Description
Prepare parts and surfaces for painting by cleaning, repairing, sanding, masking, and priming; set up prep areas and equipment, mix and label materials, and stage parts to ensure proper adhesion, finish quality, and safety compliance.
- • Review work orders and inspect parts to determine prep requirements and specifications.
- • Remove grease, dirt, wax, and rust using solvents, detergents, abrasives, or media blasting.
- • Sand surfaces to required grit and scuff adhesion areas using DA sanders, blocks, and scuff pads.
- • Featheredge existing coatings and blend repair areas to smooth transitions.
- • Fill dents, nicks, and scratches with body filler, putty, or glaze; shape and block-sand to contour.
- • Mask, tape, and plug openings to protect areas not to be painted.
- • Apply seam sealer and caulk where specified and smooth to finish.
- • Clean panels with tack cloths and prep solvents to remove dust and contaminants.
- • Mix primers, sealers, and cleaners to specifications and label containers.
- • Record prep steps, materials, batch numbers, and cure times on job forms or digital systems.
- • Set up and maintain prep areas, spray booths, and filtration; replace booth filters as needed.
- • Set up portable ventilators, exhaust units, ladders, or scaffolding to access work.
- • Hang, rack, or position parts on conveyors, stands, or fixtures for coating.
- • Operate carts, hoists, or lifts to move parts and materials safely.
- • Apply etch, epoxy, or primer-surfacer to prepared surfaces as directed.
- • Apply rust inhibitors and undercoats to specified substrates.
- • Use spray guns or primer applicators for small parts or spot-priming as required.
- • Adjust infrared lamps, heat lamps, or booth settings to control primer cure.
- • Measure film build, viscosity, and surface profile to verify prep and primer meet specs.
- • Inspect prepared and primed parts for defects such as pinholes, fisheyes, blisters, or scratches and correct causes.
- • Monitor prep and priming operations and make adjustments to prevent runs, dry spray, or contamination.
- • Keep tools, spray guns, sanders, and vacuum systems clean and in good working order.
- • Disassemble, clean, and reassemble primer guns and cups using approved solvents.
- • Dispose of sanding dust, filters, solvents, and other hazardous waste per regulations.
- • Maintain inventory of abrasives, tapes, masking materials, and primers; restock as needed.
- • Assist painters with color mixing, part staging, and handoff to paint operations.
- • Touch up edges or hard-to-reach areas with a brush when required.
- • Maintain housekeeping, ventilation, and PPE use to meet safety and environmental standards.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
