How Much Does It Cost to Paint Baseboards? [2025 Data]

Normal Range: $500 - $2,000

Interior painting costs depend on your project and location. Check with a local pro for your specific job.

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Cost Insights
  • Most baseboard paint jobs cost between $500 and $2,000. This comes out to around $1 to $4 per linear foot. 

  • A gallon of paint costs between $10 and $100, and hiring baseboard painters costs around $46 to $184.

  • Average baseboards are 3 to 5 inches in height, so you can expect to pay 20% to 25% more for baseboards larger than that.

  •  If you need repairs before getting your baseboards repainted, most laborers charge between $5.70 and $8.95 per linear foot for the repair.

If you’re planning to revive your home's baseboards, you expect the cost to paint baseboards to average between $1 and $4 per linear foot. Most baseboard paint jobs cost between $500 and $2,000, depending on the size, style, and current state of your baseboards. Here's what you need to know about the cost to paint your home's baseboards.

Baseboard Painting Cost Calculator

Calculations are based on the average square footage of a bedroom, which is 132 square feet, and 1 inch baseboards. We converted these dimensions to 46 linear feet. One gallon of paint covers approximately 400 square feet. Calculations rounded to the nearest whole number.

Cost CalculatorQuantity Cost Range
Paint Costs1 gallon $10–$100
Baseboard Painting Labor46 linear feet$46–$184
Optional: Install Baseboards46 linear feet$262–$414
Optional: Remove Baseboards3 hours$150–$300
Total$56–$284
Total per Linear Foot$1–$6
Total with Options$473–$998
Total per Linear Foot with Options$10–$22

Factors That Affect the Cost to Paint Baseboards

Paintbrush and a can of white paint on floor
Photo: Studio Light and Shade / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

When planning your baseboard painting project, consider these cost factors, which will impact your total price tag.

Baseboard Height

When providing estimates for baseboard painting, professional interior painters generally base costs on standard 3-inch to 5-inch baseboards. Baseboards ranging from 6 inches to 8 inches are considered specialty baseboards. Expect to pay 20% to 25% more for larger baseboards to account for the extra time and paint needed.

Baseboard Condition

If your baseboards are damaged or dented from wear and tear, your painter will need to use wood filler and buffering to get them into "paintable" condition. Most pros charge between $5.70 and $8.95 per linear foot for baseboard repair in addition to painting costs. 

Cost per Linear Foot

With pros charging between $1 and $4 per linear foot to paint baseboards, the type and size of the room factors into the total cost. While most contractors charge by room, you may be able to get a "volume" discount through a flat rate if you're repainting baseboards throughout an entire home. Keep in mind that some painters estimate costs by requesting the total square footage of the baseboards.

Labor

While most painters bundle labor into the cost per linear foot when creating an estimate, others charge per hour. You can expect professional painters to cost $20 to $50 per hour for the labor required to paint your baseboards.

Get inspired! Check out these projects by pros in the Angi network.

Materials

The average cost of one gallon of paint is between $10 and $100, depending on the brand and paint quality. You’ll need premium paint primers and paints to withstand the types of scrapes and kicks that baseboards experience. While your contractor may bundle material costs into your total estimate, your costs could increase if you request high-quality paint. Semi-gloss paint is considered one of the best paint options for trim and baseboards, so confirm that your painter isn't using flat wall paint if you're trying to achieve a more vibrant aesthetic. Also, learn more about the best brushes to paint trim with.

Prep Work

Most baseboards will require prep work to ensure that paint goes on smoothly to create a polished finish. If your baseboards have multiple layers of paint on them from previous paint jobs, consider asking your painter for a flat rate that includes all necessary prep work, like cleaning baseboards.

