Any construction job can’t be called “finished” until one final touch: a lasting coat (or two) of paint. Whether it’s a house, office or bridge everything needs to be painted. On a recent episode of Dirty Jobs, Mike just showed us what happens to unused painted. Although the paint bulking process he learned about is the epitome of a dirty job, it also serves a useful purpose in recycling the unused paint and providing it to charity for sprucing up of their facilities. Typically these recycled paints are what average folks have stored in their garages or basements. With professional painters, it’s an all together different story.
It would be hard to imagine escaping life without doing some painting for yourself. And for anyone who has taken on the job of painting a room or even a spice rack you know that to do the job right requires the proper preparation. The first phase of a professional painter’s job is to assess the amount of paint needed to accomplish the gig. This will require a knowledge of basic math and the ability to figure out square footage. Once the painter figures out the amount of paint needed, they need to determine the kind and color of paint. Usually this falls to the home or building owner to decide but a good painter will be know all the options and be able to present choices to their employer. This is where a bit of artistic ability can come into play. Matching colors of walls to trim to floors is key to making the owner happy.
You then need to prep the area you’ll be painting by laying down drop cloth and/or taping off trim, windows and doors. Keep in mind that a professional painter isn’t just limited to slapping on a couple of coats of paint and calling it a day. They may also be required to stain or varnish woodwork and floors. This means becoming knowledgeable about the entire spectrum of paints and stains. A painter who broadens their talent with the use of glazes and the process of “broken color” (layering more than one color on top of each other) will also broaden their prospects for work. As with any other trade job, a professional painter has a wide variety of tools to utilize from sprayers, rollers and edge brushes. And these will all need to be cleaned after every job to maintain their effectiveness.
Although home and building interiors are the most common jobs where a professional painter is needed, there are also all the exteriors as well as numerous industrial sites which require the talents of a skilled painter. Working on exteriors could mean erecting scaffolding or other types of harnesses. If you have a fear of hieghts, this might not be the job for you! At industrial sites such as bridges and factories the metal used in construction needs a painting finish to prevent corrosion. This means that a professional painter is also keep folks safe by protecting the infrastructure.
The best way to learn how to become a professional painter is with on the job training. Many painters who own their own businesses started out as apprentices themselves. And they’re always willing to take on workers eager to learn the craft. Professional painters start out making an average of around $15 dollars an hour upwards to $30 to $50 dollars an hour depending on their skill level. Yes, it can get messy but it’s also a rewarding job that comes with a great sense of satisfaction. It can also lead you to become your own boss. That would be a paint stroke of genius!
— Meyer
