Painting is a profession that has a lot of subcategories. Consequently, there are many types of painters. There are house painters, wood painters, metal painters, auto painters, and so on. All these types of painters are technically painters. But the difference is in what they paint. House painters work on construction fields painting buildings and doing maintenance work of houses and other construction buildings. Metal painters are those who paint metal structures and such items. And auto painters are the ones who paint vehicles. Anyway, this article is about wood painters. We are going to tell you how to be a wood painter. And if you follow our steps, you can succeed in your profession for certain.
Painting and Decorating Furniture Paperback – October 1, 1997
The author of this book is Sheila McGraw. In this book, Sheila McGraw demonstrates how to give old wood, metal, or plastic laminate cabinets, desks, dressers, tables, chairs, and cushions new life and color. Also, the author displays innovative methods and techniques, including new stains and faux finishes, decorating with found materials, and inventive applications for fabric, posters, and baskets, with over 1,000 step-by-step color pictures to help the reader and brief easy-to-follow directions. Further, this book has received a lot of positive reviews on Amazon. So, this would surely be a good read for you.
Annie Sloan Paints Everything: Step-by-step projects for your entire home, from walls, floors, and furniture, to curtains, blinds, pillows, and shades Paperback – Illustrated, November 22, 2016
This is a book by Annie Sloan. And this would be a good read for anyone willing to be a wood painter. Annie Sloan gives us a world of options when it comes to designing homes in this book. You would discover amazing techniques for painting floors, textiles, lighting, and more, in addition to how to change walls and furniture. Although you can gain an overall understanding by reading this book, this would still be an ideal read for a wood painter as well. That is why we thought of suggesting this book to you.
What do Wood Painters do?
Before we get to know how to be a wood painter, it would perhaps be useful to know what wood painters do. Basically, it is the duty of wood painters to paint wood. But it is much more relevant to say that wood painters are responsible for painting wood furniture. This might seem simple. But this is a big process.
First, the wood painter would have to cover up the surrounding surface with a drop cloth or something. That can protect the surroundings from paint spills. Next, the wood painter would have to clean the furniture and sand the flat areas. Make sure to sand the corners and details as well. And the next step is to clean the dust and prime the wood. Afterward, the wood painter has to apply the primer and sand it. Next, the wood painter can apply the first coat of paint. For this, either a paintbrush or roller can be used. Then, the sanding of the first coat of paint takes place. Finally, applying the second coat of paint follows. So, you would understand that this is quite a procedure.
Painters would have job opportunities in furniture manufacturing companies predominantly. Professional wood painters would not have many opportunities domestically. It is because a house painter who comes for repair work would generally do the painting of the furniture as well. Yet, there are lots of job opportunities when it comes to the industry level.
Refinishing Furniture Made Simple: Includes Companion Step-By-Step Video Paperback – Illustrated, September 11, 2012
The author of this book is Jeff Jewitt. He has been a professional refinisher for more than three decades. So, you can learn the industry from a professional if you read this book. In this book, there are plenty of tips and insights. They are on how to assess a piece of furniture’s condition to determine the best approach for renewing it, restore and revive coatings to increase their beauty while keeping their patina and match an old finish for a seamless effect. So, this book is an invaluable resource for woodworkers as well as wood painters. That is why we suggested this book to you.
Color Recipes for Painted Furniture and More: 40 step-by-step projects to transform your home Paperback – March 14, 2013
This is a book by Annie Sloan. In this book, the author provides 40 new projects and ideas for painting furniture. And this book demonstrates how to easily refresh worn furniture. Also, the author demonstrates how to combine colors and get specific effects. Whether your client likes vibrant boho chic or restrained Swedish colors, snug and soothing rustic tints, or a combination of the two, a wood painter can get to know all about these through this book. So, this would be a good read for you for certain.
Steps to be a Wood Painter
We know that you want to know how to be a wood painter. But it is important to know the most effective way to be one. If not, you would not be able to succeed ultimately. So, here are the steps that we have figured out.
- Get a certificate in painting from a technical school
- Complete an apprenticeship program
- Get licensed
- Advance to higher positions
So, this is how you should proceed if you want to be a wood painter. But it is worth considering each of the above steps in detail. So, we shall move into descriptive explanations.
1. Get a certificate in painting from a technical school
Let us be honest. You would not actually need formal educational qualifications to be a wood painter. You would not need any other specific qualifications to be a house painter either. However, there is something about wood painters that you need to know. It is that there is no specific training that you can get in order to be a wood painter. If you get training that suits professional training, that is it. Then, your pathway to be a wood painter is clear.
