Painting
Tools, technique and safety for the painting trade — prepare for your workplace assessment.
About this occupation
What the job involves
Applies paint, varnish, wallpaper and other finishes to protect, maintain and decorate surfaces of buildings and structures. Registration or licensing may be required.
Specialisations
House Painter
Typical qualification pathway
CPC30620 Certificate III in Painting and Decorating (CPC Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package)
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ANZSCO) and Jobs and Skills Australia. Check the official source for the current version. ABS source · JSA source
What our lessons cover
Our lessons cover 37 of the 95 tasks listed in the ABS occupation description for this trade. The other 58 are outside the scope of this course.
This is not a progress list and it is not a plan. It describes what the course teaches today. It is not an assessment scope, and it does not indicate what any assessor will ask you.
- Inspect and set up an extension or step ladder
Covered in: Safety on the Job
- Protect surfaces with drop sheets, masking and shielding
Covered in: Surface Preparation
- Remove or mask hardware, fittings and fixtures
Covered in: Surface Preparation
- Set up and manage lighting and ventilation
Covered in: Interior Application
- Identify substrate and existing coating type
Covered in: Surface Preparation, Exterior Work, Defects & Completion
- Assess condition and diagnose defects
Covered in: Surface Preparation
- Test coating adhesion
Covered in: Surface Preparation
- Test for lead before disturbing pre-1970 coatings
Covered in: Surface Preparation
- Wash and degrease surfaces
Covered in: Surface Preparation
- Remove loose and flaking coating by scraping
Covered in: Surface Preparation
- Sand surfaces to profile
Covered in: Surface Preparation
- Fill holes, cracks and defects
Covered in: Surface Preparation
- Apply sealant to gaps and junctions
Covered in: Surface Preparation
- Prime and seal prepared surfaces
Covered in: Surface Preparation, Paints, Primers & Materials
- Remove dust and prepare for coating
Covered in: Surface Preparation
- Prepare new plasterboard
Covered in: Surface Preparation
- Prepare fibre cement sheeting
Covered in: Exterior Work, Defects & Completion
- Read and interpret the specification and colour schedule
Covered in: Interior Application
- Select the coating system for substrate and exposure
Covered in: Paints, Primers & Materials, Exterior Work, Defects & Completion
- Read and apply the Safety Data Sheet
Covered in: Safety on the Job
- Calculate quantities from measured areas
Covered in: Paints, Primers & Materials
- Tint, box and stir paint
Covered in: Paints, Primers & Materials
- Mix multi-component (two-pack) products
Covered in: Paints, Primers & Materials
- Select brushes and rollers for the product and finish
Covered in: Brushes, Rollers
- Cut in to edges, junctions and glass lines
Covered in: Brushes
- Apply by roller to broad surfaces
Covered in: Rollers, Interior Application
- Apply by brush to trim, joinery and detail
Covered in: Brushes
- Maintain film build and apply specified coats
Covered in: Interior Application, Exterior Work, Defects & Completion
- Inspect, touch up and rectify defects
Covered in: Brushes, Interior Application, Exterior Work, Defects & Completion
- Clean brushes and rollers
Covered in: Rollers
- Store paints and materials
Covered in: Rollers, Paints, Primers & Materials
- Segregate and dispose of waste
Covered in: Safety on the Job, Rollers
- Reinstate the work area
Covered in: Safety on the Job, Interior Application, Exterior Work, Defects & Completion
- Inspect and maintain hand and power tools
Covered in: Rollers
- Identify probable lead paint and test
Covered in: Surface Preparation
- Identify hazards and apply the hierarchy of control
Covered in: Safety on the Job
- Select, fit, inspect and maintain PPE
Covered in: Safety on the Job
Official sources & migration advice
For visas, nomination, or your eligibility, speak with a Registered Migration Agent — we don't give migration advice. Check these official sources for current occupation and program information: