The world keeps on needing more and more houses day by day. The rise of the global population is obviously uncontrollable. Yet, nobody would take the blame for this. Anyway, as there will be more and more people in the world, we would need to have more and more buildings as well. Consequently, the need for houses as well as commercial buildings would remain ascendant doubtlessly. Naturally, the world would need more employees for construction purposes as well. Our topic of discussion today is in this regard. The world would need more painters, especially house painters in the future due to this fact. So, we are going to tell you how to be a house painter.
House Painting Business Guide: All The House Painting Ideas and Business Tips You Need For Hiring Painting Contractors, Exterior Home Painting And … Start A Small Business Painting Houses Paperback – June 19, 2011
If you want to know how to be a house painter, you should probably read this and get a good understanding of this. This book by Yani H. Cortez is a perfect guide for anyone who wants to hire paint contracts or start a business with regard to house painting. Also, this book has got good ratings. So, if you purchase this book and read this, you would be able to grab a very good idea about all this.
House Painting: Inside and Out (Fine Homebuilding) Paperback – October 1, 1997
Here is another suggestion from us. Mark Dixon is the author of this book. If you go through this book and understand what it says, you can prevent frequent blunders, get professional outcomes, and save time in your business. “My house is a mess. Virtually everything needs serious work. Dixon gives me the confidence to tackle one project after another. His writing style is straightforward, reassuring, inspirational. He tells you everything you need to know to complete a job and be happy with it.” This is how a customer of this book has reviewed it. So, we can surely recommend this book to you.
What do House Painters do?
Of course, it would be better to have an idea of what house painters do to start with. If we consider professional painting, it is a profession that spreads vastly. There are many fields where a painter can work in. And this is one. But by house painting, we are not merely referring to doing painting work in a house. It is also part of this. But here, we refer to the painting tasks that a painter has to carry out in construction fields. This includes both houses and other commercial or non-commercial buildings. Perhaps, the renovation work is also is going to be part of this.
But let us be a little more specific. Obviously, a painter would have to cover a big amount of work. Of course, it is not just to paint a wall. He or she has to make sure that he or she does not affect the smooth running of any other procedure as well.
Starting off, he or she may have to cover the floors and surrounding furniture or such items if any to protect them from paint. And then, he or she may have to place scaffoldings or ladders to reach heights where it is necessary. Next, it is the duty of a house painter to fill up any cracks or holes with putty or plaster. And then, the house painter would have to work for the smooth finishing of the surface. It is after all these, he or she would have to calculate the amount of requisite paint. The applying of sealers or primers for the paint to stick to the surface will follow. And finally, it is the step that we know painters for: applying the paint.
Interior Architectural Painting: A tradesman’s guide Paperback – May 23, 2014
Micheal Bennett, the author of this book is a master painter who has a lot of experience in this regard. According to him, knowledge, quality workmanship, premium products, and the right attitude are the factors that matter the most. This book will be a useful resource whether you are a homeowner, a professional, or a contractor. “Full of knowledge, proven on the field, this is a really good book.” This is how a customer of this book has reviewed it.
Smart Guide (R): Painting: Interior and Exterior Painting Step by Step (Creative Homeowner) Paperback – July 11, 2008
This book is a step-by-step guide that would provide you with a good understanding of interior and exterior painting. If you go through this book, you surely would be able to learn the proper techniques and methods that you would have to use when you are on a painting task. This guide is, of course, one of the best guides that are available for you to learn painting. That is why we are suggesting this book to you.
Steps to be a House Painter
You may have the enthusiasm to be a house painter and you want to know how exactly. Maybe you are considering career opportunities for you to choose. Either way, if you read this article, you will be able to get to know how to be a house painter. If we follow the steps that we are going to tell you, you can surely succeed in your career without any doubt. We assure you. And here are the steps in a list to start with.
- Follow an optional certificate in painting
- Complete an apprenticeship program
- Get the certifications, licenses, and get registered
- Advance further
No doubt, you would obviously be curious to know all these steps descriptively. That is how you can get the best idea out of all that. Of course, we can tell you. Keep reading.
