Painting & Finishing
Prep is the job. Paint is the last ten percent.
Painting & Finishing proves you can prep, prime, and coat interior and exterior surfaces so the finish holds up — correct sheen, correct primer, clean lines, and no peeling in eighteen months. Everything below is free — no login, no paywall. Work through the skill areas, drill them in Study Mode, and when you're ready, prove it with the certification exam.
Your readiness to certify
Drill all 0 concepts in Study Mode. Mark each one “Got it” once you know it cold. When every concept is cleared, you're ready for the PNT exam.
What you'll be able to do
- Surface prep: washing, scraping, sanding, de-glossing, and patching
- Primer selection — latex, oil, shellac, bonding, and stain-blocking
- Paint chemistry basics: acrylic latex vs alkyd, and where each wins
- Sheen selection by room and surface
- Cutting in, rolling technique, and eliminating lap marks
- Spray fundamentals: airless setup, tip sizes, and overspray control
- Caulking and filling before the first coat
- Exterior painting: weather windows, substrate moisture, and failure modes
- Cabinet and trim finishing for a factory-smooth result
- Lead-safe work practices in pre-1978 housing (RRP awareness)
Skill areas
Jump to any area — each lesson teaches the system from the ground up, then recaps the key takeaways you'll drill in Study Mode.
Studied the material? Get PNT certified.
The Painting & Finishing exam turns what you just learned into a verifiable credential drivers and shops can look up. 45 questions · 60 minutes · 75% to pass · $19.99.
Studying here is free forever. There's no obligation to take the exam.
Real-world cost guides for this system.
See what customers pay for the jobs this track teaches — parts, labor hours, and state-by-state ranges from our repair cost estimator.