TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — When it comes to transforming a home, painting is often the final touch that brings everything together.
But at PAINTR, a Tucson painting company, it's a process that involves more than just throwing some color on the walls.
Today, I had the opportunity to try my hand at becoming a professional painter, and let me tell you—it's no walk in the park.
The first and hardest part of the job was preparation.
"I think the prep is the worst part," I said, realizing that getting everything ready was most of the work.
Before any painting could begin, I had to cover the concrete floors.
"I didn’t even know this tool existed," I said while working to lay down protective sheets. It was a lot harder than it looked—and exhausting.
After powering through, I thought I was done, only to be hit with even more prep work. The next task: caulking the edges of the wall.
"It’s a mess," I muttered as I smoothed out the caulk with my finger and a wet sponge.
Thankfully, it started to look better once I finished that step.
Finally, it was time to paint. I grabbed the sprayer, and the moment I had been waiting for arrived.
As the paint sprayed out, I was really getting into the groove.
"That looks good!" I said, taking off my mask to admire my work.
The first round looked pretty nice, and I moved on to the next phase: trim work.
"It would take me all year to paint this house if I was doing it on my own," I joked, realizing how meticulous the trim painting process was.
But after some time, it was time for my favorite part—rolling the paint onto the walls.
With a roller in hand, I started on the first wall.
"Here we go. Oh wow!" I said as the paint glided on smoothly. "One wall down!"
After finishing my day as a painter, I checked in with my new boss to see if I had passed the test.
"So, I was just here trying my hand at being a painter with Paintr. Are you hiring or firing Heidi?" I asked.
"Heidi, you’re hired," my new boss.
"Awesome!" I exclaimed, feeling accomplished but exhausted. It turns out, this job takes some real skill and technique—but with a little practice, I might just have a future in painting.
For now, I’ll leave it to the pros at PAINTR.