Punjab PSEB Sr. Sec. NSQF Construction (Painter & Decorator) cheat sheet

PPE selection: solvent-borne paints require nitrile gloves, sealed goggles and a respirator with an organic-vapour cartridge; sanding dust requires a P2 or P3 particulate filter.

Flammability: most paint solvents have flash points below 23°C; keep flames, sparks and smoking away, and store solvents in closed containers in a ventilated area.

Ventilation: use cross-ventilation or forced extraction when applying solvent-based products; never work in a sealed room without adequate air exchange.

Lead paint: in older buildings assume paint may contain lead; avoid dry sanding and burning, and use wet sanding, chemical strippers or HEPA vacuum equipment with suitable PPE.

Ladder rule: set the foot one unit out for every four units of height, giving about 75°; extend the ladder at least 1 m above the landing and use three-point contact.

Scaffold rule: inspect before use, fit guardrails and toe boards, place base plates on sole boards, and never move a scaffold while a person is on it.

Electrical safety: use a 30 mA RCD, inspect leads for damage, keep water and paint away from outlets, and never work with wet hands on electrical equipment.

Waste and rags: solvent-soaked rags can self-heat; place them in a self-closing metal bin and dispose of paint waste according to local rules, never pouring thinner down a drain.

Eye first aid: flush a chemical splash with clean water for at least 15 minutes, remove contact lenses if present, and seek medical help.

Brush choice: natural bristle suits solvent-borne oil and alkyd paints; synthetic filaments suit water-based emulsions because natural bristles soften in water.

Roller nap: use about 3–6 mm for smooth surfaces, 8–12 mm for normal walls and 15–20 mm for rough masonry or textured finishes.

Spray equipment: match tip orifice and fan width to coating viscosity and area size; a worn or wrong tip gives an uneven fan, overspray or poor atomisation.

Extension ladder overlap: provide at least 1 m overlap for ladders up to about 6 m and secure both the top and the foot before climbing.

Scaffold platform: fully plank the working platform, keep gaps no wider than about 25 mm, and fit guardrails at about 1 m plus toe boards.

Material handling: carry long boards, doors and planks with two people, bend the knees, keep the load close, and never carry paint up a ladder by hand.

Mixing: use a low-speed paddle to avoid whipping air into paint; follow the exact mix ratio for two-pack products and strain old or skimmed paint.

Cleaning: clean water-based products before the film cures; use the compatible thinner for solvent-borne products, and never mix solvent and water waste streams.

Storage: keep containers closed, upright, off the floor and protected from frost and heat; label opened containers with the product name and date.

Moisture check: test plaster, concrete and wood with a moisture meter; do not coat damp substrates, because trapped water causes blistering, peeling or efflorescence.

Alkaline substrates: new cement plaster and concrete are alkaline; use an alkali-resisting primer before oil, alkyd or gloss finishes, especially at high pH.

Glossy surfaces: wash with sugar soap or a degreaser, rinse, and abrade until dull so the new coating can key to the old film.

Wood preparation: sand along the grain, fill defects, apply knotting or shellac over resinous knots, and prime before undercoating.

Metal preparation: remove rust to bare metal, degrease, and apply the specified primer the same day; galvanised steel usually needs an etch or mordant primer.

Chalky surfaces: remove loose chalk with a brush or washing, then apply a penetrating stabiliser or sealer before painting.

Cracks: rake out, fill with a suitable filler, tape where movement is likely, allow to dry, and sand flush before priming.

Dust control: vacuum with a HEPA machine and wipe with a tack cloth immediately before coating; dust left on the surface causes poor adhesion and rough finish.

Adhesion test: apply a small test patch or tape test on a hidden area; if the old coating lifts, strip or repair before full application.

Paint composition: pigment gives colour and opacity, binder forms the film, solvent or water carries the product, and additives control flow, drying, foaming and preservation.

Primer, undercoat and finish: primer bonds to the substrate and seals it, undercoat builds film and uniform colour, and finish gives colour, sheen and weather resistance.

Alkyd versus acrylic: alkyd is solvent-borne, hard and glossy but yellows and needs solvent clean-up; acrylic is water-borne, flexible, fast-drying and lower in odour.

Sheen choice: matt hides surface defects but cleans poorly; silk, eggshell and gloss clean more easily but show unevenness and brush marks.

Putty use: putty fills shallow defects only; it is not a structural filler, must be applied thin, allowed to dry and sanded before priming.

Two-pack products: mix base and hardener in the exact ratio, observe pot life, and never return mixed material to the original container.

Thinning: add thinner only as stated by the manufacturer; over-thinning reduces coverage, film build and durability.

Primer selection: use wood primer on timber, zinc phosphate or red oxide type on steel, and alkali-resisting primer on cement and masonry.

Storage: protect paint from frost and direct heat, keep lids tight, and use within shelf life; skinning or gelling indicates unusable material.

Wet film thickness = dry film thickness × 100 ÷ percentage volume solids; use this to check whether enough paint is applied to reach the specified dry film.

Recoating: apply the next coat within the manufacturer's recoat window; if the window is exceeded, abrade the surface to provide a key.

Brush work: cut in about 50–75 mm from edges, apply paint evenly, and lay off in one direction with light pressure to reduce brush marks.

Roller work: spread in a W pattern, use light pressure, overlap passes by about 50%, and keep a wet edge to avoid lap marks.

