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SA Painting Professionals

Licensed interior painters

Interior Painting in Adelaide & South Australia

Interior painting covers walls, ceilings, doors, architraves, skirtings, windows and built-in cabinetry, from a single bedroom to a whole house. SA Painting Professionals paints interiors for homeowners, landlords, property managers and renovators across Adelaide and all of South Australia. We start with proper preparation, fill and sand every surface, protect floors and furniture, and apply trade-quality low-VOC acrylics and enamels so rooms are handed back clean, sharp and ready to use.

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  • Licensed and insured
  • Free itemised quotes
  • Trade-quality paints
  • Licensed
    Licensed & fully insured
  • Free
    Itemised, no-obligation quotes
  • 1,890+
    SA suburbs & localities serviced
  • Trade-quality
    Paints and coatings on every job

Overview

Interior Painting done properly

Most interior painting jobs fall into a few familiar situations: a full repaint before a house goes on the market, a rental refreshed between tenants, a new colour scheme after a renovation, or a single room that has copped years of scuffs and crayon. Whatever the reason, the work is the same. Furniture is moved to the centre of the room or out entirely and covered, floors are protected with drop sheets, and every surface is washed, filled, sanded and spot primed before the first colour coat goes on. Ceilings are painted first, then walls, then the trim, so each stage covers the overspray and roller marks of the one before it.

Good interior painting is easy to judge once it is finished. Cutting-in lines where walls meet ceilings and trim are straight and crisp. Walls have an even sheen with no roller lap marks, patchy spots or missed corners behind doors. Filled holes and repaired cracks disappear under the paint rather than showing as bumps or dull patches. Doors and skirtings have a smooth enamel finish without brush marks, runs or dust nibs. Light switches, power points and door hardware are either removed or masked cleanly, never painted over. We work to AS/NZS 2311, the Australian guide to the painting of buildings, on every interior.

Scheduling matters when people are living in the house. We work room by room so you always have somewhere to sit and sleep, and we tell you each morning which rooms will be out of action. Low-odour, low-VOC water-based paints mean bedrooms can usually be slept in the same night. On rental properties we can coordinate with your property manager and work to a vacancy window between tenants. Each day ends with tools packed away, drop sheets folded and floors vacuumed, and the final handover includes a walk-through in good light so any touch-ups are done before we leave.

Freshly painted living room with white walls and charcoal trim

Get a quote for interior painting

Send a few photos or book a site visit. We reply within one business day with a free, itemised written quote and no obligation.

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What's included

What our interior painting service includes

The work that goes into the job before, during and after the paint goes on. Every item is spelled out on your quote.

  • Furniture and floor protection

    Furniture is moved to the centre of the room or out entirely and covered with clean plastic and drop sheets. Floors, benchtops and fixed joinery are protected with drop sheets and masking, and door hardware and switch plates are removed or masked before painting starts.

  • Washing and sanding

    Walls and ceilings are washed with sugar soap to remove grease, nicotine and hand marks that stop paint from adhering. Glossy trim is sanded back to a key so new enamel bonds properly, and dust is vacuumed and wiped off before any coating goes on.

  • Filling and crack repair

    Nail holes, dents and picture hook marks are filled and sanded flush. Cracks at cornices and along plasterboard joints are raked out, filled with a flexible compound and taped where the joint is likely to move again, then sanded smooth so they disappear under the paint.

  • Caulking gaps at trim

    Gaps between skirtings, architraves and walls are caulked with a paintable acrylic sealant so the finished edges read as one clean line. Old, cracked caulk is cut out and replaced rather than painted over, because paint alone will not hide a shrunken joint.

  • Priming and sealing

    New plasterboard, patched areas and bare timber are primed or sealed so the topcoats dry evenly and do not flash at the patches. Water marks and stained ceilings get a stain-blocking primer so the marks do not bleed through the new colour.

  • Ceilings and walls, two coats

    Ceilings are cut in and rolled in a flat finish, then walls receive two full coats of low-sheen or matt acrylic, brushed at the edges and rolled for an even texture. Big colour changes and dark shades are coated until they are solid, not left thin.

  • Doors, trim and windows

    Doors, architraves, skirtings, window frames and built-in cupboards are sanded, undercoated where needed and finished in two coats of water-based or oil-based enamel, laid off with the brush so marks level out and the surface wipes clean.

