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Industrial and Commercial Painting: What's the Difference?

Worker painting a white wall

If you're looking for painting services for your business, you may have come across the terms "commercial painting" and "industrial painting" during your search. Two different names, but don't they amount to the same thing?

Actually, commercial and industrial painting are very different in a number of ways, and the service you choose will depend on the unique needs of your business. In this article, we'll take a look at the differences between industrial and commercial painting and help you make the right choice.

Industrial Painting vs. Commercial Painting

Painting your business's facility, even just one area, requires serious thought. It's not as easy as painting your home where you only need to choose a color scheme and hire a reputable painter. You need to consider whether any downtime is required during the project, find a painting crew and obtain estimates, and possibly arrange for the relocation of equipment. And all while running your business. That's why it's important to get the job done right the first time.

When it comes to the overall goal, commercial and industrial painting are the same: your building will end up being painted effectively and to improve overall operations. However, this is where the similarity ends. Commercial painting and industrial painting jobs are approached in different ways and can vary in complexity, cost, and finish.

Planning the Project

Commercial businesses are often customer-facing. As a result, commercial painting projects will typically take longer to complete than industrial projects. For example, great care will be taken in taping off areas or protecting areas from splashes and spills. Greater attention may also be paid to matching paint colors with your branding or company colors. In an industrial setting, these factors may not matter so much.

While industrial painting projects shouldn't be completed in a sloppy manner, taping off areas or choosing specific colors may not be such a high priority. It's also important to coordinate industrial painting projects with the building manager or business owner to ensure downtime or disruption is limited. In an industrial setting, it's common for equipment and machinery to be in use throughout the day. This may require painting teams to complete the work at the weekend or after normal working hours.

The Final Finish

The main difference between commercial painting and industrial painting is that commercial finishes need to look good. This type of painting is typically used where customers and visitors will be present. From restaurants and bars to stores and airports, commercial painting needs to be aesthetically pleasing and create a good impression. Paint finishes should also be durable and able to withstand higher traffic than residential paint finishes.

Industrial paint finishes, on the other hand, don't necessarily need to look pretty. The most important end goal for industrial painting is to form a protective layer of paint that is able to cope with intense working conditions. Whether painting walls or ductwork, an industrial painter will usually be focused on function rather than form.

In Need of a Refresh? Call in the Pros

Whether you need a commercial painter or industrial painter, it's essential that you get high-quality results and a finish that lasts for many years. The last thing you need is to have to arrange to have the job completed again in a couple of years. Here at PAINTech, we offer a wealth of expertise in commercial painting and we'd be delighted to speak to you about your project. We work on your schedule, weekends, or nights, to ensure your project is completed on time and we don’t disrupt operations. If you’re in the Greater Philadelphia and Main Line area, Maryland, Delaware, and Northern Virginia areas, contact us today for your painting services estimate.

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