What is a typical work day like for a painter?

Hi Faustin,

That's a great question! My dad is a painter and has been painting for over 30 years, amongst other things that he's learned along the way.

Depending on the job, he wakes in the morning between 6 or 7am, depending on when he has access to the home or building.

Most paint jobs require some prep work in the room/building, this can include; spackling, sanding and priming the are. Next you would, tape, mix paint and prepare the room to be painted. Typically, two coats of paint are needed which can take a few hours.

Wrapping up at the end of the day requires a clean up of the area, sometimes vacuuming or sweeping, cleaning all the brushed so they dry for the next day.

I'd say the work day is about 8-9 hours and includes a normal amount of breaks, many painters listen to music or the radio for some entertainment.

I hope this helps!

Hi Faustin!

Thanks for asking the question. I'm not a painter myself, but I know several. There is a lot involved - first you need to make sure people need to get things painted - this goes to supply and demand. Also, you'll need to figure out your pricing taking into consideration your time and your materials. If it is a big job you might need to also consider hiring a staff.

One other thing to take into account is that this is a very physically demanding job.

If you are truly interested in learning more about what it takes to become a painter then I would suggest reaching out to any local painters and asking if you can help them out on jobs. Shadow them for a few days and ask lots of questions.

Good Luck!