House painter & decorator
An 8-step house painting path: scaffold and chemical safety, preparing new and old walls, skim coating with putty and sanding, primer and topcoat by roller and airless sprayer, alkali-resistant exterior paint and decorative finishes. Graduates can paint townhouses and apartments; suits detail-minded people comfortable working at height.
Start here
Step 1: Scaffold, ladder & paint chemical safety
One short lesson per step, 10–15 minutes on a phone. No sign-up needed.
Hands-on roadmap
Roadmap
- Step 1Lesson
Scaffold, ladder & paint chemical safety
Set up scaffolds and A-frame ladders correctly, use a harness outdoors; solvent respirators, ventilation for oil paints, and fire-safe storage of paint and thinners.
No English content for this step yet.
- Step 2Lesson
Paint systems: putty, primer, topcoat
Interior vs exterior putty, alkali-resistant primers, matt, sheen and washable topcoats; reading coverage per litre and recoat times on the label.
Requires: Scaffold, ladder & paint chemical safety
No English content for this step yet.
- Step 3Skill
Preparing new, old and damp walls
Measure wall moisture with a meter, scrape flaking paint, treat mould and fill hairline cracks; new plaster must cure fully before skim coating.
Requires: Paint systems: putty, primer, topcoat
No English content for this step yet.
- Step 4Skill
Two-coat skim and smooth sanding
Mix putty, apply thin coats with a trowel, sand with a light held at an angle; common faults are thick coats that crack and uneven sanding that shows marks.
Requires: Preparing new, old and damp walls
- Step 5Skill
Primer and topcoat by roller and brush
Thin correctly, cut in at ceilings and skirting, roll in W patterns and keep a wet edge to avoid patchiness; mask floors, doors and sockets.
Requires: Two-coat skim and smooth sanding
No English content for this step yet.
- Step 6Skill
Airless sprayers, exterior & waterproof coats
Operate an airless sprayer, pick tips and clean the pump; weather-resistant exterior paint, waterproof wall coatings and checking rain forecasts before work.
Requires: Primer and topcoat by roller and brush
No English content for this step yet.
- Step 7Project
Project: repaint a two-bedroom apartment
Survey, measure areas, list materials, skim and paint the whole unit plus a feature wall; log each coat, photograph before and after, and hand over to the owner.
Requires: Airless sprayers, exterior & waterproof coats
No English content for this step yet.
- Step 8Assessment
Skills test, quoting & getting jobs
Check flatness under raking light, even colour and clean cut lines; prepare a per-m2 labour and materials quote with a peeling warranty for clients.
Requires: Project: repaint a two-bedroom apartment
No English content for this step yet.
