Cost to Paint Interior Doors and Trim
What’s the best way to refresh your interior home design? Some would suggest moving pieces of furniture around, making adjustments to the window treatment, or changing the lighting. We want to remind homeowners that refreshing the coat of paint over their interior doors and trim is also an option.
Applying that new coat of paint can work wonders on your home interior. You can effectively accentuate the beauty of your home by choosing the right paint. But, how much will that kind of painting project cost you?
Painting a standard interior door is going to cost an average of $140. You can expect the cost to change depending on the type of door you’re painting, its material makeup, and size. Painting the interior trim is more expensive as it will cost you $1,000. Labor costs for painting both the interior door and trim can reach $750.
Updating the look of your home through painting the interior door and trim is a worthwhile undertaking. It can prove to be a costly endeavor so you may need to make some preparations beforehand. Learn more about the expenses associated with that kind of painting project by continuing with the rest of this article.
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Cost to Paint Interior Doors by Type
| Interior Door Type | Cost |
| Bifold | $80 |
| Dutch | $200 |
| Flush | $100 |
| French | $250 |
| Glass | $200 |
| Louvered | $130 |
| Raised Panel | $85 |
| Sliding | $150 |
The average cost of painting an interior door is $200. However, that price is not fixed. It will change depending on certain factors and the type of door you’re painting is among them.
Costs vary because the difficulty level of the job changes too. Some types of interior doors are easier to paint than others. You can find out more about the specific costs of painting doors by type via the subsections below.
Bifold Doors
Interior bifold doors open by stacking together after their panels are moved to the side. Painting them is a pretty straightforward task. The cost of doing so also comes relatively cheap at just $80.
Make sure the entirety of the bifold door is repainted. You don’t want to miss any spots that could be exposed when the door is closed.
Dutch Doors
Professionals will usually charge $200 if you want a Dutch interior door painted. They charge more because a lot of prep work is often done before painting Dutch doors.
Dutch doors are made up of two panels that can be moved independently. They work great if you want to use them on the pathways leading to your kitchen or backyard.
Flush Doors
The cost of painting a flush door typically reaches $100. If you don’t want to spend that kind of money painting your flush door, you can tackle the job yourself.
Flush doors are the easiest to paint because they don’t feature any elaborate design elements. They are good practice painting projects for inexperienced DIYers.
French Doors
In stark contrast to flush doors, professionals charge a lot of money for painting French doors. Expect to get a bill of $250 if you want them to work on that element of your home.
Professionals charge more to paint French doors because they require a great deal of preparation. The glass panels need to be protected properly or else the paint may ruin them. More paint is also often required for this project because French doors tend to be larger than standard doors.
Glass Doors
Glass doors are often installed close to the backyard because they present a great view even when they’re closed. They can be valuable assets for your home so you need to handle them carefully. Get them professionally painted for $200.
Louvered Doors
Homeowners will have to pay $130 if they want their louvered door professionally painted. The slats that are signature elements of louvered doors complicate the painting process. It takes a lot of time to paint those slats, which explains why professionals charge a high fee for this job.
Raised Panel Doors
Raised panel doors are the ones you’ll frequently find installed on many households. They don’t feature glass components and that makes them easier to paint. Professionals will often charge $85 if you need the raised panel door inside your home to be painted.
Sliding Doors
You will have to pay $150 if you want your sliding doors to be painted by professionals. That price tag may seem high given that sliding doors don’t typically have plenty of components that need to be painted.
That high price tag is due to the additional work that is required for painting sliding doors. The workers will likely have to remove and reinstall the sliding doors and that causes the cost of labor to increase.
Cost to Paint Interior Doors by Material
| Material Used | Cost |
| Composite | $110 |
| Fiberglass | $200 |
| MDF | $75 |
| Metal | $135 |
| Vinyl | $90 |
| Wood | $150 |
Think carefully when choosing the material makeup of your interior doors. The longevity of the door and how easy it is to maintain will depend in large part on your selected material. Your choice of material will also affect how easy painting the interior door will be.
Popular material choices for interior doors include composite, fiberglass, MDF, metal, vinyl, and wood. You can learn more about how much painting those doors will cost by checking out the upcoming subsections.
Composite Doors
As its name suggests, composite doors are made using a combination of materials including plastic and wood. Thankfully, the presence of different materials inside composite doesn’t make them especially difficult to paint. If you’re asking a professional to paint your interior composite door, expect to be charged $110.
Fiberglass Doors
Professional painters have to make a lot of preparations before they can start working on fiberglass doors. They also have to be more selective when choosing paint because not every type pairs well with fiberglass. Don’t be surprised if professional painters ask for $200 before they work on your fiberglass door given everything involved.
MDF Doors
MDF or medium-density fiberboard doors are not exactly the embodiments of refined home décor. Still, they are good fixtures to install if you want to cut down on your expenses. Even getting an MDF door repainted is still very affordable at just $75.
