When people consider building a trade career, not many immediately consider taking up painting as a trade. This is because you don’t hear much about being a construction painter. So, is being a painter a good career?

Being a painter is a good career with lots of job security and a good salary. Painters have good work-life balance compared to other careers. There are lots of skills to learn to be able to create satisfying outcomes for paint projects. Painters get to work on a huge range of buildings and projects.

People are still to realise the potential behind a career in construction painting. But we can tell you for sure, it can be one of the best construction careers to have.

Is construction painting a good career?

Construction painting is a good career with many benefits including good work-life balance and job security. Almost every construction project requires painting to be done and with the never-ending construction occurring, there are many painting jobs available. This means that as a painter, you are sure to have constant job security provided that you do a good job. The demand for construction painters is a big reason that being a painter is a good career. This drives up the availability of work, as well as the income of painters.

The salary of a construction painter is appealing because of the added payments that you can get. Painters typically earn a good salary that can be improved through commission, bonuses, and incentives based on the work. Again, if you’re a great construction painter, you will be in more demand, and have more success in your career and a better paycheck.

Construction painting can be a good career because it is fairly easy to get into. Your experience mostly comes from on-the-job training and accredited apprenticeships. This makes it an affordable job opportunity, gaining lots of skills and experience by working with expert painters for 2 years or more. This is also a great opportunity to build your construction industry network, connecting with a labour recruitment agency and construction painter groups.

Construction painting is a good career for work-life balance too. Most painters work typical work hours throughout the week, having weekends off. It’s easier to get holiday time as a construction painter as well.

What is working as a painter like in construction?

Working as a painter in the construction industry involves getting to travel near and far to paint all kinds of building interiors and exteriors. There can be long days of painting, but it is one of the most satisfying construction jobs because of the results you can produce. The main roles of a construction painter are to properly prepare a surface and then apply decorative and protective coats of paint. Other tasks when you work as a construction painter include:

• Cover floors and furniture with dropcloths and tarps to protect surfaces.
• Removing wall fixtures like pictures, electric switch covers, and doorknobs.
• Setting up ladders and scaffolding.
• Calculating the surface area to be painted and deciding the amount of paint needed.
• Choosing and mixing paints to get the desired appearance.
• Applying primers and sealers.
• Cleaning the site and tools used when the painting is complete.

Painters use different brushes, rollers, and sprayers, as well as different materials like paint, sealers, and primers. There’s a lot to learn about to be able to work as a painter that most people wouldn’t think about.

Painters work with both interiors and exteriors of residential buildings as well as commercial buildings, such as homes, factories, offices, and institutions. Like many jobs in the construction field, being a painter too involves physically demanding work. Painting involves a lot of kneeling, bending, reaching, and climbing. Sometimes, construction painters also have to work at extreme heights. They may also have to work in different types of weather, especially when painting the exterior surfaces of buildings.

What are the downsides of being a painter?

Like any job, there are downsides to being a painter, including struggling to switch fields. When you do your training, you learn the skills needed for painting in construction, but not much else. This can make it hard to advance a construction career from painting to another area of construction. To get a job in another sector of the construction industry, or a different industry altogether, you will likely have to complete more training. This can take you back to the basics and having to start fresh with your career.

The trickiness in changing up your painting career can be irritating to some painters. After a few years of painting large surfaces day in and out, some painters get bored with the work. This can come from not feeling challenged at work. But there are many construction painters who continue to build their networks and get lots of satisfaction from working on ranges of projects for years.

The other main downside to being a painter is the effect paint can have on people. Some paints can cause irritation if they touch your skin. The paint fumes can also cause eye, nose, and throat irritations. But this is avoided by wearing the appropriate protective gear for painting.

Do painters get a lot of money?

In Australia, a painter is usually paid around $35 per hour. The average salary of a painter is $69,420 per year. An experienced painter can even earn up to $91,852 per year, while an entry-level painter can usually earn around $60,000 per year.

The average annual salary of an employee in Australia is closer to $60,000. So, painters earn an above-average salary which contributes to painting being a good career. Much of this salary comes from the high demand for construction painters.

What are the skills a good painter needs?

A painter should have good knowledge and familiarity with paints, solvents, and painting tools. In addition, they should have good colour vision (ability to identify subtle differences between shades) and aesthetic instincts. Attention to detail, good customer service skills, and time management are also skills a good painter needs. A good painter should have the physical strength, stamina, and dexterity to carry gallons of paint and stay in different positions for long periods of time. More importantly, a good painter must be dependable and committed to completing a flawless job.

Being a painter can be a very satisfying career. There are many job opportunities for painters out there and a good salary waiting to be collected. If you’re interested in taking a painting path for your career, we say go for it! It could be the best career decision you ever make.

If you’re a new construction painter and looking to build your network, reach out to our reliable Rednax Recruitment team today! If you’re looking to hire skilled and general labourers, we can help with that too!