You don’t technically need any licensing requirements to be a painter. However, many states require you to have a license if you specifically want to paint houses. This is as the process of painting a house involves many steps aside from just painting.
You’ll need to remove fixtures and power outlets and then attach them once your paint job is done. You will also need to sand and scrape the walls to ensure that you can apply a fresh coat of paint. You’ll need to cover all furniture and fixtures in the room and may also need to apply plaster to fix holes in the wall. Given all the work you’ll need to do, aside from painting, to finish a house painting job, many states require a license.
Who is a house painter?
A house painter, or a residential painter, mainly works with painting houses. They may work on newer as well as older buildings. A house painter needs to have many additional skills, aside from their painting skills. This is as several steps go into preparing walls for a painting job.
As a painting contractor, you can either be self-employed or work for an organization or a master painter. Most states require house painters to have some kind of license, although the exact licensing requirements can vary from state to state. Arizona, for example, requires all house painters to have at least two years of work experience before they can be allowed to get their license. In some other states, you may be required to sit for a written exam as well.
Since the state requirements vary so much, it’s important that you check what your local and state regulations are regarding licensing painters. In addition to this, house painters may also need to watch out for local as well as federal regulations. This is as depending on the state you’re working in, there may be specific laws related to house painting.
The skills of a house painter
Before you can get your license as a house painter, you’ll need to be adept at the skills needed to be a house painter. You should be able to:
- Understand what materials are required for a painting job
- Be able to procure those materials
- Be able to communicate with clients, to understand what kind of painting work they are looking for
- Be able to sand and scrape the walls, to prepare the walls for a fresh coat of paint
- Know how to cover and protect fixtures, furniture, as well as other objects in the room
- Be able to use plaster to ensure that any holes in the walls are covered
- Know how to mix paint to get the right color
- Know how to remove fittings and fixtures and later reattach them
- Know how to read blueprints and designs
- Know how to use measuring tools
- Know how to paint
These are the basic skills associated with being a painter. By the time you have your license, you should be able to do all of these things efficiently. To get your license, however, you may need to attend classes, as well as get an apprenticeship.
The good news is that you can learn many of the skills required to be a painter, such as how to read blueprints online. But for many of the technical skills, you may need to work with a master painter first or learn on the job.
How you can get a painter’s license
Getting a painter’s license will be different, depending on the state you belong in. Ideally, you should apply for a painter’s license in the state that you want to work in since the licensing requirements tend to vary greatly.
There are certain similar steps you will need to take, irrespective of the state you’ve chosen to work in. You will need to complete set classroom hours, which can total up to a hundred hours. You may also need an apprenticeship, where you can learn the skills of the trade from a master painter.
Getting a painter’s apprenticeship
There are two main ways to get an apprenticeship with a painter.
Applying through a technical school
You can find technical and vocational schools that offer certifications for painters. These will help you reach the number of hours you need to meet the classroom hours required to get your license.
Technical and vocational schools offer sponsorships from contractors as well trade unions. You can use these sponsorships to get practical experience that can then help you to learn how to be a painter. You can find yourself spending four to five years just learning how to be a painter.
Approach a master painter
The second way you can learn how to be a painter is by being an apprentice to a master painter. You can get in touch with master painters through the trade union. Just tell a master painter that you want to be an apprentice and ask about the steps you should take towards the same.
You can expect to work as an apprentice for nearly four to five years before you gain all the skills necessary to be a successful painter.
The EPA, or the Environmental Protection Agency, requires additional certification. They want to ensure that all house painters who are working on constructions that were built before 1978 have a lead safety certification. This is as the buildings pre-1978 may have lead-based paint in them. And painting such buildings may lead to exposure to such toxic lead paint. During the certification course, you’ll be taught how to protect yourself from lead paint and what to do in the event of an emergency.
Getting your license
After you have completed your apprenticeship and have all the licenses and certifications you need, it’s time to apply for your painting license. Since the exact requirements vary from state to state, you will need to check the local, state, as well as federal regulations. This will help you determine what you need to do when it comes to being a licensed house painter.
Conclusion
In order to be a licensed house painter, you’ll need to complete an apprenticeship, as well as do assigned course hours. This will equip you with the knowledge and the skills you need to be a house painter. You’ll learn to learn skills aside from painting, such as how to sand and scrape the walls, how to remove fixtures and attach them, and more. Licensing requirements also vary from state to state, so you’ll need to check with your state to ensure that you have everything you need to get licensed as a house painter.
When you’re a licensed house painter, there may be times when you need to deal with disgruntled clients. A client who is unhappy with your work may sue you, and then you’d have to pay for expensive legal proceedings yourself. Instead, with the help of insurance for painters, you can financially secure yourself. Painters insurance provides financial coverage against many of the common career risks you can encounter. From court cases to business disruptions, insurance for painters can help you to protect yourself financially.