Words you'll hear on the job site from day one. Know these before your first day and you'll sound like you've been doing this for years.
B
Running a roller (or brush) over a surface that was just sprayed with paint, while the paint is still wet. This pushes the paint into the texture of the surface and creates a better bond — especially important on wood siding.
"After spraying the siding, we always back-roll it to work the paint into the grain."
Mixing paint from two or more cans together into one large container before starting a job. This ensures the color is perfectly consistent across all cans, since slight variations can occur between batches.
"Box those two gallons before you start so you don't get a color difference halfway up the wall."
Spreading out a drip or heavy spot of paint using a brush before it dries. If you catch a run or drip immediately, you can brush it out smoothly. Once it dries, you'll need to sand it.
"Caught a drip on the door — brush it out quick before it sets."
C
Applying a flexible sealant (caulk) into gaps and cracks — typically between trim and walls, around windows, or at joints. Caulking before painting creates clean professional lines and prevents paint from cracking at these joints.
"Caulk all the trim joints before you paint or those gaps will show right through."
Painting a precise, straight edge with a brush along borders — where the wall meets the ceiling, where it meets trim, or at corners — without using painter's tape. A clean cut line is one of the most visible signs of a skilled painter.
"Cut in around the ceiling and trim first, then roll the walls."
How well a paint conceals the surface or color underneath it. High-hide paints cover in fewer coats. Coverage also refers to how many square feet a gallon of paint will cover (typically 350–400 sq ft per coat).
"That paint has great hide — one coat covered the red wall."
D
Dry time is when paint feels dry to the touch (usually 1–2 hours for latex).
Cure time is when paint reaches full hardness and durability (usually 30 days). You can recoat after dry time, but avoid washing or scrubbing until fully cured.
"It's dry enough to recoat in 2 hours, but don't scrub it for 30 days."
A protective covering (canvas or plastic) placed on floors and furniture to catch paint drips and overspray. Canvas drop cloths are reusable and don't slip underfoot — the professional standard.
"Lay down the drop cloths before you open a single can."
E
White, chalky powder deposits that form on the surface of masonry (brick, concrete, stucco) when water moves through it and leaves mineral salts behind. Paint will not bond over efflorescence — it must be cleaned off with a masonry cleaner first.
"That white powder on the brick is efflorescence — clean it before you prime."
F
Sanding or blending the edge of a patch or repair so it tapers smoothly into the surrounding surface and becomes invisible. If you don't feather a patch edge, it will show as a visible ridge under paint.
"Sand the edges of that patch and feather it out — you shouldn't be able to feel where it ends."
Uneven sheen on a painted wall — patches that appear duller or shinier than the surrounding area. Caused by unprimed repairs, inconsistent roller pressure, or painting over a porous surface. Always prime patches to prevent flashing.
"Those patches are flashing — you skipped primer. Sand them down and prime before the second coat."
The level of glossiness of a dried paint surface — from flat/matte (no shine) to eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and gloss (high shine). Higher sheen = more durable and washable but shows surface imperfections more.
L
Visible stripes or lines on a painted surface where overlapping sections of paint dried at different times. Caused by letting the wet edge dry before rolling the next section. Prevented by maintaining a wet edge and working at a consistent pace.
"You got lap marks on that wall — you let the edge dry before rolling back into it."
Picking up the right amount of paint on your brush or roller before applying it to the wall. Overloading causes drips and runs. Underloading causes drag marks and poor coverage.
"Don't overload the roller — roll out the excess on the tray grid first."
M
Covering surfaces you don't want painted with painter's tape, plastic sheeting, or drop cloths. Proper masking is especially critical when spraying, as overspray travels much further than brush or roller paint.
"Mask everything within 10 feet before you fire up the sprayer."
The thickness of a dried paint film, measured in mils (thousandths of an inch). Most interior paints dry to 2–4 mils per coat. Important in commercial and industrial painting where spec sheets require minimum film thickness.
"The spec calls for 4 mils dry film thickness — you'll need two coats."
The thin strips of wood or metal that divide a window into multiple panes of glass. When painting windows, muntins are always painted first using a small angled brush.
"Paint the muntins first, then the frame, then the sash."
