Painters, Construction and Maintenance

What the job really is

Paint walls, equipment, buildings, bridges, and other structural surfaces, using brushes, rollers, and spray guns. May remove old paint to prepare surface prior to painting. May mix colors or oils to obtain desired color or consistency.

At a glance

• Sector: Construction & Extraction
• O*NET-SOC code: 47-2141
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Cover surfaces with dropcloths or masking tape and paper to protect surfaces during painting.
• Read work orders or receive instructions from supervisors or homeowners to determine work requirements.
• Apply paint, stain, varnish, enamel, or other finishes to equipment, buildings, bridges, or other structures, using brushes, spray guns, or rollers.
• Fill cracks, holes, or joints with caulk, putty, plaster, or other fillers, using caulking guns or putty knives.
• Smooth surfaces, using sandpaper, scrapers, brushes, steel wool, or sanding machines.
• Erect scaffolding or swing gates, or set up ladders, to work above ground level.
• Wash and treat surfaces with oil, turpentine, mildew remover, or other preparations, and sand rough spots to ensure that finishes will adhere properly.
• Apply primers or sealers to prepare new surfaces, such as bare wood or metal, for finish coats.
• Calculate amounts of required materials and estimate costs, based on surface measurements or work orders.
• Remove old finishes by stripping, sanding, wire brushing, burning, or using water or abrasive blasting.
• Remove fixtures such as pictures, door knobs, lamps, or electric switch covers prior to painting.
• Use special finishing techniques such as sponging, ragging, layering, or faux finishing.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, Act!, Aerial lifts, Air compressors, Airless spray equipment, Blow torches, Bosun chairs, Bucket trucks, Caulking guns

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers
• Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons
• Plasterers and Stucco Masons
• Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Furniture Finishers
• Roofers
• Paperhangers
• Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Painters, Construction and Maintenance — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.