Completing a full paint job on a car can take on average 3-4 weeks depending on the size, complexity, and materials used. Small jobs like a door or bumper might take only a couple of days to complete, but entire paint jobs take much longer due to the level of preparation and drying time for the whole vehicle.
Areas covered in this article:
- How long does it take to paint a car door?
- How long does it take to paint a car bonnet/hood?
- How long does it take to paint a car bumper?
- How long does it take to paint a car wing mirror?
- How long does it take to paint a car roof?
- How long does it take to paint a car spoiler?
- How long does it take to paint a car door handle?
- How long after painting can you drive it?
How long does it take to paint a car door?
A door usually takes about 1 day to paint in a body shop. Time will vary depending on the size of the vehicle and how many doors there are.
Doors tend to take less time than the rest of the car because they're generally smaller. The speed at which a painter can paint depends on their skill, experience, tools used (spray gun, roller, paintbrush), and their overall work ethic.
How long does it take to paint a car bonnet/hood?
Painting or respraying a bonnet is similar in time frame to painting a car door, taking approximately 1-2 days for most body shops or garages.
Bonnets or Hoods can vary slightly in length due to their non-uniform shape, but generally take just shy of two complete work days to complete.
How long does it take to paint a car bumper?
A bumper can take about half a day to complete, or maybe even less depending on the size of the area being painted.
Bumpers are similar in size to doors, but are usually slightly simpler in design. Primer is normally applied to bumpers in case any damage has occurred.
How long does it take to paint a car wing mirror?
A side view mirror takes about half a day at most to complete on average, depending on the size of the vehicle and how complicated the shape is.
Mirrors vary in length but tend to be quite small, and as such do not take too long to paint.
How long does it take to paint a car roof?
On average, most painters like to allow for 1-2 days painting a roof depending on the size of the vehicle.
Painting a roof is slightly more time consuming than painting a door or bumper.
How long does it take to paint a car spoiler?
A spoiler usually takes about half a day or less to complete, depending on if the spoiler is made from plastic or fibre glass. Spoilers tend to be short in length and can vary slightly in shape and size, but do not tend to be very time-consuming.
How long does it take to paint a car door handle?
A door handle usually takes about half a day or less to complete as well, depending on the size of the handle and what type of handle it is (push down, sliding etc). Door handles tend to be short in length but vary slightly in shape and size as well.
How long after painting a car can you drive it?
You can drive a car roughly 24 hours after it is painted. The paint needs time to cure before being exposed to adverse weather conditions like rain, snow or ice.
We recommend waiting for at least another 24 hours before putting any effort into washing or waxing your newly painted car. Make sure to use a gentle hose with lukewarm water only. Use soft sponges or rags and don't put too much pressure on the paint job when cleaning the surface.
Similarly to our article on the average cost of respraying a car in the UK, these are estimates so make sure you do get a variety of quotes from local body shops or garages if you need more accurate lengths of time and pricing.
