Honorable Painters

Painting and coating workers paint and coat a wide range of products, including cars, jewelry, and candy.

Painting and coating workers typically do the following:

• Set up and operate machines that paint or coat products
• Select the paint or coating needed for the job 
• Clean and prepare products to be painted or coated
• Determine the required flow of paint and the quality of the coating 
• Clean and maintain tools and equipment

Millions of items ranging from cars to candy are covered by paint, plastic, varnish, chocolate, or some other type of coating. Painting or coating is used to make a product more attractive or protect it from the elements. The paint finish on an automobile, for example, makes the vehicle more attractive and provides protection from corrosion.

Before workers begin to apply the paint or other coating, they often need to prepare the surface by sanding or cleaning it carefully to prevent dust from becoming trapped under the paint. Sometimes, masking is required, which involves carefully covering portions of the product with tape and paper.

After the product is prepared, workers may use a number of techniques to apply the paint or coating. Perhaps the most straightforward technique is dipping an item in a large vat of paint or some other coating. Spraying products with a solution of paint or another coating is also common. Some factories use automated painting systems.

The following are types of painting and coating workers:

Dippers use power hoists to immerse products in vats of paint, liquid plastic, or other solutions. This technique is commonly used for small parts in electronic equipment, such as cell phones.

Spray machine operators use spray guns to coat metal, wood, ceramic, fabric, paper, and food products with paint and other coating solutions.

Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders position the spray guns, set the nozzles, and synchronize the action of the guns with the speed of the conveyor carrying products through the machine and through drying ovens. During the operation of the painting machines, these workers tend the equipment, watch gauges on the control panel, and check products to ensure that they are being painted evenly. The operator may use a manual spray gun to “touch up” flaws.

Painting, coating, and decorating workers paint, coat, or decorate products such as furniture, glass, pottery, toys, cakes, and books. Some workers coat confectionery, bakery, and other food products with melted chocolate, cheese, oils, sugar, or other substances. Paper is often coated to give it its gloss. Silver, tin, and copper solutions are frequently sprayed on glass to make mirrors.

Transportation equipment painters are the best known group of painting and coating workers. There are three major specialties:

<p style=" margin-left: 20.0px;">Transportation equipment workers who refinish old or damaged cars, trucks, and buses in automotive body repair and paint shops normally apply paint by hand with a controlled spray gun. Those who work in repair shops are among the most highly skilled manual spray operators: They perform intricate, detailed work and mix paints to match the original color, a task that is especially difficult if the color has faded. Preparing an old car is similar to painting other metal objects.

<p style=" margin-left: 20.0px;">Transportation equipment painters who work on new cars oversee several automated steps. A modern car is first dipped in an anticorrosion bath, coated with colored paint, and then painted in several coats of clear paint to prevent damage to the colored paint.

<p style=" margin-left: 20.0px;">Other transportation equipment painters either paint equipment too large to paint automatically--such as ships or giant construction equipment--or do touchup work to fix flaws in the paint caused by damage either during assembly or during the automated painting process.

Painters apply paint, stain, and coatings to walls, buildings, bridges, and other structures.

Painters typically do the following:

• Cover floors and furniture with drop-cloths and tarps to protect surfaces
• Remove fixtures such as pictures, door knobs, or electric switch covers
• Put up scaffolding and set up ladders
• Fill holes and cracks with caulk, putty, plaster, or other compounds
• Prepare surfaces by scraping, wire brushing, or sanding to a smooth finish
• Calculate the area to be painted and the amount of paint needed
• Apply primers or sealers so the paint will adhere
• Choose and mix paints and stains to reach desired color and appearance
• Apply paint or other finishes using hand brushes, rollers, or sprayers

Applying paint to interior walls makes surfaces attractive and vibrant. In addition, paints and other sealers protect exterior surfaces from erosion caused by exposure to the weather.

Because there are several ways to apply paint, workers must be able to choose the proper tool for each job, such as the correct roller, power sprayer, and the right size brush. Choosing the right tool typically depends on the surface to be covered and the characteristics of the finish.

