Crafts

Painting & Decorating

Painters and Decorators are highly skilled, trained professionals who select, prepare and apply paints and other coatings to interior and exterior building surfaces and other structures such as bridges, pipelines, towers, dams, machinery and industrial complexes. These surfaces can be made up of wood, plaster, stucco, stone, gypsum drywall board, concrete, brick or steel. As a Painter & Decorator, you will also prepare surfaces of wood, metal or masonry for painting. You would apply wall coverings such as papers, cottons, muslin, burlap, grass cloth, vinyl, epoxy resin combinations, faux finishes and cambric-backed wood veneer.

One of the most important duties of a professional Painter & Decorator is to prepare the surface. You would remove old paint with blow torches, by sandblasting, using a scraper and a wire brush, or by applying paint remover. You would be choosing the correct type of paint, including the appropriate prime coat, and mix pigments and oils to obtain the required color and consistency.

Many jobs require highly elaborate and intricate designs, which are difficult and time- consuming to do. These jobs will give you a sense of pride and satisfaction knowing you played a part in the beautification of that building.

A Paperhanger covers walls and ceilings with decorative wall coverings made of paper, vinyl or fabric. You would first prepare the surface to be covered with a sealant, then prepare the adhesive. Then you would measure the area to be covered and place the strips on the wall, making sure the pattern is matched, the strips are hung straight and that there is no excess adhesive.

A professional Painter and Decorator must have a manual dexterity, as well as steady nerves to work in high places. You should not be allergic to paint fumes or spray dust. An artistic sense, good eyesight and a sense of color contribute to doing a first-class job.

Glazing & Glass Working

Glaziers are highly skilled, trained professionals who are responsible for selecting, cutting, installing, replacing, and removing all types of glass. Residential glazing involves work such as replacing glass in home windows, installing glass mirrors, shower doors and bathtub enclosures, as well as fitting glass for tabletops and display cases. On commercial interior projects, glaziers install items such as heavy, often etched, decorative room dividers or security windows. Glazing projects may also involve replacement of storefront windows for establishments like banks, supermarkets and auto dealerships. In the construction of large commercial buildings, glaziers build metal framework extrusions and install glass panels or curtain walls.

Good reading and math skills are essential as a glazier because you must be able to read and interpret blue prints, shop drawings, window and door schedules, and various specifications. You must be able to take this information and transfer it to the lay-out of the work installed. The glazing trade also requires highly elaborate and intricate designs, which are difficult and time-consuming to do.

A fair degree of strength and agility are necessary, as there is plenty of heavy lifting. Safe work habits are essential because of the risks involved in glazing. The glazier may find him/herself at ground level one minute and several stories high the next. The glazing trade can be very rewarding from both a personal and financial perspective. These jobs will give you a sense of pride and satisfaction knowing you played a part in the beautification of that building.

Floor Covering

Floor Covering Installers are highly skilled trained professionals who install, replace, or repair resilient flooring in homes, apartments and commercial buildings. You will also install flooring products in transportation vehicles.

As a Floor Covering Installer, you will install flooring products such as carpet, linoleum and vinyl sheet goods, rubber flooring, vinyl composition tile and laminate flooring. Installers fit and bond these materials to wood, concrete, metal and ceramic tile floor materials, and also counter tops and walls, in residential and commercial locations.

Many jobs require highly elaborate and intricate designs which are difficult and time-consuming to install. These jobs will give you a sense of pride and satisfaction knowing you played a part in the beautification of that building.

Drywall Finishing

Drywall Tapers and Finishers are highly skilled, trained professionals who prepare and finish gypsum wallboard surfaces by taping, spotting, pointing, filing, finishing and sanding all field surfaces, such as joints, angles and internal and external corners. Drywall finishers also apply protective coverings, sealers and decorative finishes and moldings to interior walls and ceilings.

Skill in hand-filling and machine-tool methods is required for preparation and application. Drywall finishers must be familiar with all aspects of the trade, including the tools, materials, procedures, environmental conditions on the job site, safety and the various regulations and standards of the industry. Skilled drywall finishers are well-organized and capable of working independently. You should be somewhat physically fit to perform the tasks required by the trade and capable of taking detailed instruction on the job site. Many jobs require high attention to detail and precision, which are difficult and time-consuming to do. These jobs will give you a sense of pride and satisfaction knowing you played a part in the beautification of that building.

A professional Drywall Finisher must have a manual dexterity, as well as steady nerves to work in high places. You shouldn't be allergic to paint fumes or spray dust. An artistic sense, good eyesight and attention to detail contribute to doing a first-class job.