Depending on the state of your baseboards, you may need to account for the following additional cost factors:

Prep TypeAverage Cost Per Linear Foot
Cleaning$0.20–$0.50
Sanding$0.30–$0.50
Paint or varnish removal$1.00–$3.00

Why You Should Hire a Painting Pro

Painter using a paintbrush to paint baseboard
Photo: JodiJacobson / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

Painting baseboards is a project that most DIYers can tackle, and doing the work yourself will save you an average of $1 to $4 per linear foot. While the savings you’ll enjoy are substantial, hiring a local baseboard installer or interior painter will save you a lot of time and energy, and it will almost always result in a cleaner, more professional appearance that can further boost home value.

Here’s why it’s ideal to hire a baseboard pro

There are a few important upsides that you’ll enjoy when you hire a professional to get the job done, and these can easily tip the scales and make the labor a worthwhile investment.

  • Pros are less likely to make mistakes, like getting paint on walls and flooring, which would cost more time, energy, and money to correct.

  • DIYers may rely on painter’s tape to create clean lines, while pros can sometimes remove baseboards, paint them, and reinstall them for perfect lines.

  • Experts can apply caulking that matches your baseboard color after painting to create seamless transitions between your trim and other surfaces.

  • Pros can often get the job more quickly, which means fewer interruptions to your daily routine.

  • Experts can often carry out any necessary repairs to your baseboards before painting.

Angi Tip

Painter's tape will ensure crisp, clean lines, but only if you use it correctly. Wash and dry your surface before applying tape, then remove it as soon as the paint is dry to the touch.

Cost of Common Baseboard Painting Add-Ons

If you’re consulting with a professional painter about updating your baseboards, you might want to consider adding related paint jobs to heighten the polished look and combine services. Consider taking care of these related painting projects while painting your baseboards:

How to Save on the Cost to Paint Baseboards

If you have the time and motivation, consider handling some of the prep work yourself to reduce labor costs. You can get your baseboards in workable condition by preparing a bucket of warm water, liquid dish soap, and vinegar and scrubbing your baseboards clean with a sponge.

You may also choose to sand your own baseboards using 80-grit to 120-grit sandpaper until you can clearly see that the shine is gone from the surface. That way, your baseboards will be ready for the professional painters to paint right away, reducing their time on task and labor costs.

Finally, you may also consider taking on other less detail-oriented painting jobs, like painting the trim or walls in the room to match your new baseboards. Just be sure to give the appropriate amount of wait time between paint coats.

Next Steps: Finalize Your Project With a Pro
  • Discuss paint colors and also finishes with your pro to ensure you get the look and ease of maintenance you’re going for.

  • Ask your pro if you need to carry out any prepwork, like cleaning the baseboards or moving furniture out of the way.

  • Discuss any add-on services you want, like painting for other trim or even walls or ceilings throughout your home.

  • Confirm the timeline required for letting your paint dry so that you’re prepared not to minimize nearby foot traffic after the application.

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to [email protected]. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.

Frequently Asked Questions

The average cost of installing baseboards ranges from $800 to $2,250. Painting your baseboards adds about $1 to $6 per linear foot. The baseboard materials, labor costs, baseboard style, and site preparation can all impact how much you pay.

While you can do either, it’s easier to paint your baseboards before your walls. Painting baseboards first lets you tape off the trim instead of the walls. Also, it’s easier to cover up any mistakes on the walls since you’ll eventually paint them.

It’s almost always less expensive to paint baseboards than to replace them. Replacing baseboards costs about $150 in materials to DIY or an average of $1,100 if you hire a pro. Painting will cost you $50 or less in materials, or $1 to $5 per square foot for professional work, which works out to no more than $720 for 144 square feet.

You should typically be able to paint baseboards without removing them. If you remove baseboards for painting, you risk creating large nail holes or cracks when putting them back in place after the job is complete. If you need to remove the feature, it is possible to remove baseboards, paint them in another location, and reinstall them.

Caulk and wood filler are handy tools for covering up nail holes in baseboards. Most painting pros recommend wood filler because it’s easy to sand it down to be smooth. Be sure to only use products that are labeled as "paintable" when filling in nail holes that will be painted.

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