What Common Mistakes Do Commercial Office Painters Make?

Jordan Paul , null

June 24th, 2022

What Common Mistakes Do Commercial Office Painters Make?

Professional painters are very good at what they do, but even the pros make mistakes occasionally. Sometimes in an attempt to improve a situation, commercial painters inadvertently make it worse. Today, we will discuss a few common office painting mistakes commercial painters make and how to avoid making them.

Moving Obstacles In the Way

Professional painters often are placed in situations where time constraints make performing a great job very difficult. As a result, sometimes they must make on the spot decisions due to new information, like discovering the customer placed an obstacle in their way. Commercial painting is frequently done over a weekend when the customer is unavailable.

Generally speaking, it is the client’s responsibility to make sure the painters have unfettered access to anything they are hired to paint. However, this isn’t always done correctly and the painter may be faced with either finishing the project, or moving furniture. In an effort to complete the project, sometimes the painter will move items that are later found to be missing or damaged, resulting in liability.

This imparts unnecessary responsibility on the painter, so the solution is often to inspect the area before the employees leave to ensure there are no issues accessing the required areas. This method protects not only the items, but the painter as well. Some painting companies take before and after photos, just in case any issues pop up in the future.

Spraying Paint That Should Be Rolled

Occasionally, commercial office painters will try to complete a project as fast as possible by spraying paint that really requires more brush or roller work. Spraying is much faster than brushing and rolling paint, but spraying paint can be difficult to control, especially in tight areas. The resulting overspray can be more time consuming to remove than brushing or rolling the paint originally.

Paint sprayers can allow for small paint particles to dry quickly and become airborne, which often appear as dust. The effect is similar to an orange peel texture, which dulls the sheen of the paint. Errant airborne paint dust can be harmful for sensitive electronics, not to mention the cleaning that will be required before the space can be used.

On a factory floor the dust may be less of a concern, but in an office setting, once the dust becomes airborne the HVAC system can disburse it into a wider area. Plenum spaces (the area above a drop ceiling used for air circulation) can also distribute the particles, dropping them in an area unrelated to the project. The air in these spaces is eventually filtered, but many are not effective against tiny airborne particles.

The solution is for these painters to use more controlled application of the paint, such as with brushes and rollers. This may be slower, but it usually produces the best overall results and tends to reduce problems later on. This practice is especially useful for smaller, hard to reach areas that might take longer to access than they do to paint

Disconnecting Electronics Without Permission

Professional painters are dedicated professionals and want to do the best job possible. Just like with moving furniture, sometimes workers forget to shut down their electronics before they leave, or leave processes running. In an effort to complete the project, sometimes professionals will personally disconnect and move technology preventing them from completing their work.

This can be problematic if a future problem arises, like missing data or mechanical failure. The professional just trying to do a great job, and correct someone else’s mistake can be held liable. Established painting companies will be insured against liability, but a much better practice is to simply avoid the problem.

The solution is often to have an agreement between the client and the painting company that clearly states that inaccessible areas will not be painted. Doing so, the painter is insulated either way and can’t be held responsible. In many cases, only a gentle reminder will ensure that a space is adequately prepared before the painters arrive.

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