Best Practices For Painting Commercial Gym Spaces

Last month, Dan Harrison wrote a post on the best colors for a commercial gym space. Once you and your client have settled on the colors you’re going to use, how are you going to start such a large project? My team of Chester County painters and myself have come up with a few tips to help guide you through the process of painting a large, commercial gym.

• Gather supplies. The first step in any large painting project is to prep your team and your materials. Depending on the size and design of the space, you may require specialty tools or other equipment to complete the job.
• Examine the area. If you’re painting the exterior of a gym, examine the surface first. Consider the height and total area of the exterior of the building, and whether or not you’ll require scaffolding or suspended scaffolding. If it’s an interior project, you’ll need to gather specs on the height of the rooms to be painted.
• Consider people using the space. As your client, you want to keep the gym staff happy, and they want to keep their members happy. If your painting the interior of a gym, you’ll need to use low-odor paints. You’ll most likely be painting the area when it is in use by members of the gym, and their comfort is an important factor.
• Complete the prep. The work involved in preparing for a project is different for interior and exterior painting.
  • For exterior gym painting, you’re going to need a number of tools to prep the surface, including: sandpaper, a degreasing agent, a putty knife, strong bristled brush, a power washer, and of course, drop cloths. When you’re ready to paint, start by removing chipping or peeling paint. Then, remove the dust and grease from the walls with the degreasing agent, and pressure wash the rest away. It make take a day or two, but once the building is dry, you can repair cracks with putty and apply the paint color of your client’s choosing.
  • For interior gym painting, you’ll need slightly different tools. Painters tape, drop cloths, paper drywall tape, scrapers, sandpaper, and of course, paint, brushes, and rollers, will all be necessary. The process is also slightly different for interior gym painting. If heavy equipment is in your way, it will need to be moved or sectioned off to keep gym members from accessing the area. If the equipment can’t be moved, use canvas drop cloths to cover and protect them. Then, if there are any blemishes in the wall, sand and scrape to remove them, and spackle where necessary. Drywall repairs should be made during this process as well. Once this process is complete, tape off any necessary sections, then begin the painting process with the color of your client’s choosing.

With the right equipment, a great team, and a plan of action, you’ll be able to complete a commercial gym painting project to your client’s satisfaction!

I hope these tips have helped guide you in the right direction.

Nevin Eberly is the owner of CertaPro Painters of Chester County, PA. He loves working with his clients to help them achieve the look of their dreams!