1. Typical Woodwork Painting Prices
Woodwork is slow, detailed work. Every board, frame and panel needs cleaning, sanding, filling and careful brushwork. That's why it's often priced per item or per square metre. Published guides give these rough figures, which will vary in practice:
Doors: Checkatrade's painting and decorating cost guide and Bark's painting and decorating price guide both put painting an interior door at around £80 to £100.
Woodwork per m²: Checkatrade gives £10 to £20 per m², and Bark lists about £15 per m².
Radiators: Checkatrade suggests £10 to £20 per radiator, and Bark £15 to £20.
Room woodwork: Which?'s painter and decorator cost survey found £70 to £650 to rub down, undercoat and gloss a room's skirting boards and one door frame where the existing gloss was sound, and £90 to £1,200 where more preparation of the wood was needed.
2. Why Preparation Is Most of the Job
On woodwork, the finish is only as good as the preparation underneath. A proper job usually involves:
Cleaning off grease and dirt, especially on door edges and skirting
Sanding to key the surface and remove runs or flaking paint
Filling dents, gaps and nail holes
Caulking gaps between skirting and walls
Priming bare wood and applying undercoat
Applying one or two top coats
Badly yellowed or chipped gloss can take much longer, which is why Which?'s ranges vary so much with the condition of the wood.
Key takeaway: when comparing woodwork quotes, compare the preparation steps, not just the price. Skipping sanding or undercoat is the easiest way to cut a quote and the fastest way to a poor finish.
3. Gloss, Satin or Eggshell?
Gloss: high shine, very hard-wearing and easy to wipe, but it shows every imperfection.
Satin: a mid-sheen finish that's popular for a more modern look and a little more forgiving.
Eggshell: low sheen, often chosen for period homes or a softer look. It may be less durable in high-traffic areas.
Your choice affects how much preparation is visible, so discuss it with your decorator before work starts.
4. Oil-Based or Water-Based Paint?
Traditional oil-based paints give a hard, smooth finish but have a strong smell, take longer to dry and can yellow over time, especially white gloss away from daylight. Water-based paints dry faster, smell less and tend to stay white, though some decorators feel they need more care to apply well. Many decorators now use water-based products for interior woodwork, but preferences vary. Ask what your decorator recommends and why.
5. Bundling Woodwork With a Room Repaint
It's often more efficient to paint woodwork as part of a full room repaint, because the decorator is already set up and protecting the room. See our guide to the cost of painting a room for whole-room prices, and ask for woodwork to be priced as a separate line so you can compare.
If you're having walls redone at the same time, our interior painting service page explains what you can request.
6. Getting an Accurate Woodwork Quote
Count the doors (one side or both), frames, skirting runs, windows, spindles and radiators, and take close-up photos of their condition. Then compare quotes using our guide to comparing painter and decorator quotes. If you'd like to clear things beforehand, follow our checklist for getting your home ready for a decorator.
7. Windows, Spindles and Other Awkward Woodwork
Some woodwork takes much longer than its size suggests, which is why it's often priced separately:
Sash and casement windows: glazing bars, putty lines and the need to keep windows openable make these slow. Sash windows in period homes may also need sticking sashes eased, which is joinery rather than painting.
Staircase spindles and banisters: each spindle has to be sanded and painted on all sides. A full staircase can take a surprising amount of time.
Panelled doors: painting panels, mouldings and rails in the right order to avoid lap marks takes care.
Radiators and pipes: these need heat-resistant paint and must be cool when painted.
Exterior woodwork: fascias, bargeboards and exterior doors need exterior-grade primers and paints, and access may need ladders or towers.
When you request quotes, list these items individually, with photos, so decorators can price them accurately rather than guessing. That also makes it far easier to see where quotes differ. If you want to save money, ask which items could be left for a later phase without spoiling the overall look. Decorators can often suggest sensible priorities, such as doing the highly visible doors and skirting now and less noticeable areas later.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to paint skirting boards?
It depends on the length of the runs, their condition and the number of coats. Each coat needs drying time, so even a single room's woodwork often spans more than one day.
Is it cheaper to paint doors on one side only?
Usually, yes, as there's less to prepare and paint. Published door prices such as Checkatrade's are for both sides, so make sure quotes are clear.
Can you paint over varnished wood?
Yes, with the right preparation. The surface usually needs a thorough sanding and a suitable primer so the new paint adheres.
Should staircases and spindles be priced separately?
Often, yes. Spindles are very time-consuming, so ask for them as a separate line item.
Do I need to remove door handles before painting?
It helps. Removing handles and other ironmongery gives a cleaner finish than painting around them. Many decorators do this as part of the job, so ask whether it's included.
How Find A Decorator Can Help
Find A Decorator is a new UK marketplace that connects homeowners and businesses with professional painters and decorators. We're in our early, pre-launch stage, so we're still growing our network of decorators in each area. Decorator profiles cover 11 regions across Great Britain: Greater London, the South East, South West, East of England, West Midlands, East Midlands, North West, North East, Yorkshire & the Humber, Scotland and Wales. We don't cover Northern Ireland at the moment.
To get started, post your decorating job with as much detail as you can: room sizes, surfaces, photos and when you'd like the work done. You can read more about our woodwork finishing service, and if you have questions about how the platform works, our help centre explains the process step by step.
A clear job description gets more accurate quotes. Include the number and approximate size of the rooms or areas, which surfaces need painting, the current condition of walls and woodwork, whether you'll supply the paint, any access issues such as parking or stairs, and your ideal start date. The more a decorator knows up front, the fewer surprises there are later for both of you.
Final Thoughts
Doors typically cost around £80 to £100 each to paint, according to Checkatrade and Bark, while a full room's woodwork varies widely with its condition, as Which?'s survey shows. Preparation and choice of finish matter most. Count your items, photograph their condition, ask for itemised quotes and compare like with like. Well-prepared, properly painted woodwork lifts the whole room and stays looking good for longer, so it's worth getting right. If you're redecorating the walls too, consider doing everything in one job to save on setup time.