Spray work: hold the gun about 20–30 cm from the surface, keep it perpendicular, and overlap each pass by about 50%; adjust viscosity only as specified.

Environment: apply within the manufacturer's temperature and humidity range; avoid direct hot sun, strong wind and high humidity that cause poor flow or blushing.

Film build: two thin coats are better than one thick coat because thick films sag, trap solvent and dry unevenly.

Test patch: apply the full system to a small area and check colour, sheen and texture under the final lighting before full application.

Tape removal: remove masking tape at a slight angle while the paint is still soft enough to cut cleanly without tearing the film.

Wallcovering preparation: size the wall so paste does not soak in too quickly, and never hang wallpaper over damp, loose or dirty plaster.

Pattern repeat: add one full repeat per drop when estimating; match straight, offset or reverse patterns at the seam according to the design.

Seams: make butt joins, use a seam roller without squeezing paste onto the face, and avoid stretching the wallcovering during hanging.

Decorative glazes: use a slow-drying glaze and work wet-on-wet; test the technique on a sample board because open time changes with temperature and airflow.

Stencilling: fix the stencil with low-tack adhesive, use a stipple brush and light coats, and clean the stencil between repeats to keep edges sharp.

Special effects: sponging, rag rolling, colour washing and metallic finishes require a compatible base coat and a sealed sample for client approval.

Removal: score the surface, apply remover or steam, scrape carefully, then wash off paste residue before preparing the wall for new decoration.

Borders and feature walls: plan the layout from a datum line and check pattern alignment at corners before cutting strips.

Wall area = room perimeter × wall height − area of large openings; ceiling area = length × width.

Paint litres = total area × number of coats ÷ coverage in m² per litre; use the coverage stated on the product data sheet.

Wastage: add about 5–10% for normal surfaces, and more for rough, porous or highly textured surfaces that consume extra paint.

Primers and undercoats: calculate each product separately because primer, undercoat and finish usually have different coverage rates.

Putty quantity: use the manufacturer's kg/m² per coat and multiply by the prepared area and number of filling coats.

Labour cost: price by measured area × rate/m² or by workdays × daily rate; include surface preparation, masking and cleaning time.

Total price = materials + labour + access equipment + overheads + profit + applicable taxes; show each item in the quotation.

Openings: deduct doors, windows and other large openings above about 1 m²; confirm the measurement rule in the quotation to avoid disputes.

Quotation: state areas, products, number of coats, preparation, exclusions, payment stages, completion time and warranty in writing.

Quotation content: include scope, substrate condition, products, coats, measured area, price, taxes, timeline, warranty and clear exclusions.

Active listening: repeat the customer's requirement in your own words and confirm measurements, colours, finishes and dates in writing before ordering.

Complaint handling: acknowledge the complaint, inspect the defect, record findings, agree the remedy, rectify the work and obtain customer sign-off.

Toolbox talk: a short pre-work briefing covers the task, hazards, control measures, PPE, emergency arrangements and questions from the team.

Records: keep invoices, product batch numbers, safety data sheets, measurements, photographs and warranty documents for each project.

Entrepreneurship: calculate break-even, separate business and personal money, price all labour and overheads, and register for GST when turnover exceeds the applicable threshold.

Digital communication: use written messages and before/after photographs with customer consent, and protect customer contact and address data.

Team communication: assign clear work sequences, responsibilities and handover points so preparation, painting and inspection do not overlap incorrectly.

Work sequence: protect the area, clean and repair, prime, undercoat, apply finish coats, inspect, touch up, clean and hand over.

Mock-up: paint a sample board or small area with the full specified system and obtain approval for colour, sheen and texture before full work.

Work plan: measure areas, calculate materials, order products, schedule trades and confirm access equipment before starting.

Protection: cover floors and furniture, mask edges and fittings, isolate electrical points, and maintain ventilation throughout the work.

Application planning: complete one wall or room section at a time to keep a wet edge and avoid visible stopping lines.

Daily care: clean brushes, rollers and spray equipment at the end of each shift, and store brushes flat or hanging without deforming the bristles.

Waste control: separate solvent waste, empty cans and contaminated rags, keep the site clean, and remove waste at the agreed stage.

Handover: complete a snag list, carry out touch-up, provide care instructions and obtain written acceptance from the customer.

Inspection lighting: check the finished work under normal lighting and angled light, and compare it with the approved sample before sign-off.

Inspection standard: view the surface at about 1 m under normal and angled light, and compare colour, sheen and texture with the approved sample.

Blistering: usually caused by moisture or heat; find and remove the source, strip the affected area, dry the substrate, prime and recoat.

Peeling and flaking: caused by poor adhesion or contamination; remove loose film to a sound edge, sand, clean, prime and recoat.

Cracking: often follows substrate movement; rake out, fill, tape where needed and recoat; refer structural cracks to a qualified person.

Efflorescence: white salts come from moisture moving through masonry; brush off dry, wash, allow to dry and apply alkali-resisting primer.

Mildew: associated with damp and poor ventilation; treat with a fungicidal wash, dry the substrate and use a suitable mould-resistant coating.

Runs and sags: caused by overapplication, excessive thinning or a wet surface; allow to dry, sand flat and recoat with controlled thin coats.

Holidays: thin or missed areas show as patchy colour; recoat the area evenly and check coverage under angled light.

Film thickness and adhesion: check dry film thickness with a gauge and use a tape test on a representative area before accepting the finish.