How to become a Painter and Decorator
Painters and decorators apply paint, varnish, wallpaper and other finishes to protect, maintain and decorate interior and exterior surfaces of domestic, commercial and industrial buildings and other structures.
Personal requirements of a Painter and Decorator
- Able to cope with the physical demands of the job
- Able to work at heights
- Enjoy practical work
- Good hand-eye coordination
- Normal colour vision
- Good sense of balance
- Able to work independently or as part of a team
Education & Training for a Painter and Decorator
To become a painter and decorator you usually have to complete an apprenticeship in Painting and Decorating. Entry requirements may vary, but employers generally require Year 10. For more details, see Section 2. Ask your career adviser about the possibility of starting some of this training in school.
Duties & Tasks of a Painter and Decorator
Painters and decorators may perform the following tasks:
- determine the quantity of materials needed for the job by taking surface measurements or by looking at job specifications or drawings
- remove old paint or paper using sanders, scrapers, heat guns, liquid paint removers and steam strippers as appropriate
- prepare surfaces by fixing woodwork; filling or sealing holes, cracks and joints; and washing them down using high pressure wash systems to remove dust and grease
- select and prepare paints to match colours by adding tinters
- brush, roll or spray paints, stains, varnishes and other finishes
- when wallpapering, set out the area according to the pattern match and starting point in the room, cut the paper to the appropriate length, apply paste to the back of each strip and hang the paper on the wall, smoothing out any wrinkles or bubbles
- spray paint surfaces using a spray gun or specialised equipment
- apply decorative paint finishes such as stencils, colour glaze, graining, marbling and lettering, gold leaf and texture finishes
- wash equipment and clean work areas.
Working conditions for a Painter and Decorator
Due to occupational health and safety laws, most painters work from elevated work platforms or built-up scaffolds erected by qualified personnel. They have to do a lot of bending and stretching.
Employment Opportunities for a Painter and Decorator
Painters and decorators are usually employed by painting and decorating contracting firms, or are self-employed contractors. Some work for government agencies concerned with public works, housing and railways. Advancement to supervisory positions, technical training or sales work is possible. Opportunities for painters mainly depend on the level of building and renovation activity.
Avg. weekly wage:
$954
Future growth:
slight growth
Employment by state:
ACT 0.9%
NSW 31.8%
NT 0.7%
QLD 21.2%
SA 7.8%
TAS 3.3%
VIC 21.6%
WA 12.8%
Hours worked:
39.9
Unemployment:
above average
Gender split:
Proportion of male workers 95.7%
Proportion of female workers 4.2%
Education level:
Proportion of workers who have not completed Year 10: 10.6%
Proportion of workers who have not completed Year 12: 11.4%
Proportion of workers whose highest qualification is secondary school: 15%
Proportion of workers whose highest qualification is a Certificate 3 or 4: 53.4%
Proportion of workers whose highest qualification is a Diploma or Advanced Diploma: 4.1%
Proportion of workers whose highest qualification is a Bachelor degree: 5.4%
Proportion of workers whose highest qualification is a Postgraduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate: 0%
Age bracket:
Proprortion of workers aged below 35 years: 36%
Proportion of workers aged above 35 years: 65.9%
*The data above is sourced from the Department of Employment’s Job Outlook website.
Personal requirements of a Painter and Decorator
- Able to cope with the physical demands of the job
- Able to work at heights
- Enjoy practical work
- Good hand-eye coordination
- Normal colour vision
- Good sense of balance
- Able to work independently or as part of a team
Education & Training for a Painter and Decorator
To become a painter and decorator you usually have to complete an apprenticeship in Painting and Decorating. Entry requirements may vary, but employers generally require Year 10. For more details, see Section 2. Ask your career adviser about the possibility of starting some of this training in school.
Duties & Tasks of a Painter and Decorator
Painters and decorators may perform the following tasks:
- determine the quantity of materials needed for the job by taking surface measurements or by looking at job specifications or drawings
- remove old paint or paper using sanders, scrapers, heat guns, liquid paint removers and steam strippers as appropriate
- prepare surfaces by fixing woodwork; filling or sealing holes, cracks and joints; and washing them down using high pressure wash systems to remove dust and grease
- select and prepare paints to match colours by adding tinters
- brush, roll or spray paints, stains, varnishes and other finishes
- when wallpapering, set out the area according to the pattern match and starting point in the room, cut the paper to the appropriate length, apply paste to the back of each strip and hang the paper on the wall, smoothing out any wrinkles or bubbles
- spray paint surfaces using a spray gun or specialised equipment
- apply decorative paint finishes such as stencils, colour glaze, graining, marbling and lettering, gold leaf and texture finishes
- wash equipment and clean work areas.
Working conditions for a Painter and Decorator
Due to occupational health and safety laws, most painters work from elevated work platforms or built-up scaffolds erected by qualified personnel. They have to do a lot of bending and stretching.
Employment Opportunities for a Painter and Decorator
Painters and decorators are usually employed by painting and decorating contracting firms, or are self-employed contractors. Some work for government agencies concerned with public works, housing and railways. Advancement to supervisory positions, technical training or sales work is possible. Opportunities for painters mainly depend on the level of building and renovation activity.
Avg. weekly wage:
$954
Future growth:
slight growth
Employment by state:
ACT 0.9%
NSW 31.8%
NT 0.7%
QLD 21.2%
SA 7.8%
TAS 3.3%
VIC 21.6%
WA 12.8%
Hours worked:
39.9
Unemployment:
above average
Gender split:
Proportion of male workers 95.7%
Proportion of female workers 4.2%
Education level:
Proportion of workers who have not completed Year 10: 10.6%
Proportion of workers who have not completed Year 12: 11.4%
Proportion of workers whose highest qualification is secondary school: 15%
Proportion of workers whose highest qualification is a Certificate 3 or 4: 53.4%
Proportion of workers whose highest qualification is a Diploma or Advanced Diploma: 4.1%
Proportion of workers whose highest qualification is a Bachelor degree: 5.4%
Proportion of workers whose highest qualification is a Postgraduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate: 0%
Age bracket:
Proprortion of workers aged below 35 years: 36%
Proportion of workers aged above 35 years: 65.9%
*The data above is sourced from the Department of Employment’s Job Outlook website.
