Choosing your career can be one of the most difficult decisions you make. As you think about what type of work suits you best, one consideration might be ‘place’ – the type of environment you work in. Where we work plays a big role in what we do. For some, office jobs behind a desk may be best suited to their skills. For others, working in places that require more active physical demands may be more important. If variety and changing your job environment regularly seems more in line with your character and skills, professional painting may be the right career for you.
Becoming a professional painter can be an exciting career choice. You will be applying your skills within many different environments. Moreover, you’ll be instrumental in transforming them – from ugly to beautiful, from stale to fresh, and from traditional to modern.
From smart new buildings and industrial surfaces to condo complexes and family homes, professional painters can work in many different settings which require unique skill sets. Residential, industrial, and commercial painters have many similarities, but they also differ in the knowledge and expertise required to effectively do the job.
Let’s look at some of the environments where you can develop more experience as a professional painter.
Professional Painters Can Work in Homes to Buildings and Beyond
Being an effective professional painter means knowing the environment you work in, the objectives of the project, and the tools you will need to complete the task effectively. If you’re looking at what type of professional painter is right for you, these 3 options will help you decide your route.
Residential: Residential painters meet the needs of homeowners. They can work in large estate homes, to older detached, semis and townhomes, and condo dwellings. They provide guidance to homeowners, who like to select their colours but often do not know what makes one finish better than the next. Egg shell, high-low gloss, matte, water soluble or oil-based – each has different applications, durability, odor toxicity, and performance. Selecting the wrong one can result in an unwanted effect or finish. Residential painters may have more direct contact, than other types of professional painters, with the person directing the choice and finish of the paint job.
Commercial: Commercial painters work in office buildings, hospitals and shopping centers and are frequently on construction sites. They sometimes work with designers, construction professionals and contractors. This means they may need to be more knowledgeable to support more specific painting requirements for areas that have more visitors and higher touch surfaces. Commercial painters likely have more expansive areas to paint than their residential counterparts and these tasks, unless you are part of a team, may mean that you could be working for a longer period in one building. That said, depending on where you are, that environment may be very inspirational.
Industrial: Industrial painters tend to work in infrastructure, construction, and manufacturing settings. They tend to be more specialized, possibly focusing on automotive or even aircraft painting. As such, they need to be very skilled in dealing with various epoxies, urethane, and other protective coatings. Place here may be less important than the object(s) you are painting, though it can still be a factor in your decision.
Your Career as a Professional Painter Awaits
Pursuing a career as a professional painter can be very rewarding. Depending on what type of professional painter you want to be, you can work in a variety of places – manufacturing plants, office buildings, bridges, homes, construction sites and shopping malls. By joining a painter’s union, you’ll get the opportunity to train, hone your skills, earn competitive wages, gain job security, and have a good union pension for retirement. Find out more by contacting us today.
