Industrial painting is an essential job to Quebec industry. Whether to protect surfaces, improve appearance or make sure equipment lasts longer, an industrial painter plays an important role in any industrial setting.
Trexo explains what it’s like to be an industrial painter, describing the responsibilities, training and salary of this important profession.
What does an industrial painter do?
An industrial painter is a professional who specializes in painting various structures and surfaces in industrial settings. Their primary role is to apply protective coatings or decorative finishes to surfaces such as machinery, equipment, infrastructure, buildings, and other industrial structures.
Industrial painter duties
Industrial painters are responsible for a range of activities related to painting in an industrial context. In short, an industrial painter helps to maintain, protect and improve industrial surfaces and equipment. Here’s an overview of what the job involves:
- Cleaning and preparing surfaces: An industrial painter prepares surfaces before painting. This often begins with the removal of non-structural components from equipment or buildings. If the surface is already covered with one or more coatings, it may be necessary to remove them using abrasive blasting, dry ice blasting, or soda blasting. In most cases, an industrial painter will also apply a mask to protect surfaces from the paint once it is applied.
- Paint preparation: Industrial painters have to prepare their paint, using equipment like viscosity cups, thickness gauges and gloss gauges to check paint composition. They rely on their knowledge of paint products and chemistry to mix the right products for each job.
- Applying paint: Industrial painters use a variety of techniques and tools to apply paint, including airless or electrostatic spray equipment, rollers and brushes. They always need to choose the right tools for the job, whether they are applying primers, prefinishes or topcoats. Industrial painting involves various preventive measures, which means that applying coatings is best done by professionals.
- Compliance with safety standards: Industrial painters often work in complex industrial environments. These areas can present potential risks in the form of chemicals, dust or fumes, making it important to carefully follow safety standards, use appropriate personal protective equipment and apply safety procedures. An industrial painter’s own safety and that of their colleagues must be considered at all times.
- Cleaning equipment and work areas: Industrial painters are responsible for cleaning the treated area and also their equipment after completing a job. They must carefully follow all instructions for the safe handling and disposal of chemicals and hazardous waste.
- Maintaining equipment: Industrial painters are also responsible for maintaining their painting equipment, which can be quite technical. They need to be able to understand how to adjust industrial painting equipment and make sure it works properly.
How do I become an industrial painter in Quebec?
To become an industrial painter in Quebec, you’ll need a combination of training and practical experience. Here’s an overview of the key steps required to enter this profession.
Get the right training
The Attestation d’études professionnelles en peinture industrielle (A.E.P.) offers a complete French-language program lasting a total of 720 hours (750 hours with the aerospace component). This 24-week, full-time, daytime-only program is designed to give you all the skills you need to become a qualified industrial painter.
Do some hands-on learning
In addition to formal training, industrial painters need practical experience. In-house apprenticeship programs or internships allow aspiring painters to work alongside experienced professionals and apply the knowledge they have acquired in training in a real-life context.
Industrial painter salary
According to a study by Talent.com, the average salary for an industrial painter in Canada is estimated at $42,743 per year, or $21.92 per hour. An entry-level painter earns around $37,050 per year, while an experienced painter could earn around $52,650 per year.
In Quebec, salaries are similar to the rest of Canada, with the average industrial painter salary estimated at $41,311.
Industrial painter qualities
To work as an industrial painter, you need a thorough knowledge of surface preparation so that you can consistently make sure paint sticks correctly. You’ll also need a basic understanding of the different types of industrial paints and painting equipment.
Knowledge is not enough. Practical experience is important if you intend to work in this sector. You need to be familiar with different types of surface treatment such as abrasive blasting, metal pickling, industrial degreasing and others.
An industrial painter also has to know how to mix paints, so you’ll need to be familiar with different products and understand their chemical properties.
The industrial paint industry is wide-ranging and evolves with the times. New methods and increasingly high-performance, environmentally friendly products appear all the time. Processes also vary depending on the customer. Because of this, industrial painting companies want to hire painters who are willing to learn new concepts, skills and processes.
Contact Trexo to learn more about industrial painting!
Quebec’s industrial sector offers many opportunities for industrial painters. With varied responsibilities, stimulating tasks and technical demands, this profession is an interesting choice for anyone with a passion for painting and manual work.
Trexo is the ideal partner for anyone looking for excellence, innovation, and professionalism. By joining our team, you’ll have the chance to put your skills as an industrial painter to good use on a variety of stimulating projects.
We’re committed to providing a supportive work environment focused on respect, collaboration and professional development. We support the ongoing training of our employees, offering learning and development opportunities to help them stay at the cutting edge of new technologies, materials and painting techniques. For more information, contact us today!