Painting Production Rates Explained: From Intricate to Production Spray
Painting production rates run from 3 m²/hr (30 ft²/hr) for heritage cutting in to 35 m²/hr (350 ft²/hr) for production spray on new builds. Pick the wrong step and the quote is decorative.
Painting production rates run from 3 m²/hr (30 ft²/hr) for heritage cutting in to 35 m²/hr (350 ft²/hr) for production spray on new builds. Surfacely uses 8 speed steps. The same step number always returns the same rate within an org — what changes per surface is the default step assigned.
The 8 speed steps
| Step | Character | m²/hr | ft²/hr | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intricate | 3 | 30 | Heritage mouldings, fine cutting in |
| 2 | Detailed | 6.5 | 70 | Panels, multi-sided, lots of cutting in |
| 3 | Careful | 10 | 100 | Some cutting in, average complexity |
| 4 | Steady | 15 | 150 | Standard repaint, good condition (system default) |
| 5 | Efficient | 20 | 200 | Open areas, minimal cutting in |
| 6 | Open | 25 | 250 | Large surfaces, good access |
| 7 | Rapid (spray) | 30 | 300 | Production spray, repetitive surfaces |
| 8 | Production (spray) | 35 | 350 | Full new-build spray, maximum coverage |
How rates drive your quote
The formula is the same on every surface, and unit-neutral — feed it m² or ft² and you'll get the right hours back as long as the area and rate are in the same unit:
paintHours = (area × coats) ÷ productionRate prepHours = paintHours × prepPercent totalHours = paintHours + prepHours
A 30 m² (320 ft²) wall with 2 coats at Step 4 (15 m²/hr · 150 ft²/hr) and standard prep (30%): paint hours = 60 ÷ 15 = 4 (or 640 ÷ 150 ≈ 4.27 from the imperial defaults). Prep hours = 1.2. Total ≈ 5.2 hours.
Default step per surface
Surfacely's surface library assigns each surface a default speed step. The painter overrides during measurement when the conditions warrant it.
- Walls, floors, gutter, fascia, gable end: Step 4 — Steady (15 m²/hr · 150 ft²/hr).
- Ceilings, stairs, barge board, soffit, slab edge, downpipes: Step 3 — Careful (10 m²/hr · 100 ft²/hr).
- Doors, windows, balustrades, posts, skirting, rafter tails, steel/timber beams: Step 2 — Detailed (6.5 m²/hr · 70 ft²/hr).
- Roofs: Step 5 — Efficient (20 m²/hr · 200 ft²/hr).
The rates are stored in metric and displayed in the painter's unit system — set in business settings, defaulting from the country.