N
The thickness of the fabric pile on a paint roller cover, measured in inches (e.g., 3/8" nap). Short nap for smooth surfaces, medium nap for most walls, long nap for rough or textured surfaces.
"Use a 3/4" nap on that stucco — a short nap won't get into the texture."
O
A bumpy, dimpled texture on a painted surface that resembles the skin of an orange. Can be intentional (a common wall texture) or a mistake when spraying caused by incorrect pressure, distance, or paint viscosity.
"That orange peel texture is intentional — the client wanted it to match the existing walls."
Paint mist that drifts beyond the intended surface when using a sprayer. Can land on cars, plants, windows, and neighboring surfaces. Preventing overspray requires proper masking and using lower pressure settings.
"Cover the landscaping before you spray — overspray will kill plants."
P
A preparatory coating applied before paint to improve adhesion, seal porous surfaces, block stains, and ensure even coverage. Skipping primer on new drywall, bare wood, or stains is one of the most common beginner mistakes.
"Always prime bare drywall — without it, you'll get flashing no matter how many coats you put on."
R
Streaks of paint that flow downward on a vertical surface because too much paint was applied. Catch them immediately and brush them out. If they dry, they must be sanded smooth before recoating.
"You loaded too much paint on that door — you've got runs on the panel."
S
The movable frame of a window that holds the glass and slides up and down (or in and out). When painting windows, keep paint off the sash channels and moving mechanisms to prevent the window from sticking shut.
"Paint the sash last and keep it moving while the paint dries so it doesn't stick."
A thin layer of joint compound or plaster applied over an entire wall to create a perfectly smooth surface — especially used to cover textured walls or repair damaged plaster. One of the most valuable and rare skills in painting.
"They want smooth walls in the whole house — we'll need to skim coat everything."
A lightweight filler compound used to fill nail holes, small cracks, and surface imperfections before painting. Applied with a putty knife, allowed to dry, then sanded smooth. Always prime spackled areas before painting.
"Spackle all the nail holes, let them dry, sand them smooth, then prime."
The surface being painted — drywall, wood, metal, concrete, etc. Different substrates require different prep procedures, primers, and paint types. Knowing your substrate determines every product choice you make.
"What's the substrate? If it's bare concrete, you'll need masonry primer, not regular latex."
T
A sticky cheesecloth used to wipe surfaces clean of sanding dust before painting. Sanding dust left on a surface will mix into the paint and create a gritty, rough finish. Always tack cloth after sanding.
"Wipe it down with a tack cloth after you sand — you don't want dust in your finish coat."
All the decorative woodwork in a room — baseboards, door casings, window casings, crown molding, and chair rails. Trim is always painted last in the painting sequence, after ceilings and walls.
"Finish the walls first, then come back and cut all the trim."
A heavy-duty cleaner used to wash walls before painting — especially in kitchens and bathrooms where grease, smoke, or mildew may be present. Paint will not adhere properly to greasy or dirty surfaces.
"Wash those kitchen walls with TSP before you prime — the grease will kill adhesion."
V
Chemical compounds in paint that evaporate into the air as it dries, creating fumes and odor. High-VOC products (oil-based paints, lacquers) require strong ventilation. Low-VOC and zero-VOC latex paints are safer for indoor use.
"Oil primer has high VOCs — open the windows and put on your respirator."
W
The boundary of freshly applied paint that hasn't yet begun to dry. Maintaining a wet edge — always overlapping into wet paint before it sets — is essential for avoiding lap marks. If your phone rings while rolling, finish the wall first.
"Keep your wet edge — don't stop in the middle of a wall or you'll get a hard line."
Words you'll hear when working for a painting company — or when building your own. Understanding these early gives you a huge advantage.
B
A formal written offer to complete a job for a specific price. A bid includes the scope of work, materials, labor, and total cost. Winning bids requires accurate estimating — too high and you lose the job, too low and you lose money.
"I submitted a bid for the office building — $18,000 for the full interior."
The point at which your revenue exactly covers all your costs — no profit, no loss. Understanding your break-even point helps you price jobs so you always make money, even on smaller projects.
"At $400 a day I just break even after materials and insurance — I need to charge at least $600."
C
A written amendment to the original contract that covers additional work, materials, or changes requested by the client after the job has started. Never do extra work without a signed change order — verbal agreements lead to payment disputes.
