Introduction
Faded walls, old colours, and surfaces that don’t correspond to your brand standard are a bad impression to all who come in through your doors. Commercial wall painting is not a simple application of a new colour but a process that needs to be properly prepared, the right products and types of paint to be used, scheduled around business hours, and a team of experienced professionals who understand the differences between commercial environments and residential projects.
This guide outlines the process of commercial wall painting, the type of commercial wall paint in different business rooms, the difference between commercial kitchen wall paint and other wall paint, how commercial painting is calculated and how to pick the best commercial painter to work on your Melbourne business.
How Does Commercial Wall Painting Work?
Commercial wall painting is an organized procedure that extends beyond the mere task of painting a wall. No painting work is scheduled before a professional commercial painter inspects the site, looking at wall conditions, determining if there is any damage, measuring surface areas, and consulting on colour and product choices.
After the scope has been agreed and products have been selected preparation begins. Walls are cleaned and repaired and then primer used if necessary. There is also a need for project planning around business hours when undertaking commercial wall painting in Melbourne. If the job is a commercial job, it’s often done in stages, in evenings or at the weekend, and the business works normally during the whole time. A professional commercial painter with commercial experience knows this and incorporates it from the beginning of the project.
How to Choose the Right Commercial Wall Paint
All paints are not suitable for all commercial settings. When choosing commercial wall paint, the key factors are the requirements of the space where it is to be installed – traffic, cleanliness, moisture, finish, odour, drying time and more.
The formulas used for high traffic corridors or reception areas must be scuff resistant and washable, and must retain the finish with regular cleaning and frequent use. High humidity or steam areas such as bathrooms, laundries and food preparation areas require moistureresistant formulations that will not allow mould growth and surface peeling from the regular moisture and steam exposure. Product selection is as crucial as high-quality application for a long-lasting commercial wall painting solution, since the wrong commercial wall paint in a given environment always fails.
What Makes Commercial Kitchen Wall Paint Different?
One of the special considerations that many business owners are not aware of until they begin to see the wall paint start to peel, stain or cause hygiene problems in the kitchen is commercial kitchen wall paint.
The kitchen’s walls are exposed to grease, steam, heat and moisture – not to mention cleaning often with commercial cleaning solutions that are not suitable for standard paints for very long. A commercial kitchen is a place where the wrong product will rapidly look bad and will be increasingly difficult to keep to a proper level of hygiene within the months.
Paint Features to Look for in Commercial Kitchens
These are the performance properties that should be taken into consideration when choosing commercial kitchen wall paint:
- Washability: Surface should be able to be washed with commercial detergents and be subjected to repeated washing without deterioration.
- Moisture resistance: The coating must be moisture resistant and not become penetrable over time in kitchen environments with high humidity and high steam pressure.
- Appropriate finish: Semi-gloss or gloss finishes are easier to clean in kitchen settings than matte finishes.
- Durability: A high-quality commercial kitchen wall paint should look good with intensive daily use.
- Low odour formulas: Low-odour products dry quickly, so they don’t cause as much disruption in food-preparation areas.
Preparing Kitchen Walls Before Painting
Unlike common office or retail painting, commercial kitchen wall painting demands a more comprehensive preparation of the wall surface to be coated with paint because such wall surfaces can sometimes be endangered by moisture damage, coating residue and grease deposits which need to be fully treated before the new coating can adhere well to the wall.
Preparation involves removing any previous coatings, sanding rough areas, removing loose or flaking previous coatings, and applying an appropriate primer, as necessary. However, even top-tier commercial kitchen wall paint products peel and stain in no time at all if they are not thoroughly prepared, and these steps are especially important when you’re considering repainting a kitchen wall.
How Much Do Commercial Painting Costs Depend On?
There are many factors that influence the price of commercial painting that make it difficult to compare prices between Melbourne businesses because no two commercial buildings have the same surface area, conditions, access issues or preparation needs. The most accurate quote you can receive is through a written quote based on a site inspection.
These factors determine the price of commercial painting the most:
- Wall area: The total of square metres to be painted will have an impact on the amount of paint and the hours of labour needed.
- The condition of the surface; walls that are damaged, heavily stained, or poorly painted will need a lot more preparation before they can be repainted.
- Paint quality: High quality commercial wall paints come at a higher price per litre, but are much longer lasting in challenging business settings.
- The number of coats: Two coats are common on most commercial projects, and more coats are needed if there are significant changes in colour.
- Access difficulty – Ceiling height, scaffolding needs, working around equipment, etc. are all included with the project cost.
- Night or weekend work: After-hours or weekend work often commands a higher labour rate since it can help minimize disruption to the business.
- The size of the project—Larger project sizes may have more efficient crew deployment that can enhance the cost/m².
