easiest to paint because the surface is completely flat without any trim or raised panels. This style of door is usually the cheapest to paint because they are so quick and easy to finish, especially if the door is in good condition and doesn’t need any repairs before painting.
Pocket Doors
Pocket doors open and close by sliding in and out of the wall. They are often flat, so can be quick and easy to paint though the removal and re-installation can be more complicated and less familiar to painters than other types of doors.
Barn Doors
Barn doors slide open and closed on hardware above the door. They can be single or double doors and vary in style and trim. They often have a rustic look which can be easier to paint because it doesn’t have to look perfect, imperfections blend in as part of the style.
Questions to ask Door Painters
Do you offer a free estimate?
Many professional painters offer free estimates. If this is something the painter offers, ask if they will come out to do the estimate in person or if it will be online or over the phone.
If your project is not complicated, an online or phone estimate may be fine. If your doors have a lot of trim or details, an in-person estimate can be more accurate because it gives the painter a chance to actually see the doors they’ll be painting before giving you a price quote.
Do you have experience painting doors?
Sometimes painters specialize in certain things, like exteriors, interiors, or cabinets. If your painter does not have much experience painting doors you may want to go with someone else.
If they do have experience painting doors, ask if they have experience with your particular style of door. For example, they may be experts at painting French doors with glass panels but have no idea how to remove and re-install a pocket door correctly.
Do I need to supply the paint?
Some painters will provide paint in your chosen color while others want you to supply the paint. When getting an estimate, make sure to check whether it includes paint or if you will need to purchase paint separately.
If the painter does supply paint, find out what kind and what paint sheen they offer to make sure it lines up with what you want.
How long will the project take?
Painting can be disruptive to your home and routine so knowing how long it will take can help you plan accordingly and be prepared.
What is your preparation process for painting doors?
Thorough preparation makes a huge difference in how the finished paint job will look. Find out if your painter takes the time to do it right, if not you may want to go with someone else.
Can you do small repairs?
If your door has any issues that need to be repaired before painting, ask if your painter can take care of those for you. If they can’t, you’ll want to know ahead of time so you can do them yourself or find someone else to complete the repairs before the painter starts.
Do you offer a warranty?
Many painters will guarantee their work for a set period of time after the work is completed. Get warranty information in writing so if there are any issues down the road you’ll know what’s covered and for how long.
Final Thoughts on the Cost of Painting Interior Doors
Whether you’re hiring a professional or doing the work yourself, painting interior doors can add the perfect finishing touch to freshen up your rooms.
The cost of painting interior doors can vary a lot, but understanding the things that impact that cost can go a long way in helping you figure out the cost for your particular project.
Check out this article if you’re wondering whether you should hire a painter or do the work yourself. If you’re ready to get started, here’s a guide to painting interior doors.