"They want to add the garage — write up a change order for $800 before you touch it."
A written agreement between you and the client that outlines the scope of work, payment terms, timeline, and what's included or excluded. A contract protects both parties and eliminates misunderstandings.
"Never start a job over $500 without a signed contract."
D
An upfront payment — typically 25–50% of the total job cost — collected before starting work. Deposits cover your material costs and protect you if the client cancels. Standard practice in the painting industry.
"I collect 30% deposit before I buy materials — non-negotiable."
E
A calculated approximation of the total cost of a job — including materials, labor, overhead, and profit margin. An accurate estimate is one of the most important business skills a painter can develop.
"Measure the square footage, calculate materials, add labor and overhead, and that's your estimate."
G
The main contractor who manages an entire construction project and hires subcontractors (like painters) for specific trades. Working for a GC means your painting company is a subcontractor on their project.
"The GC hired us to paint the whole building — 12,000 square feet of commercial space."
The total amount of money your business brings in before subtracting any expenses. Not the same as profit. Tim Oliphant earned over $100K in gross revenue — after expenses, his net profit was lower.
"We did $180K in gross revenue last year, but after materials and insurance, net was around $120K."
I
A document sent to the client requesting payment for completed work. A professional invoice includes your business name, the client's name, a description of work performed, the amount owed, and payment terms.
"Job's done — send them the invoice and follow up in 3 days if you haven't been paid."
L
Insurance that covers property damage or bodily injury you accidentally cause while working. Most homeowners and commercial clients require proof of liability insurance before allowing any contractor on their property. Typically $1M minimum, ~$100–200/month.
"Before I started the job, they asked for a certificate of insurance — standard for any commercial client."
A business structure that separates your personal assets from your business liabilities. If a client sues your painting business, an LLC protects your personal bank account and property. Typically costs $50–200/year to maintain.
"Set up an LLC before you take your first solo client — it costs $50 and protects everything you own."
M
The percentage added on top of your costs to generate profit. If paint costs $100 and you charge the client $140, your markup is 40%. Most painting contractors apply a 20–50% markup on materials.
"Materials came to $400 — add 30% markup and charge the client $520 for materials."
O
The ongoing business costs you pay regardless of how many jobs you do — insurance, vehicle expenses, tools, phone, website, advertising. Overhead must be factored into every job estimate, otherwise you're working for less than you think.
"My overhead runs about $800/month — that's $200 per job I need to cover before I make a dollar of profit."
P
How many square feet a painter can prep, prime, or paint per hour. Production rates are the foundation of accurate labor estimates. Track your own rate on every job — experienced painters typically roll 200–300 sq ft of wall per hour.
"At 250 sq ft per hour, a 1,000 sq ft room takes about 4 hours to roll — budget accordingly."
What remains after all expenses (materials, labor, overhead) are subtracted from your revenue. Net profit is what you actually take home. A $1,000 job with $400 in materials and $200 in overhead leaves $400 in net profit.
"Revenue minus costs equals profit — that's the only number that matters at the end of the day."
S
A detailed written description of exactly what work will be performed on a job — what surfaces, what products, how many coats, what's included, and what's not. A clear scope prevents disputes about what was or wasn't agreed upon.
"The scope says two coats on walls only — ceilings and trim are not included in this price."
An independent contractor hired by another contractor (or general contractor) to perform specific work. Subcontractors are self-employed, pay their own taxes (1099), and provide their own tools and insurance. Many painters start as subcontractors before going fully independent.
"I subcontracted for two other painting companies my first year — steady work while I built my own client base."
W
A
warranty is your promise to fix any defects in your work within a specified period (typically 1–2 years). A
callback is when a client calls you back to fix a problem — usually peeling, cracking, or missed areas. Good prep work eliminates most callbacks.
"If you prep properly, you'll never get a callback. Callbacks cost you time and kill your reputation."
Business that comes from satisfied clients recommending you to others — the most powerful and cost-free form of marketing. As Tim Oliphant said: "Everyone trusts their friends recommending services." Building a reputation for quality work is the most valuable long-term investment in your business.
"Half my business now comes from word of mouth — do great work and the phone keeps ringing."