Notes from the field.

A Change Is Coming

JRS Painting is well known for its razor-straight cut-in lines. Many years ago, when I was a journeyman painter, it was easy to tell a painter's experience just by how well they handled a paintbrush. Not anymore. In today's world, a painter may be considered an amateur for even thinking he or she could make a straight line freehand using only a brush. In fact, a valid argument could be made that the brush itself is becoming a thing of the past. And for that matter, the highly valued skills of today could be practically irrelevant tomorrow.

This industry is constantly undergoing change. With changes in technique and technology, we are on a pace to solve tomorrow's problems today. It is essential for today's contractor and painter to continually engage with what is new or upcoming in the industry. If you are painting homes the same way you did ten years ago, chances are you're doing it wrong. Furthermore, we must stop thinking in terms of competition and think more like partners pooling our resources to grow stronger together. Contractors and painters alike must actively seek out information from both national and international sources. I'm a member of the Painting Contractors of America (PCA), and it has proven to be a very valuable resource. But we can't afford to just stop there. There are other sources — national and international organizations and companies — that provide a wealth of information, videos, and podcasts to help painters solve problems and learn more about what we do, each and every week. We who are leaders in the industry should be conducting in-house research and development, and ongoing off-site training. It is a very common practice that many painters are on the job, learning as they go.

One of the biggest benefits of research and development is the development of standard operating procedures for many common tasks. It simply saves time, money, and even the occasional frustration to execute a standard operating procedure instead of constantly reinventing the wheel.

My father was a painter, and so I grew up with a paintbrush in my hands. But I must admit, one's own personal experience just isn't enough. It takes a village.

I'm old enough to remember when airless spray equipment first became widespread on the market. Now we have specialized spray equipment for each component of the job — including those that spray the paint and the ones spraying the plaster. I heard one painter in Europe mention that he doesn't use paint rollers anymore. It makes a person wonder what's next.