How to Find the Right Commercial Painter
When looking to hire a commercial painter for your Melbourne business, there are more factors to consider than the quoted price. That low quote without the preparation costs, or for less quality products, will end up costing more in the long run due to accelerated deterioration, early repainting needs and the disruption of having to manage a second painting project earlier than is necessary.
Before hiring any commercial painter, make sure to check these key factors:
- Valid Victorian Contractors Licence and Public Liability insurance.
- Evidence of similar commercial sized and type projects.
- Written quote that outlines the scope of work including paint brands, number of coats, timeline and clean-up.
- Referrals from recent Melbourne commercial clients for whom you can confirm projects.
- Communication about scheduling, around the hours that the business will be in operation, throughout the project.
- Explanation of the commercial wall paint products they will use and why these products are appropriate to your surfaces and environment.
A commercial painter who can provide such answers, in writing, is more likely to produce a result that will be effective and satisfy your business’s expectations during the entire coating life.
Commercial and Residential Painters: What Is the Difference?
Commercial and residential painters are in the same field but do it on different approaches, commercial painting can be either be totally different equipment, scheduling flexibility, paint specifications and project management, compared to standard residential painting.
| Feature | Commercial Painting | Residential Painting |
| Property type | Offices, retail, warehouses | Houses, apartments, townhouses |
| Project scale | Medium to very large | Small to medium |
| Scheduling | After-hours and weekends | Standard working hours |
| Paint requirements | Commercial-grade, durable formulas | Standard residential products |
| Surface traffic | High-traffic business environments | Family living areas |
| Project management | Staged work, crew coordination | Smaller scope, fewer stages |
| Equipment | Commercial sprayers, larger crew | Rollers, brushes, smaller team |
Some commercial and residential painters are also able to handle commercial projects, but they must have experience with product selection, safety standards, working late, and handling large surface areas. Before agreeing to any large commercial painting job, always verify that any commercial painter that you are hiring has an actual commercial project experience.
Why Choose Samsimon Painters for Commercial Wall Painting?
Whether it’s a Melbourne office, retail, restaurant, cafe, warehouse or commercial building of any size, Samsimon Painters approach wall painting jobs for businesses with careful research and consideration of the right product for the right place.
They know that commercial wall painting needs to be scheduled around your business. Projects are planned so as to reduce business disruption – with after hours and weekend availability if/when business requires. Each commercial wall painting installation project starts with a site inspection, detailed colour consultation and a written quotation giving a clear description of the preparation, products and coats to be used, so there are no surprises on the invoice.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is commercial wall painting?
The process of preparing and painting walls which are found in offices, shops, warehouses, schools, factories and other commercial properties is known as commercial wall painting.
2. What type of paint is best for commercial walls?
Typically, durable, washable commercial-use paints will work well as they can be cleaned often and will endure with daily use.
3. What is commercial kitchen wall paint?
Commercial kitchen wall paint needs to be able to withstand moisture, heat, grease, and be washable; it should be used in locations under the influence of heat, grease and regular cleaning.
4. How much does commercial wall painting cost?
The price varies according to the size of the building, the status of the walls, the quality of the paintwork, the level of preparation work, accessibility and the amount of labour.
5. How do I choose a commercial painter?
Look for a commercial painter who can provide you with references, a quote in writing, insurance, and proper equipment, and is experienced in the type of painting you need.
6. Can commercial painters work after business hours?
Yes, many commercial painters can schedule work outside of business hours or during less busy times to minimize business disruption.
7. How long does commercial wall painting take?
Project length of time will vary depending on the property size, surface condition, number of coats, preparation and access.
8. Should commercial walls be primed before painting?
New, repaired, porous, stained, and heavily changed surfaces may require priming to ensure proper adhesion of the finish.
9. Are commercial and residential painters the same?
While some painters specialize in both, commercial jobs may involve additional equipment, scheduling, safety planning and experience of working on larger properties.
10. How can I get a quote for commercial wall painting?
Get a commercial painting company to come out and take a look at the site and give you a written estimate for prep, materials, labour and requirements.
Final Thoughts
Commercial wall painting is more than just painting on business walls. The duration of the result is dependent of how the surface is prepared. There are various types of commercial wall paint formulas, and commercial kitchen wall paint is a special consideration for food service companies. An experienced commercial painter who offers a written quote, explains how they go about their preparation and schedules the work to fit in with your business always produces better results than the cheapest painter you can find without being able to breakdown what the price includes and how the work is done.
A well-planned and detailed commercial wall painting project will safeguard your investment, enhance your business environment and put your best face up to all of your customers that enter your premises.
Looking to talk about the next commercial wall painting job in Melbourne? Call Samsimon Painters and get a free site inspection and written quote today.