Of course, technical schools offer training programs for painters. Yet, they are optional. So, you might think that completing such a program would not be of any use. Besides, they can uplift your professional qualification. And if you complete one of these, then you can be so sure that you can progress in the field of wood painting because you are qualified.
In this type of training program, you will be able to get basic knowledge in terms of painting. Afterward, you can develop your professional knowledge and skills when you get into the field. Perhaps, you can get good on-the-job training when you become an apprentice in the industry.
2. Complete an apprenticeship program
Next, you should complete an apprenticeship program. Basically, what happens in an apprenticeship program is that you get on-the-job training of the trade while you work under a senior worker or journeyman. When you are completing your apprenticeship program, you can surely learn new skills. You may require these skills especially to engage in the job like a professional. And of course, there are certain trade tactics in a particular trade. You can learn all that as well.
However, during the apprenticeship program, you do not get the ability to work on your own, You would always have to work under supervision. Needless to say, you may never be perfect in your skills. So, you might make certain mistakes. That is why you are not allowed to work alone at this stage. Yet, you can make money even for the work that you do as an apprentice. But that is obviously less than a professional would make.
However, the apprenticeship program that you complete might not specifically be for wood painting. It might be for painting in general. But you would be able to learn all the skills that you would need. You can join a furniture manufacturing company based on your expectations.
3. Get licensed
Getting licensed is important. The importance of a particular license or certification is prominently for you to join a company with a good reputation as a skillful wood painter. You would not doubt your skill or talent. But others would. Yet, that is mainly as long as you do not have a proper license. If you have a license, others would understand that you have the skill as well as the talent. So, it is important to get licensed, no matter how well you can handle situations in terms of wood painting. Hence, this is an important step that we have to tell you with regard to how to be a wood painter.
But we must tell you how you can get licensed. Well, to be frank with you, the requirements to get licensed are indeed different from state to state. So, we cannot possibly be exact here. You should probably check this with the state that you live. Then, you would be able to get an idea of how you should proceed.
Yet, just for you to have a general idea, we can tell you that there are several certifications offered to you for industrial painting. Some of the institutes that offer you these certification programs are the NACE International Institute and the Society for Protective Coatings. But these are not the only places. We mentioned these to you just for you to get an idea.
However, keep in mind that it would be pretty easy for you to be employed in a company where you will be paid a good salary as a wood painter if you have these certifications.
4. Advance to higher positions
No doubt, we told you how to be a wood painter. If you wish, you can end your career there. But if you wish to advance further, you still have a lot of other choices and options as well. What we mean by this is that you can advance to many managerial positions. But you need to have experience and this would take a lot of time. But do not miss these opportunities. If you do, you would have to regret it at some later date.
However, you can also start your own business. For this, it is just the skill and ability that you would need. Little by little, you would be able to upgrade your business into a very high position that would give you satisfaction. And ultimately, you may perhaps be able to make it a highly profitable business. So, whatever the path that you take, be efficient and courageous. Success will definitely come to you.
Important Qualities that you need to have
If you want to know how to be a wood painter, you need to know the qualities that a wood painter would need to have as well. Perhaps, you may have all the technical skills that you need to have. But still, without certain professional qualities, you may not be able to become successful in your career. Here are some of them. Let us have a look at them.
- Being familiar with the tools and equipment
- Time management skills
- Paying attention to the task requirements
- Neatness
- Organizational skills
So, it is indeed useful to take a look at each of them because they are very important. Go ahead reading! You will get to know a lot of important things.
1. Being familiar with the tools and equipment
First and foremost, you must be able to handle all your tools and equipment properly. Obviously, you cannot apply paint with your hands. You would surely need the right tools and equipment for that. If you do not have the right tools and equipment, you would surely not be able to engage in the profession in a successful manner. This is important for any profession in the construction sector. In any profession that requires tools and equipment, the workers must have the ability to handle them.
That is why it is important to be familiar with the tools and equipment that you have to use. Becoming familiar with the tools and equipment would even be more important than getting to know how to be a wood painter.
2. Time management skills
Of course, you need to have time management skills if you wish to join a profession like wood painting. If you fail to manage yourself and your time, that means you fail in all that you do. So, be mindful that you are perfect at managing your time. Perhaps, you get a certain amount of work for you to do. And obviously, you would have to finish them off within the particular amount of time that you get. Thus, it is all about time management.
Whatever the profession that you engage in, time management skills are important. And it is pretty important even for your life. Hence, learn to manage your time effectively. It is not only important for your profession. But it is important for your life as well.
