Commercial Painting Q & A

Commercial Painting Questions Answered by CertaPro Painters of Mountainside, NJ.

Posted on May 28, 2023

What is the difference between commercial painting & industrial painting?

For CertaPro, “Commercial Painting” can cover a wide variety of verticals such as office space, retail, schools, religious facilities, etc.,  “Industrial Painting” covers warehouses, tilt-ups, engine rooms, water towers, etc.  Both could include either exterior or interior painting projects at these types of facilities.

What are the benefits of exterior commercial painting?

Exterior commercial painting will improve the curb appeal of your property and make it more desirable for tenants.  Existing tenants will be proud of their space and be more likely to renew their lease, and a well-maintained building will attract new tenants to the property.  In addition, keeping your building coated on a regular basis (approximately 5-7 year cycle) will protect the structure from mold, mildew, decay, water penetration and ultimately structural issues.

What is the importance of commercial painting?

Commercial painting will improve the curb appeal of your property, while extending the life-span of a building.  Tenants will be proud of their space and feel as though they are getting good value for their rental fees.

How often should you paint an office?

As a standard practice, 5-7 years is a standard timeline to budget for painting an office.  There are many types of offices, so it would depend on the amount of wear & tear the space absorbs.  As an example: multi-use buildings, (warehouse & office space) tend to get dirty because of the environment – doctors’ offices are usually high traffic areas with narrow hallways, so the walls are bumped into more often.

How many coats of painting should you put on a wall?

Whether you put one or two coats of paint on the wall or other surfaces comes down to a handful of factors – changing colors, extensive damage/prep work, long time since it’s been painted, 2 Coats.  If it’s just a refresh on the same color, and it was painted within 2-3 years prior, then 1 Coat of paint may be adequate.  When painting with darker colors (accent walls, feature walls) then 3 Coats of paint may be needed to really make that deep base color stand out.

What makes a successful painting project?

A successful painting project comes down to planning and prep work.  A pre-job walk-through is important to discuss logistics such as timing, employee parking, boxing office supplies, sensitive areas, etc.  Prep work is the key to a professional paint process and the end result – filling holes, scraping/sanding peeling paint and priming repairs are key to the clean aesthetic and longevity of the paint job.

Is commercial painting expensive? 

Commercial painting tends to be more expensive than residential painting – commercial painting takes a higher skill level than residential painting, so these painters tend to garner a higher wage.  Also, commercial/industrial coatings cost more than standard residential coatings – they are more durable and are manufactured to stand up to the daily wear & tear of these facilities.  Lift/bathroom rental, masonry repairs/expansion joint replacement and pro-grade paint spraying equipment are all extras that add to the overall cost of a project.