A few painters--mainly industrial--must use special safety equipment. For example, painting in confined spaces such as the inside of a large storage tank, requires workers to wear self-contained suits to avoid inhaling toxic fumes. When painting bridges, tall buildings, or oil rigs, painters may work from scaffolding, bosun's chairs, and harnesses to reach work areas.

The following are examples of types of painters:  

Construction painters apply paints, stains, and coatings to interior and exterior walls, new buildings, and other structural surfaces.

Maintenance painters remove old finishes and apply paints, stains, and coatings later in a structure's life. Some painters specialize in painting or coating industrial structures, such as bridges and oil rigs, to prevent corrosion.

Artisan painters specialize in creating distinct finishes by using one of many decorative techniques. One technique is adding glaze for added depth and texture. Other common techniques may include sponging, distressing, rag-rolling, color blocking, and faux finishes. 

Painting and coating workers apply materials to manufactured products, such as furniture, toys and pottery, as well as transportation equipment including trucks, buses, boats, and airplanes. For more information about these painters, see the profile on painting and coating workers.

Drywall and ceiling tile installers hang wallboards to walls and ceilings inside buildings. Tapers prepare the wallboards for painting, using tape and other materials. Many workers do both installing and taping.

Drywall installers typically do the following:

• Review design plans to minimize the number of cuts and waste of wallboard
• Measure the location of electrical outlets, plumbing, windows, and vents
• Cut drywall to the right size, using utility knives and power saws
• Fasten drywall panels to interior wall studs, using nails or screws
• Trim and smooth rough edges so boards join evenly

Ceiling tile installers typically do the following:

• Measure according to blueprints or drawings
• Nail or screw supports
• Put tiles or sheets of shock-absorbing materials on ceilings  
• Keep the tile in place with cement adhesive, nails, or screws

Tapers typically do the following:

• Prepare wall surface (wallboard) by patching nail holes
• Apply tape and use sealing compound to cover joints between wallboards
• Apply additional coats of sealing compound to create an even surface
• Sand all joints and holes to a smooth, seamless finish

Installers are also called framers or hangers. Tapers are also called finishers. Ceiling tile installers are sometimes called acoustical carpenters because they work with tiles that block sound.

Once wallboards are hung, workers use increasingly wider trowels to spread multiple coats of spackle over cracks, indentations, and any remaining imperfections. Some workers may use a mechanical applicator, a tool that spreads sealing compound on the wall joint while dispensing and setting tape at the same time.

To work on ceilings, drywall and ceiling tile installers and tapers may use mechanical lifts or stand on stilts, ladders, or scaffolds.

Plasterers and stucco masons apply coats of plaster or stucco to walls, ceilings, or partitions for functional and decorative purposes. Some workers apply ornamental plaster.

Plasterers and stucco masons typically do the following:

• Clean and prepare surfaces
• Nail a wire mesh to the surface to ensure the plaster or stucco stays in place
• Mix plaster and stucco to desired consistency
• Apply two or three coats of plaster or stucco using trowels, brushes, or spray guns
• Rough the undercoat surface with a scratcher so the finish coat will stick
• Create decorative textures using brushes, trowels, sand, or stones
• Apply sealants or waxes to protect the finish and allow for easy cleaning

Plasterers apply coats of plaster to interior walls and ceilings to form fire-resistant and relatively soundproof surfaces. Using trowels, workers spread plaster on solid surfaces, such as concrete block, or supportive wire mesh called lath. They also may apply plaster over drywall to create smooth or textured scratch-resistant finishes. Using molds and a variety of troweling techniques, some plasterers make decorative and ornamental designs, which require special skills and creativity.

Plasterers may also install prefabricated exterior insulation systems over existing walls--for good insulation and interesting architectural effects--and cast ornamental designs in plaster.

Stucco masons usually apply stucco--a mixture of cement, lime, and sand--on building exteriors over wire lath, concrete, or masonry. Stucco masons also may apply other durable plasters, such as polymer-based acrylic finishes, to exterior surfaces. Stucco masons may also embed marble or gravel chips into the finish coat to achieve a pebble-like, decorative finish.

In addition, when required, stucco masons apply insulation to the exterior of new and old buildings. They cover the outer wall with rigid foam insulation board and reinforcing mesh, and then trowel on a base coat.