If you’re like most commercial property owners, repainting isn’t on your radar until the building starts looking tired, or worse, neglected. The problem? By the time it looks bad, it’s often already costing you money.

So how often should a commercial building actually be repainted?

The honest answer: it depends on the surface, environment, and use of the space. Here’s the real breakdown.

General Repainting Guidelines (No Fluff)

Exterior Commercial Buildings
Every 5–7 years

• Exposure to UV rays, moisture, temperature swings, and pollution breaks paint down faster than most people expect.
• Buildings with high sun exposure, heavy traffic, or industrial surroundings may need attention closer to the 5-year mark.

Interior Commercial Spaces
Every 3–5 years

• Offices, retail spaces, schools, and healthcare facilities see constant wear.
• High-traffic areas (hallways, stairwells, restrooms) often need spot repainting sooner.

Industrial Facilities & Warehouses
Every 2–4 years (sometimes sooner)

• Machinery, forklifts, chemicals, moisture, and abrasion are brutal on coatings.
• This is where industrial-grade coatings, not standard paint, make the difference.

Signs You’ve Waited Too Long

If you see any of these, repainting is already overdue:

• Fading or chalky exterior paint
• Peeling, cracking, or bubbling
• Stains bleeding through interior walls
• Rust showing through metal surfaces
• Customers or tenants commenting (they notice before you do)

At that point, you’re no longer just painting, you’re repairing damage that could’ve been prevented.

Why Repainting Is More Than Cosmetic

This isn’t about making things “look nice.”

A properly timed commercial paint job:

• Protects building materials from moisture, corrosion, and UV damage
• Extends the life of siding, concrete, and metal surfaces
• Maintains property value and tenant satisfaction
• Supports your brand image (first impressions are ruthless)

In industrial and commercial settings, the right coatings also improve safety, cleanliness, and compliance.

What Actually Determines Your Repaint Schedule?

Forget generic timelines. These factors matter more:

• Surface material (concrete, metal, stucco, drywall)
• Quality of previous paint or coating
• Level of daily use and traffic
• Exposure to chemicals or moisture
• Whether proper surface prep was done last time
(Spoiler: this is where most jobs fail)

The Smart Approach: Maintenance Painting

Instead of waiting for failure, many property owners move to a maintenance painting plan:

• Scheduled inspections
• Touch-ups before damage spreads
• Targeted repainting instead of full overhauls

It’s cheaper, cleaner, and way less disruptive to business operations.

Bottom Line
If your commercial building hasn’t been repainted in years and you’re wondering whether it’s “time”, it probably is.
The real cost isn’t repainting.
The real cost is waiting too long.