Painter Job Description: How to Write Your Own [+ Free Template]
Ready to grow your painting business and hire new employees? An accurate painter job description will help you attract qualified candidates who are a good fit for your business.
Download our painter job description template, or use the complete guide below to write your own job description for a painter—and find and hire the right candidate for the job.
Painter job description template
Use this template to write your own painting job description. Modify the role summary, responsibilities, qualifications, hours, compensation, and company overview based on your business needs.
Painter, Full Time
Patch & Pour Painting Co. is hiring an experienced, detail-oriented painter to join our team. Reporting to our team lead, the successful applicant will be responsible for painting a variety of surfaces and providing light repairs for our residential clients.
Job responsibilities:
- Inspect surfaces and determine appropriate primers, paints, finishes, and tools for application
- Monitor material inventory and cost-effectively buy painting materials (e.g., paint, brushes, drop cloths)
- Cover furniture, fixtures, and exposed surfaces for protection before starting projects
- Prepare walls, cabinets, siding, fences, and other surfaces for painting projects (e.g., scraping, sandpapering, paint removal)
- Repair cracks, dents, holes, and other minor surface damage with putty or plaster before painting
- Mix paint colors to achieve the correct color and texture
- Paint surfaces and apply varnish, sealant, and stain as needed
- Follow workplace health and safety rules
- Load and unload tools and equipment from work vehicles
- Maintain a clean, tidy work area on job sites
- Prepare cost estimates and project budgets
- Work well with customers, contractors, and other trades
- Coordinate service with customers and handle complaints professionally
- Accurately log billable hours using a time tracking app
- Manage job details, review daily tasks, and follow up with customers using our painting contractor app
Qualifications and skills:
- High school diploma or GED
- 2+ years of experience as a residential or commercial painter
- Valid driver’s license, clean driving record, and reliable transportation
- Knowledge of residential and commercial painting techniques
- Comfortable using different painting tools on various surfaces (e.g., spray equipment)
- Familiar with color theory principles
- Able to perform basic mathematical calculations and convert measurements
- Able to sit, stand, kneel, lift, and climb ladders
- Strong planning, organizational, multi-tasking, and problem-solving skills
- Great attention to detail, positive attitude, and strong work ethic
- Can work independently and as part of a team environment
- Can communicate well (multiple languages are a plus)
- Able to follow written and verbal instructions
- Friendly with good interpersonal skills
- Experience using scheduling apps or routing apps preferred (training can be provided)
Working hours:
- Full-time, year-round
- Mon–Fri, 9:00am–5:00pm
- Overtime available but not required
Compensation:
- $17–20/hour (based on experience)
- Signing bonus and year-round bonus opportunities
- Health insurance, including dental and vision
- Paid holidays, time off, and parental leave
- 401(k) matching and life insurance
This position will require a background check upon hire.
About Patch & Pour Painting Co.
Patch & Pour Painting Co. is a premier painting company that provides top-quality painting services to homeowners and businesses in Richmond. We have been in operation for over 10 years and specialize in both interior and exterior painting, as well as other services such as pressure washing, drywall repair, and staining.
Our company is driven by our dedication to high-quality work and exceptional service, and we reward our employees for upholding these values with a strong bonus program. We also offer competitive benefits and a supportive workplace where passionate painters can build a lifelong career.
To apply for this position, send your resume to [company email address].
What to include in your painter job description:
1. Role summary
Your painting job description should start with a role summary. This provides a short overview of the position you’re hiring for, including details like:
- Position title
- Supervisor
- Seniority level
- Overall responsibilities
Say what the role involves and what type of person you’re looking for. A clear role summary tells qualified candidates that they’re the right fit—and encourages unqualified job seekers to keep looking.
Here’s an example of what your painter role summary could include:
Painter, Full Time
Patch & Pour Painting Co. is hiring an experienced, detail-oriented painter to join our team. Reporting to our team lead, the successful applicant will be responsible for painting a variety of surfaces and providing light repairs for our residential clients.
2. Job responsibilities
Create a list of painter job responsibilities and day-to-day duties. To make sure you include all possible tasks in your painting job description, ask yourself questions like:
- What clients does your painting business typically work with (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial)?
- What types of painting equipment will they need to use (e.g., brushes, rollers)?
- What do your current painters do on each type of job (e.g., setting up scaffolding, taping edges, mixing custom colors)?
- Will this person need to complete any other non-painting tasks (e.g., customer service, estimating painting jobs, scheduling work, invoicing clients)?