Metal Doors
The cost of painting your metal door should be fairly reasonable. It will likely cost you $135. Of course, that price assumes that your metal door is still in good condition.
You will have to spend more if your metal door is dented or damaged in some other way. Repairing the metal door will be necessary before it can be painted.
Vinyl Doors
You won’t have to spend a lot of money if you want a fresh coat of paint applied to your interior vinyl door. Expect the cost of the project to end up at around $90.
The cost of painting a vinyl interior door is that low because it’s fairly easy. Painters don’t have to abide by all kinds of rules to get the results they want.
Wooden Doors
Wooden doors require a good amount of maintenance work and they also need special attention during repainting. You cannot just use any type of paint you prefer because the wood may wind up damaged if you do so. Painting wooden doors must be done carefully and professionals often ask for $150 before they take on that job.
Cost to Paint Interior Doors by Size
| Interior Door Size | Cost |
| 24” x 80” | $50 |
| 28” x 80” | $65 |
| 32” x 80” | $140 |
| 36” x 90” | $200 |
The size of your interior door is another factor you must consider when planning the painting project. You will notice sizable disparities between the expected costs and they can force you to change your plans. First off, painting an interior door that measures 32” x 80” will cost you $140.
We mentioned that first because it’s the standard size for an interior door. Use that as the baseline amount you need to save up for this particular project.
Interior doors that measure 36” x 90” are also fairly common. Painting a door of that size will likely cost you $200.
Your household may also feature some smaller interior doors that you want to repaint as well. Those smaller doors are often used for closets and other storage areas around your home.
To paint a 28” x 80” door, you will likely have to spend $65. If the door you want to paint only measures 24” x 80”, the necessary painting expenses will be even more affordable. You can bank on the painting project costing no more than $50 for an interior door of that size.
Cost of Paint for Interior Doors
| Type of Paint (One Gallon) | Cost |
| Acrylic | $38 |
| Latex | $35 |
| Oil-Based | $40 |
Before you can start retouching your interior doors, you must first choose a type of paint to use. In this case, the cost is likely not going to make much of a difference.
Latex or water-based paints are the most affordable options at $35 per gallon. However, they are not that much cheaper than acrylic paints. A gallon of acrylic paint is only going to cost you $38.
The most expensive option is oil-based paint, but even that remains affordable. You can pick up a gallon of oil-based paint for $40.
Since cost does not matter choosing interior paint, you will have to evaluate other factors instead. The most important factor is how the paint suits your intended application.
Using acrylic paint makes sense if one side of the door will be exposed to the elements outside. Its ability to adapt to changing temperatures makes it useful in that regard.
Latex paint is good to use because it doesn’t emit as many noxious fumes as the other options. It’s easy to understand how helpful that can be if you’re painting indoors.
Lastly, oil-based paint is great if you need something durable. It will hold up well even if the painted door is frequently used.
Labor Cost to Paint Interior Doors
| Estimate Type | Cost |
| Low-End Estimate | $50 |
| Mid-Range Estimate | $100 |
| High-End Estimate | $200 |
If you’re supplying the paint, you only need to worry about labor costs if you’re getting an interior door professionally painted. The exact amount you’ll have to pay will vary depending on the difficulty of the project. At a minimum, expect to pay $50 if you need a new coat of paint applied to an interior door.
The cost will drop to that amount if the project is simple and requires little to no preparations. You may only have to pay that amount if you’re getting a bifold or raised panel door painted.
Professional painters may also charge $100 for their services. If they are charging you that much, that means you’re asking them to work on a more elaborately designed interior door. It could be a sliding or louvered door.
Labor costs for painting interior doors will usually top out at $200. Painters will often only ask for that much if you’re asking them to work on something intricately designed. They may also have to complete numerous preparations before they can start painting.
DIY vs. Professional Painting of an Interior Door
Should you get your interior doors professionally painted? Going the DIY route is certainly appealing given the potential savings, but is that the right move?
Generally speaking, you want to leave the task of painting intricately designed doors to the professionals. It’s too easy to mess something up while painting a French door. If the paint ends up in the wrong spot, you may do permanent damage to that fixture.
Hiring professionals is also a good idea if the old paint needs to be stripped first. Let the professionals handle that task to ensure that the door won’t end up damaged.
Cost to Paint Interior Trim
| Estimate Type | Cost |
| Low-End Estimate | $600 |
| Mid-Range Estimate | $1,000 |
| High-End Estimate | $1,500 |
Work on beautifying your home by painting the different types of interior trim it features. That kind of wide-ranging painting project can turn out to be a significant expense on the part of homeowners. On average, homeowners have to pay $1,000 if they want their home’s interior trim painted.
When we talk about painting interior trim, we’re referring to different types of lining. To be more specific, we’re including the crown molding, the casing, and the baseboards.
The crown molding refers to the lining that you’ll see between the top of the wall and the ceiling. You’ll want that part of the interior trim painted because it usually draws a lot of attention.
The casing is the interior trim you’ll find lining your doors and windows. If you’re getting your interior doors painted, you shouldn’t neglect their casings as well. You don’t want that casing to stand out for the wrong reason.