1. Follow an optional certificate in painting
Let us be honest. You would obviously not need any formal education in order to become a painter. Perhaps, there are many professions for which you would need to have certain educational requirements. In fact, for many professions, you would need to have a high school diploma or an equivalent. It is to make sure that you have all the basic standards to enter the profession. In fact, it assures that you are up to the minimum standard to engage in some sort of work. Nevertheless, for painters, this is not a mandatory requirement. Yet, there is no harm even if you have a high school diploma or you can get there. That would still help you advance as a house painter.
Besides, there are optional certificate programs in painting. Although these are optional, pursuing a program of this sort would really be beneficial for a painter to start off his or her career. If you are reading this article on how to be a house painter and want to be one, we recommended that it is better to start things that way. There, you would get the basic understanding and knowledge of the profession that you would need to have. Perhaps, you would not get pretty much physical training in order to develop your physical skills. Yet, it can make you familiar with the profession and that would be helpful for you to acclimatize once you enter the profession. However, these are indeed optional. So, you can ultimately decide on what you think of doing.
2. Complete an apprenticeship program
It is basically through an apprenticeship program that you can master the skills that you would need to become a house painter. Here, you can learn about the industry. And you can get good on-the-job training through an apprenticeship program as well. Generally, what happens in an apprenticeship program is that you have to work and learn the trade. Certified workers would teach you the technical aspects and you can learn from them. However, you do not have the ability to work on your own. All the time, it is under the supervision of certified journey workers. Otherwise, no one can take responsibility if you make any mistake.
Mainly, you can learn to prepare particular surfaces in a suitable way, apply coatings, fix wall coverings, and even match colors. All these are skills that you would need to involve in the field of painting.
As a matter of fact, there are certain differences in apprenticeship programs. That might be basically due to the differences in the states or certain reasons of that sort. However, an apprenticeship program would usually last for about 3 to 4 years. The International Union of Painters and Allied Traders offers a 3-year apprenticeship program together with the Finishing Trades Institute.
All the same, there a little exception for this procedure as well. It is that certain painters can learn the trade through training programs that hiring contractors are offering. Either way, getting this sort of training is mandatory. This is how you must progress in your pathway to be a house painter if you have that enthusiasm.
3. Get the certifications, licenses, and get registered
Having the right skills is not enough to succeed as a painter. You would need to have all the necessary certifications and licenses as well. Afterward, you can get registered and move ahead in your career. Perhaps, you may have the talent and potential. But other people would not particularly know it. If so, how can you build a reputation for yourself? How can you get employed as a painter? So, you need to have the certifications as well.
You can get several certificates from NACE International Institute or Society for Protective Coatings. There are variations in each of these certifications. And they would usually range from about 1 day to a few weeks. In these types of programs, the applicants would have to meet specific work requirements too.
Also, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency provides certification for lead paint abatement. So, you would understand for yourself that there are enough and more certifications and licenses that you can get if you need them. However, getting these certifications is really worth it. They would be really beneficial for your career life.
As we told you earlier also, there are small differences in certain requirements from state to state. A particular requirement in terms of house painting would not be a requirement in another. Therefore, you can check with your state the licenses that you would need to engage in this profession.
However, there can be certain occasions where you would also need to have a driver’s license. That is when you would have to travel to the job sites that you are employed at.
4. Advance further
Your life actually does not stop at the point that you become a house painter. Of course, your life must go on. And there are many more opportunities that are ahead of you even after becoming a house painter. So, do not stop your journey at an unfinished destination. Keep progressing!
It is true that this article is about how to be a house painter. And we have told you how to become a house painter. But we are keeping this one step ahead mainly to show you that there are more opportunities awaiting you.
Of course, you can move onto positions such as superintendents, supervisors, directors, and managers. And if you work in a union, you can probably advance to positions such as training instructor, union leader, or business manager.
If not, you can still choose to start your own business. And if you succeed, you can a very good profit out of that.
Qualities that you need to have
Obviously, having the skills and talent matters. But they are not enough. You need to have certain qualities in order to become a successful house painter. The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists them as follows.
- Ability to work at heights
- Communication skills
- Detail-oriented
- Physical stamina
- Physical strength
Having a look at each of these characteristics would actually be useful. Then, you would be able to understand how you should form yourself in order to become a house painter.
