How to become a painter or decorator
Official title: Painters and decorators
Also called: Painter, Decorator, Ship painter, House painter, Spray painter, Bridge painter, Marine painter, Scenic painter, House decorator, Buildings painter, Painter-decorator, Interior decorator
Painters and decorators use traditional and modern methods to apply or repair paint, varnish, wallpaper and other protective and decorative materials to interior and exterior walls and surfaces, paint designs on wood, glass, metal, plastics and other materials, and stain, wax and French polish wood surfaces by hand.
Main tasks
- Erects working platform or scaffolding up to five metres in height
- Prepares surfaces by cleaning, sanding and filling cracks and holes with appropriate filler
- Applies primer, undercoat and finishing coat(s) using brush, roller, or spray equipment
- Mixes adhesive or removes self-adhesive backing and positions covering material on wall, matching up patterns where appropriate and removing wrinkles and air bubbles by hand or brush
- Stains, waxes and French polishes wood surfaces by hand
How to become one
There are no formal academic entry requirements, though GCSEs/S grades are advantageous. Entry is typically through an approved apprenticeship programme or college course in conjunction with on-the-job training, leading to a NVQ/SVQ level 2/3 qualification, or through building up work experience supplemented with short courses.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Painter and decorator (level 2). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0295.
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £32,763 a year The middle half earn £28,462 to £39,007.
- About 85,700 people work in this job now, and about 80,500 are projected by 2035. (-6.1%)
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Questions people ask
How do I become a painter or decorator?
There are no formal academic entry requirements, though GCSEs/S grades are advantageous. Entry is typically through an approved apprenticeship programme or college course in conjunction with on-the-job training, leading to a NVQ/SVQ level 2/3 qualification, or through building up work experience supplemented with short courses.
How much does a painter or decorator earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £32,763 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £28,462 to £39,007.
Is a painter or decorator a growing career in the UK?
Employment is projected to fall 6% by 2035, from about 85,700 to about 80,500 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a painter or decorator?
Usually not. Only 10% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Painter and decorator (level 2).
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03