  • Colour and sheen advice

    We help you choose wall colours, sheens and ceiling whites that suit the light in each room, and we can apply sample patches on the wall so you see the colour in your own light, morning and evening, before committing to the whole house.

  • Daily clean-up and handover

    Each day ends with the work area tidied and floors vacuumed. At the end of the job masking comes off, hardware goes back on, rooms are cleaned and we walk through with you in good light to catch any touch-ups before we leave.

Our process

How we approach interior painting

From first contact to the final walk-through, this is how a job runs with us.

  1. Step 01

    Enquiry and quote

    Send photos or a few details through the quote form and we reply within one business day. In metro Adelaide we visit to measure rooms, check surfaces and talk colours; for regional work we quote from plans and photos first. You receive a free, itemised, written quote.

  2. Step 02

    Colours and booking

    Once you accept, we confirm colours, sheens and any repairs, and lock in dates. If you are unsure on colour we can apply sample patches before the job starts. Rental turnarounds and pre-sale repaints are scheduled to your deadline.

  3. Step 03

    Preparation

    On the first day we protect furniture and floors, then wash, fill, sand, caulk and prime. On an older home with peeling paint, or where plaster repairs are needed, preparation can take as long as the painting itself. We do not skip it.

  4. Step 04

    Painting

    Ceilings go on first, then walls, then trim and doors. Each coat is left to dry properly before the next, so a full interior usually runs over several days rather than being rushed into one, and rooms are finished in sequence.

  5. Step 05

    Handover

    We remove masking, refit hardware, clean the rooms and walk through with you. Any touch-ups are done on the spot. We leave the labelled leftover paint so future marks can be touched up in the right colour and sheen.

Materials

Paints and finishes we use inside

Interior paint is chosen by room, surface and how hard it will be used.

  • Low-VOC interior acrylics

    Water-based, low-odour acrylics for walls, such as Dulux Wash&Wear, Taubmans Endure or Haymes Expressions. They dry fast, wash clean and let a family stay in the house while we paint. Matt hides imperfections; low sheen wipes down better in kitchens and hallways.

  • Flat ceiling whites

    Flat ceiling paints are formulated to hide roller marks and diffuse light across a ceiling. We use a dedicated ceiling paint rather than wall paint overhead, and a mould-resistant version in bathrooms, laundries and the shaded rooms of Adelaide Hills homes.

  • Water-based enamels for trim

    Modern water-based enamels give doors, skirtings and architraves a hard, non-yellowing finish with far less odour than traditional oil-based enamel. They are our default for trim in occupied homes and dry fast enough to recoat the same day.

  • Oil-based enamels

    Oil-based enamels still have a place: they level out beautifully on doors and hold up on high-wear surfaces such as stair handrails. They yellow slightly over time and need longer drying, so we use them where the extra hardness is worth it.

  • Primers, sealers and undercoats

    New plasterboard gets a sealer undercoat so the topcoat sheen is even. Bare timber and MDF are primed. Water, smoke and marker stains get a shellac or oil-based stain blocker. Glossy surfaces get an adhesion primer instead of relying on sanding alone.

  • Kitchen and wet-area paints

    Kitchens, bathrooms and laundries take a washable low-sheen or semi-gloss acrylic with mould inhibitors, applied over a suitable primer, so steam, splashes and cooking grease wipe off without wearing through the finish or leaving shiny patches.

Pricing

What affects the price of interior painting

Every quote is itemised, so you can see exactly where the money goes. These are the factors that move the number most.

Want a number for your job?

No two surfaces are in the same condition, so we quote each job properly rather than guessing. Send photos or book a site visit and we reply within one business day.

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  1. 01

    Number and size of rooms

    Floor area and ceiling height set the base quantity of wall and ceiling surface. High ceilings, stairwells and voids add plank or scaffold work and slow the cutting-in.

  2. 02

    Condition and preparation

    Sound, previously painted walls need a wash, light sand and fill. Peeling paint, cracked plaster, water damage, wallpaper removal or heavy nicotine staining add preparation days, and preparation is where most of the time in a repaint goes.