15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management: The Productivity Habits of 7 Billionaires, 13 Olympic Athletes, 29 Straight-A Students, and 239 Entrepreneurs: Audible Audiobook – Unabridged
As we told you, time management is pretty important for professionals like wood painters. Kevin Kruse is the writer and narrator of this audiobook. This book reveals the fascinating results of the writer’s research on ultra-productive persons. Based on a study of millionaires, Olympic athletes, straight-A students, and more than 200 entrepreneurs, he has conducted his research. And with all that, he describes plenty of techniques to practice time management.
Time Management in 20 Minutes a Day: Simple Strategies to Increase Productivity, Enhance Creativity, and Make Your Time Your Own Paperback – July 2, 2019
The author of this book is Holly Reisem Hanna. Of course, this book suits almost all the professionals who spend busy lives. And in fact, wood painters can also surely benefit from this book. There are plenty of positive reviews on Amazon for this book from its readers. Also, this has received good ratings from all over the world. So, you should probably take a read of this book.
3. Paying attention to the task requirements
When you have a particular task to complete, you must precisely know how you must complete it. Before that, you must have a pretty good idea about the task requirements. And for that, you must particularly pay attention to every single detail. If you do not concentrate properly, you would not be able to get what you should do. Hence, this is of immense importance. Make sure that you listen carefully first. You would then be able to understand all the task requirements. After that, you can go ahead with your work.
4. Neatness
There must be neatness in your work. Of course, there must be neatness whatever you do in life. So, learn to have neatness, not only for your profession but also for your life. But this would be prominently important and vital for your profession if you want to be a wood painter. Painting is all about the beauty of what people see in your work. So, if your work does not have the ability to attract other people and is not elegant enough, you would not be able to impress others. But as a painter, you must be able to do that. So, maintain neatness in your work.
Understanding Wood Finishing: How to Select and Apply the Right Finish (Fox Chapel Publishing) Practical & Comprehensive with Over 300 Color Photos and 40 Reference Tables & Troubleshooting Guides Paperback – September 1, 2010
Here is a suggestion from us to improve your finishing skills in terms of wood painting. The author of this book is Bob Flexner. This book contains plenty of valuable information. It includes all the new methods and techniques as well as a lot of illustrations. Of course, this is easy to understand and contains comprehensive explanations as well. If you go through this book, you would certainly be able to broaden your knowledge on the finishing part of the furniture. And that clearly includes your job: wood painting.
Foolproof Wood Finishing, Revised Edition: Learn How to Finish or Refinish Wood Projects with Stain, Glaze, Milk Paint, Top Coats, and More (Fox Chapel Publishing) Paperback – Illustrated, July 1, 2014
Here is another suggestion from us in this regard. This is a book by Teri Mesaschi. This is a must-have handbook for everyone who is in this trade. Teri Masaschi, an expert finishing tutor, takes the mystery out of finishing and shows you how to prevent costly and inconvenient blunders. She demonstrates how to choose, utilize, and apply the ideal finish in wood finishing. “I loved this book. She takes a complicated subject and breaks it down in a way that helped me clearly understand all the steps in the process of finishing. I loved all the formulas she gives to achieve specific looks in all the most commonly used woods.” This is how a reader of this book has reviewed it on Amazon.
5. Organizational skills
You also need to have organizational skills. Without organizing your scope of work in the right manner, you would not be able to arrive at its completion. It all starts with organizing what you have to do. So, make sure that you have organizational skills in order to excel in the industry.
Organizational Behaviour: People, Process, Work and Human Resource Management: Audible Audiobook – Unabridged
The editors of this book are Raisa Arvinen-Muondo and Stephen Perkins. And the narrator of this book is Simon Mattacks. This book provides a good lot of information about how you should do things within an organization. If you choose to work for a company, you would need to have these types of organizational skills. And we hope that this book will be a great help for you in this regard. Of course, having the ability to organize your work schedules is also important.
Organizational Behavior: A Skill-Building Approach 2nd Edition
The authors of this book are Dr. Christopher P. Neck, Jeffery D. Houghton, and Emma L. Murray. And this book is a perfect guide for you to know about organizational behavior. This is a skill-building approach. So, if you refer to this book, you will be able to get a thorough understanding of this. In fact, a wood painter can benefit from this for his or her professional career.
Conclusion
As of now, we have told you a pretty lot about how to be a wood painter. Also, we told you the important qualities that a wood painter would need to have. So, we assume that you have a good idea of this by now. Perhaps, you may like to read about the pathway to become certain other professionals. Of course, you can read about becoming a plumber, electrician, masonry worker, HVAC technician, ironworker, glazier, solar installer, and so on. Happy wood painting!