Your new painter’s job responsibilities could look like this:
Sample job responsibilities:
- Inspect surfaces and determine appropriate primers, paints, finishes, and tools for application
- Monitor material inventory and cost-effectively buy painting materials (e.g., paint, brushes, drop cloths)
- Cover furniture, fixtures, and exposed surfaces for protection before starting projects
- Prepare walls, cabinets, siding, fences, and other surfaces for painting projects (e.g., scraping, sandpapering, paint removal)
- Repair cracks, dents, holes, and other minor surface damage with putty or plaster before painting
- Mix paint colors to achieve the correct color and texture
- Paint surfaces and apply varnish, sealant, and stain as needed
- Follow workplace health and safety rules
- Load and unload tools and equipment from work vehicles
- Maintain a clean, tidy work area on job sites
- Prepare cost estimates and project budgets
- Work well with customers, contractors, and other trades
- Coordinate service with customers and handle complaints professionally
- Accurately log billable hours using a time tracking app
- Manage job details, review daily tasks, and follow up with customers using our painting contractor app
3. Qualifications and skills
Your painter job description should include any professional qualifications you’re looking for, like:
- Years of painting experience
- Any applicable painter licensing requirements in your state
- Successful completion of (or enrollment in) a painting apprenticeship program
- Physical demands (e.g., working at heights, repetitive motion, weight lifting capacity)
- Soft skills (e.g., customer service, communication, problem-solving)
- Valid driver’s license and clean driver’s record, if required
Sample qualifications and skills:
- High school diploma or GED
- 2+ years of experience as a residential or commercial painter
- Valid driver’s license, clean driving record, and reliable transportation
- Knowledge of residential and commercial painting techniques
- Comfortable using different painting tools on various surfaces (e.g., spray equipment)
- Familiar with color theory principles
- Able to perform basic mathematical calculations and convert measurements
- Able to sit, stand, kneel, lift, and climb ladders
- Strong planning, organizational, multi-tasking, and problem-solving skills
- Great attention to detail, positive attitude, and strong work ethic
- Can work independently and as part of a team environment
- Can communicate well (multiple languages are a plus)
- Able to follow written and verbal instructions
- Friendly with good interpersonal skills
- Experience using scheduling apps or routing apps preferred (training can be provided)
You can also add optional skills that aren’t necessary but would help candidates stand out, like speaking another language or having experience with painting contractor software.
READ MORE: 15 best apps for painting contractors
4. Working hours
State your working hours or shift options so candidates know what to expect. That way, they’ll only apply if the schedule works for their needs.
Make sure to include whether the painter’s job is full-time or part-time, seasonal or year-round, and permanent or temporary.
Sample working hours:
- Full-time, year-round
- Mon–Fri, 9:00am–5:00pm
- Overtime available but not required
5. Role compensation
Include how much the job pays, even if it’s a pay range. This tells applicants whether the compensation is in the right range for them and sets expectations early on.
Your painter job description should also include non-financial compensation and perks—for example, an employee bonus program, paid days off, health insurance, or retirement plan matching.
Sample compensation:
- $17–20/hour (based on experience)
- Signing bonus and year-round bonus opportunities
- Health insurance, including dental and vision
- Paid holidays, time off, and parental leave
- 401(k) matching and life insurance
6. Company overview
Even if your painting company is well-known locally, it’s a good idea to tell applicants more about the business. This is your chance to explain why applicants should work for you.
Include details about your company like:
- How many years you’ve been in business
- Company mission, vision, and values
- What kind of employee experience you offer
- Why your employees work with you
- Professional development and long-term career opportunities
Your painting company overview could look something like this:
About Patch & Pour Painting Co.
Patch & Pour Painting Co. is a premier painting company that provides top-quality painting services to homeowners and businesses in Richmond. We have been in operation for over 10 years and specialize in both interior and exterior painting, as well as other services such as pressure washing, drywall repair, and staining.
Our company is driven by our dedication to high-quality work and exceptional service, and we reward our employees for upholding these values with a strong bonus program. We also offer competitive benefits and a supportive workplace where passionate painters can build a lifelong career.
Pro Tip: When you’ve finished writing your painting company overview, save it and use it again in all of your future job postings.
READ MORE: How to build a business where employees want to work
You should also include instructions for applying to your painter job posting, whether you want painters to apply through email or using an online application form on a job board like Indeed.
Say what the application deadline is and if you need a resume, cover letter, and list of references.
Frequently asked questions
How much to pay a painter
On average, painters earn $38,476/year (USD). This amount can vary depending on the painter’s experience level and where they’re working.
For example, new painters earn around $30,123 per year on average, while painters with 19+ years of experience make $46,682.
Geographical area plays a role in a painter’s wages, too. A painter in Alaska can earn $46,322 on average, but the same painter may only earn $32,493 in West Virginia.
What experience or training does a painter need?
Painting companies often prefer hiring painters with at least one year of on-the-job experience. That way they don’t have to invest time training new hires to use a brush and roller.
Many painter jobs require a high school diploma or GED, as well as a trade program certificate or completed apprenticeship program.
Depending on the area, painters may also need a contractor’s license or other certification before they can legally provide services.
What does a painter do?
Painters can apply primer, paint, or stain to a wide range of surfaces, like walls, furniture, siding, and decks. Their purpose is to change the way these surfaces look and feel.
Some painters may also apply wallpaper, shiplap, and other wall coverings. Depending on their interests and skill level, a painter may even create detailed murals and feature walls in a space.
Painters can work as independent contractors, work for a painting company, or be employed or subcontracted by a property management company or other business.
What are the duties and responsibilities of a painter?
A painter will cover furniture and flooring, prepare surfaces for painting and make minor repairs as needed, mix paint to achieve the desired color, and safely apply paint to the surface.
They often work directly with the client to schedule the job and ensure the client is happy with the finished work. Some companies require painters to ask clients for reviews after each job.
Depending on the painter’s seniority level, they may also be responsible for quoting painting jobs, sending invoices, and collecting payment from the customer.
What makes a good painter?
Good painters are familiar with color theory, have a good knowledge of different painting techniques, and can use a variety of painting tools.
Painters should have physical strength and be able to perform repetitive motions, like brushing and rolling paint. They may need to balance on ladders for some time.
A good painter also needs an eye for detail, good time management skills, and the ability to complete painting projects on time and on budget.