1. Ability to work at heights
If you decide to be a painter, you must possibly have the ability to work at heights. If you do not have this ability, you cannot work as a painter. What would you do when you have to do some painting on a scaffolder or a ladder? If you are afraid, you would not be able to complete these types of tasks. And that means you would be doing only half of your work. Of course, you cannot stop there. You must complete your tasks. So, you would need to be so confident when it comes to working at heights.
Some of you even those who read this may suffer from acrophobia. That means you would not be able to work at a high place confidently. And you are not fit to be a house painter. Obviously, there are enough and more other career opportunities. You must try one of them and give up your idea to become a house painter. The world is so big and so is the job market. The most suitable career opportunity always awaits you.
Overcoming Fear of Heights: How to Conquer Acrophobia and Live a Life Without Limits (The New Harbinger I Can Do It Series) Paperback – May 1, 2007
As we told you, you cannot succeed as a house painter if you have a fear of heights. Therefore, the best is to eliminate that fear. How can you overcome that fear? This book by Martin M. Antony provides you with the best advice on this. Hence, you can just go ahead and purchase this book. That would help you to eliminate your fear and engage in the profession successfully.
Professional Rope Access: A Guide To Working Safely at Height 1st Edition
This is a guide for working safely at heights. So, if you use this book by Loui McCurley, you would be able to get a very good understanding of how you can work safely at heights, especially with ropes. Of course, this book provides you with a comprehensive outline of all you need to know about rope access. So, all we have to ask you now is to enlighten yourself by reading this book.
2. Communication skills
All the same, you must definitely have communication skills if you want to be a house painter. What does it mean to say that you need to have communication skills? Well, you need to understand your job properly. Following the discussions that you have with your client or employer, you need to understand what is expected of you. And for that, you need to engage in effective communication all the time.
Just think that your employer needs one thing from you and you are doing something else ultimately. That would create chaos, right? So, the first thing you need to do is you need to clear all your doubts about the scope of you that you have to do and then start it off.
Also, it is important that you converse politely and respectfully with your clients and employers. That is indeed an added value to your character. And that would eventually become a reason for you to easily impress them. Keep in mind that it is not merely the work you do that matters. Even the slightest thing makes an effect after all.
Communication Skills Training: How to Talk to Anyone, Connect Effortlessly, Develop Charisma, and Become a People Person Paperback – May 23, 2020
When considering improving communication skills in order to become a professional house painter, this would be a good choice for you to consider. You can read this book by James W. Williams and helps you take yourself from the foundation level to become an effective communicator. After reading this, you will understand that it is not a hard thing to become an effective communicator. But you need to understand that all you need to do is take the initiative in this regard.
Communication Skills: 6 books in 1: How to Talk to Anyone, Anxiety in Relationship, Communication in Marriage and for Couples. Improve Confidence, Persuasion, Influence, and Social Skills. Kindle Edition
Needless to say again, improving communication skills is important in knowing how to be a house painter. Of course, communication skills are that important. So, you can also read these 6 books and see how it works for you. In fact, we are so sure that these books would work pretty well for you. This series has got pretty good ratings and plenty of 5-star reviews.
3. Detail-oriented
The next important characteristic you need to have is you have to be detail-oriented. You cannot go ahead with your work having a mere rough idea of what you have to do. Of course, you need to be precise in everything that you do. Precision is really important in a career like painting. If you fail to maintain that precision, the ultimate delicate balance of your work would not be there. In order to get that balance and neatness, you need to be accurate and precise. This is what we mean by being detail-oriented. And yes, all that you need to do in order to be detail-oriented is paying your fullest attention even to the slightest detail that you have to consider when you are engaging in the profession.
Improve Attention To Detail: A straightforward system to develop attention to detail in yourself, employees, and across an organization. Paperback – April 17, 2019
With regard to improving the attention to detail, this is a good book that you can consider reading. The author of this is Chris Denny. You can surely increase your attention to detail by reading this book. Of course, this explains how to improve your communication skills in yourself, your staff, and even across an entire business. Hence, you can go through the techniques that this book suggests and see how much improvement you can gain.
Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long Hardcover – October 6, 2009
Alright. In terms of improving how much detail-oriented you are, this is another book that you can refer to. Obviously, this would be a pretty important book if you wish to alter your approach to our attention to detail. So, you need to be smart in this aspect. And this book would surely help you with that doubtlessly. Further, this book has received a lot of positive comments and reviews as well. Therefore, this surely would be a must-read for anyone who wants to improve their attention to detail.
4. Physical stamina
We shall now take a look at physical stamina. Basically, physical stamina refers to the ability to maintain your physical activeness throughout the day. Needless to say, you would have to be really active in a profession like this. You would have to keep on standing for hours and hours. And you would have to climb ladders and there are many more of this sort. Hence, having physical stamina is a very important factor for a house painter. You never know how much work you would have to handle within your work-frame. Of course, you must complete the tasks within the specific time frame. And you cannot get there if you remain lazy and progress slowly.
How to Increase Stamina and Cardiovascular Endurance: An Essential Guide for Enhanced Athletic Performance Kindle Edition
Anyone reading this article on how to be a house painter should surely know how important physical stamina is, by now. This book by Ashton Temple would definitely be of great help for you in this regard. By following the techniques that this book highlights, you surely would be able to make sure that you are perfectly fit to be a house painter. “This book is written in an easy, conversational style but still manages to pack in a good amount of very useful information for anyone looking for guidance on improving stamina.” This is part of a review of this book on Amazon. This suggests that this is ideal for your expectations.
Functional Training and Beyond: Building the Ultimate Superfunctional Body and Mind (Building Muscle and Performance, Weight Training, Men’s Health) Paperback – January 19, 2021
Alright. Here is another option for you. You can refer to this book and get a good idea of this as well. This is a book by Adam Sinicki. This book explains how you can become better than merely functional by improving not just your physical performance but also your mental condition in functional training and beyond. You may improve your movement, think more clearly, feel more energized, and even live more effectively through training. That is why we recommend this book to you.
5. Physical strength
When it comes to physical strength, this is a little different from physical stamina. Physical strength refers to how strong a particular individual is. To be frank, you would have to be strong as you would have to lift certain heavy items in your workplace. And they include ladders, scaffoldings, and such items. On a rough scale, you must be able to lift at least 50 pounds on your own. Perhaps, this is not a problem for a grown-up with a good build. So, maybe this might be a problem that would least interest you.
NSCA’s Essentials of Tactical Strength and Conditioning First Edition
This is a guidebook by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. By following the methods and tactics that this book suggests, you would surely be able to increase your physical strength. So, there would be no problem at all in becoming a house painter as you have the perfect physical capabilities for that. And we are not hesitant in recommending this book to you as this book has received superb global ratings and reviews on Amazon.
Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition 3rd Edition
Here is another suggestion from us. This guide on basic barbell training suggests different barbell training techniques that would help you improve your physical strength. With this barbell training, you can assure that your physical condition would be perfect to be a professional like a house painter. Further, this book has received valuable reviews from its happy customers on Amazon.
How much do House Painters make?
In terms of the income of a house painter, the median annual wage for painters in the construction and maintenance fields was $42130 as of May 2020. Obviously, this is a good income. The highest 10 percent of this category earned more than $70470. And the lowest 10 percent earned less than $28290. When it comes to the work schedule, most painters work full-time. However, if you are self-employed, you can have your own work schedule. It is indeed up to you and you have that freedom. However, as you would know already, apprentices would not get an income as much as a professional painter would get.
Is Painting a dangerous profession?
We shall not lie. There are risks in painting. However, there are risks in any profession in the field of construction. So, as long as you adhere to the proper safety protocols, you can protect yourself from any harm that might occur. But make sure that you wear all the safety equipment and you follow the safety procedures when you are operating certain tools and equipment. There is no other way of making yourself safe. Therefore, do not be afraid even if this profession has a little bit of danger in it. That is the nature of life. And of course, you would have to be mindful and careful. Then, you are safe.
Conclusion
Now, we have come to the end of our discussion. Perhaps, you may have the interest to know about certain other professions in the construction field as well. Of course, you can read and get an idea. You can read on the steps to be a plumber, electrician, HVAC technician, masonry worker, ironworker, glazier, solar installer, and so on. At last, we wish you that you would be able to engage in happy and effective house painting!
