All careers

Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers

Paint, coat, or decorate articles, such as furniture, glass, plateware, pottery, jewelry, toys, books, or leather.

What you’d do

  • Apply coatings, such as paint, ink, or lacquer, to protect or decorate workpiece surfaces, using spray guns, pens, or brushes.
  • Examine finished surfaces of workpieces to verify conformance to specifications and retouch any defective areas.
  • Clean and maintain tools and equipment, using solvents, brushes, and rags.
  • Read job orders and inspect workpieces to determine work procedures and materials required.

Skills that matter

  • Active Listening
  • Coordination
  • Monitoring
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Critical Thinking
  • Reading Comprehension

How to get there

Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

Also called

  • Decorator
  • Glazer
  • Painter
  • Pottery Decorator
  • Decaler
  • Glass Decorator

Related careers

See all careers

  • Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

    Set up, operate, or tend spraying or rolling machines to coat or paint any of a wide variety of products, including glassware, cloth…

    Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

  • Etchers and Engravers

    Engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Includes such workers as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and…

    Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

  • Painters, Construction and Maintenance

    Paint walls, equipment, buildings, bridges, and other structural surfaces, using brushes, rollers, and spray guns.

    Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

  • Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic

    • Bright Outlook
    • Rapid Growth

    Mold, shape, form, cast, or carve products such as food products, figurines, tile, pipes, and candles consisting of clay, glass, plaster…

    Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

  • Furniture Finishers

    Shape, finish, and refinish damaged, worn, or used furniture or new high-grade furniture to specified color or finish.

    Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

  • Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand

    Grind, sand, or polish, using hand tools or hand-held power tools, a variety of metal, wood, stone, clay, plastic, or glass objects.

    Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one