Painters protect, prepare, and decorate both exterior and interior surfaces on commercial and residential properties. Some painters specialize in only some areas, while others are well-rounded painters who can accomplish almost any painting project. Responsibilities of a successful painter usually include: protecting all surrounding furnishings and construction materials before and throughout each painting project, including fixtures, lighting, outlets, deck coverings, siding, and landscaping. They carefully plan out each project and follow all safety precautions while on-site.
Painters should also clean the surrounding surfaces, such as walls, floors, steps, walkways, pool decks, and porches, before each painting session. After the cleaning is complete, they should be free to leave the area. Most painters will provide a list of all required cleaning materials, but it is essential to ask if it is not included or required by the contract.
Before starting each session, painters wash the exterior surfaces to remove any dust, dirt, or debris. This will make the paint adhere to the surface more effectively and will make it look better. Washing the exterior surfaces ahead of time allows the painters to prep them for the painting, so they don’t need to do that when they arrive.
Each surface will require at least two coats of paint. Three coats are often preferred because it allows the paint to dry more quickly and more thoroughly. However, most professional painters do not recommend having more than three coats on any surface. Abrasive materials such as mastic, latex, and urethane may be used on some surfaces. However, the character will take on an unattractive weathered look if that is done. Surfaces should always be treated with an anti-rust substance when being painted, especially on steel or aluminum.
Once painters have washed and prepped the surfaces, they can begin painting. Painting an interior wall in an apartment or small house can be done in one session, while a more extensive project like a roof will take multiple sessions. Allowing the painter plenty of time between each session helps the project look better overall. Painters do not paint every day, so they will not complete the project in one go. They will work around the project, adding the paint when it looks like it is getting close to needing it and taking it off when it seems like it is almost done.
Each room in the home will require a different type of painting. Large rooms, including bathrooms, will require thicker, moist paint, while rooms in the kitchen and bedroom will need thinner, fluffier paint. Professional painters use different techniques to paint these other rooms, so it is best to ask your painter what they think is best for your particular home. There are three basic techniques painters use when painting; the brush method, the roller method, and the spray method.
Most interior painters need to have some communication skills involved in the process. If you do not feel you are communicating correctly with the painter, you may want to find someone who does. Some painters need to use masking tape to cover up their mistakes, which means they cannot paint the room properly without first removing the masking. This is something you should discuss before painting.
These three basic techniques, along with a bit more work, make painting a quick and easy job for anyone. You don’t need to be a professional artist to have completed a painting. However, if you do not have these skills involve in your art school curriculum, you may want to consider taking classes to learn them. You will find that you will feel more confident and achieve a more difficult job once you can complete a painting on your own. You will also find that the more skills involved you learn, the easier the job becomes.