  3. 03

    Trim, doors and windows

    Doors, architraves, skirtings and window sashes are brushed by hand and take longer per square metre than rolled walls. A room with many doors, panelled joinery or multi-pane windows costs more than a plain room with one door.

  4. 04

    Colour changes and dark colours

    A like-for-like refresh in a similar colour covers in two coats. Going from a dark colour to a pale one, or painting deep reds, blues or blacks, can need a tinted undercoat and a third coat to reach a solid finish.

  5. 05

    Number of colours

    Every extra colour means extra cutting-in, masking and cleaning of tools. One wall colour and one trim colour throughout is the most efficient; a different colour and feature wall in every room takes longer.

  6. 06

    Occupied or empty

    An empty house lets us set up once and move quickly. Painting around furniture, working room by room and packing up each day for a family in residence is slower, though we plan for it and it is very common.

  7. 07

    Access and timing

    Stairwells, voids over entries and two-storey ceilings need planks or a mobile scaffold. A fixed deadline such as a settlement date or a tenant move-in may mean more painters on site at once.

FAQ

Interior Painting questions

Straight answers to the questions we hear most about this service.

How long does interior painting take?
A single room usually takes one to two days including preparation and drying between coats. A three-bedroom home with walls, ceilings and trim typically takes around a week, and larger or older homes with repairs take longer. Drying time between coats is not optional, so we plan the sequence of rooms rather than rushing coats onto wet paint. Your written quote includes a realistic program and we let you know straight away if anything changes.
Can we stay in the house while you paint?
Yes, most of our customers do. We work room by room, use low-odour, low-VOC water-based paints and tell you each morning which rooms will be out of action. Bedrooms can usually be slept in the same night they are painted. Kitchens and bathrooms are done in a single push so you are without them for as short a time as possible. If you would rather be away, an empty house lets us move faster.
Do I need to move furniture before you arrive?
You do not need to, though it helps to clear small items, pictures and ornaments. We move furniture to the centre of the room or out into another room, cover it, and protect floors with drop sheets. Wardrobes and bookshelves that cannot be moved are pulled out far enough to paint behind. Everything goes back where it was at the end of the job.
How many coats will you apply?
Two full coats over properly prepared surfaces is the standard for walls and ceilings, with a primer or sealer first on new plasterboard, patches and bare timber. Trim gets an undercoat where needed and two coats of enamel. Strong colour changes or deep colours sometimes need a tinted undercoat or a third coat to reach a solid, even finish, and we tell you in the quote if that applies.
What sheen should I use on walls?
Low sheen is the usual choice for living areas, hallways and bedrooms because it hides minor wall imperfections and still wipes clean. Matt gives a softer, flatter look and is the most forgiving on older, uneven walls, but it marks more easily. Semi-gloss or gloss suits doors, skirtings and trim, and a washable low sheen or semi-gloss is right for kitchens, bathrooms and laundries.
Can you paint over wallpaper?
Sometimes, but we usually recommend removing it. Wallpaper that is firmly stuck with no lifting seams can be sealed with an appropriate primer and painted, though seams and texture can show through. Loose or vinyl paper should come off, the wall washed free of paste and any damage skimmed before painting. We assess the paper on site and price both options if both are viable.
Is old paint in my home a lead risk?
It can be. Homes built before 1970 are likely to have lead-based paint in older layers, particularly on doors, windows, skirtings and trim. Following AS/NZS 4361.2, the safest approach is to leave sound lead paint undisturbed and overcoat it. Where old paint is flaking and must come off we use wet sanding or chemical stripping with containment, never dry sanding or open-flame burning, and we clean up carefully afterwards.
Can you fix cracks and holes before painting?
Yes, patching is part of every interior job. Nail holes, dents and small cracks are filled and sanded flush. Cornice cracks and plasterboard joints that have opened are raked out and filled with a flexible compound. Larger holes are patched with new plasterboard, set and sanded. Where a crack is caused by ongoing movement we say so, because paint alone will not hold it closed.

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Service areas

Where we offer interior painting

Adelaide based and servicing all of South Australia, from the CBD and suburbs to the Hills, the coast and the regions. Choose your region to find your suburb page, or search for your suburb directly.

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Ready to talk about interior painting?

Free, itemised quotes for homes and businesses across Adelaide and all of South Australia. Send the quote form and we will be in touch within one business day.

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