Also, remember to include the baseboard when retouching your interior trim. The baseboard trim frames your home interior so you need it to look good too. Make sure it gets some of the new paint that you’re paying for.
Cost of Paint for Interior Trim
| Type of Paint (Half-Gallon) | Cost |
| Acrylic | $19 |
| Latex | $17 |
| Oil-Based | $20 |
You now have to choose what type of paint you want to use on your interior trim. Latex paint is the cheapest option at $17 per half a gallon. However, acrylic and oil-based paints don’t cost that much more at $19 and $20 respectively.
We’re going with just half a gallon of this time instead of the full gallon. A half-gallon of paint should be more than enough for the types of trim inside your home.
Acrylic paint only makes sense to use on the casing. The crown molding and baseboards likely won’t be exposed enough to sunlight to warrant the usage of acrylic paint.
Opt to use latex paint if you know that the workers will need a few days to finish the project. If you did not choose latex, you may find it difficult to stay inside the home due to the lingering fumes.
You should at least consider using latex paint on the crown molding. That way, you won’t have to deal with the unpleasant fumes while you’re trying to rest.
Using oil-based paint is recommended for the baseboard and casing. It will stay on longer than the other paints you can use for those types of trim.
Labor Cost to Paint Interior Trim
| Estimate Type | Cost |
| Low-End Estimate | $250 |
| Mid-Range Estimate | $350 |
| High-End Estimate | $550 |
How much will you have to pay if you want the professionals to paint your home’s interior trim? The average price for homeowners is $350.
The professional painter you’re talking to may offer to take on the job for that fixed price. They could also offer to go by an hourly rate. Make sure you discuss that matter with them before they start painting your interior trim.
Sometimes, the labor costs attached to this kind of painting project may go beyond $350. The labor cost may reach that level if the painters have to do a lot of additional work. They will likely charge that much if you’re also asking them to prep the interior trim and refinish them later on.
You can reduce labor expenses by only asking the painters to work on the crown molding or the baseboards. That’s not recommended if you want the paint scheme to appear more unified, though.
DIY vs. Professional Painting of Interior Trim
Painting your home’s interior trim can be an expensive project. After finding out how much it costs, you may be thinking of doing the painting yourself.
Accomplishing this task on your own is certainly realistic. As long as you have the painting supplies and a ladder, you can retouch the paint on the interior trim.
The only issue with taking on this project as a DIY endeavor is that it may take longer than expected. Your home may be covered in wet paint for so long that it starts to bother the people in your household. On the other hand, professional painters will likely be able to finish working on the interior trim in just one day.
Do You Need Permits before Painting Your Home Interior?
When working on home improvement projects, many folks tend to forget about securing permits. Failing to account for the permits can be a problem because it can mess up your planned budget.
So, could forgetting about the permits also mess up your plans to paint your home interior? In all likelihood, that will not be a problem for you. Permits normally aren’t required for interior painting projects.
That said, your homeowner’s association may still require you to notify them before you start any painting activities. Avoid being hit with a fine by getting their permission before you start painting.
Should the Interior Door and Trim Match Color?
There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to matching the colors of the interior doors and trim. You have free rein to mix and match whichever colors you prefer. Still, designers generally stick to some guidelines when figuring out the door and trim color combos.
After selecting a darker color for your door, you may want to consider offsetting it using the trim. Use a lighter paint for the trim so it accentuates the bold color of the door.
Matching colors is also an option. That works best when both the door and trim feature light or neutral colors.
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Related Questions
How Much Do Painters Charge To Paint Baseboard Trim?
Getting all the types of interior trim in your home painted is not a requirement. You can choose to work on certain segments of the trim at different times.You can focus on just painting the baseboard trim first. Painters will ask for $230 if you want that part of the interior trim worked on.
How Much Does It Cost to Paint and Sand a Door?
Painting the interior door right away is not always an option. Due to existing damage, the door may need to be sanded first before it can be painted.The need for sanding will increase the labor costs. You will have to pay $230 if you want the door to be sanded and painted.
How Long Will It Take to Paint an Interior Door and Frame?
Professionals can finish painting your interior door and its frame in about three hours. They will need about five hours at most if you have a door that’s difficult to paint.Note that the door may still not be ready after they’re done painting. You will still have to let the paint dry completely before you can start using the door again.
Is It Cheaper to Paint Trim White Or Replace It?
Homeowners will spend less if they opt to paint their trim white instead of replacing it. You may still want to consider replacement, though.Once trim shows signs of wear and tear, you’ll be better off replacing it instead of trying to conceal the damage. Painting alone will no longer be enough to restore the beauty of your interior trim.
Gary Evans is passionate about home improvement. He loves finding out how to make improvements in the easiest, most practical, and most affordable ways. Upgrading his home kitchen is one of his ongoing hobbies. Gary is also a long-time content creator and enjoys spending his free time tending to his hydroponic vegetable garden.
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