Painter and Decorator
Painters and decorators apply paint, varnish, wallpaper and other finishes to protect, maintain and decorate interior and exterior surfaces of domestic, commercial and industrial buildings and other structures.
Painters and decorators may perform the following tasks:
- work out the quantity of materials needed for the job by taking surface measurements or by looking at job specifications or drawings
- remove old paint or paper using sanders, scrapers, heat guns, liquid paint removers and steam strippers as appropriate
- prepare surfaces by fixing woodwork, filling or sealing holes, cracks and joints, and washing them down using high pressure wash systems to remove dust and grease
- select and prepare paints to match colours by the addition of tinters
- brush, roll or spray paints, stains, varnishes and other finishes
- when wallpapering, set out the area according to the pattern match and starting point in the room, cut the paper to the appropriate length, apply paste to the back of each strip and hang the paper on the wall, smoothing out any wrinkles or bubbles
- spray paint surfaces using a spray gun or specialised equipment
- apply decorative paint finishes such as stencils, colour glaze, graining, marbling and lettering, gold leaf and texture finishes
- wash equipment and clean work areas.
Specialisations:
Painters and decorators may concentrate on a specific area of work, such as the internal or external painting of domestic homes, commercial buildings, industrial structures and equipment. They may also concentrate exclusively on restoration work.
Due to occupational health and safety laws, most painters work from work platforms, elevated work platforms or built up scaffolds erected by qualified personnel. They have to do a lot of bending and stretching.
Personal Requirements:
- physically fit
- able to work at heights
- enjoy practical work
- good hand-eye coordination
- normal colour vision
- good sense of balance
- able to work independently or as part of a team.
Related Jobs:
- Floor Finisher and Coverer
- Industrial Spray Painter
- Plasterer
- Screen Printer/Stencil Preparer
- Signmaker
- Visual Merchandiser
Education and Training, Employment Opportunities and Additional Information
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