Many people who have hired painters to paint their homes or businesses may enjoy watching commercial painters in Pleasanton as they do their work. They may learn a new thing or two about painting. But they may wonder, “Why are the painters wearing white?”
It’s a good question. After all, every professional painter you have encountered may have worn white while on the job. How did this tradition start? And why do most professional commercial painters wear white on the job?
Are you getting more curious? Well, let’s explore a handful of answers to this intriguing question.
1) White was the color of the painter’s unions
At a point in time, painter’s unions mandated that their members wear white uniforms. However, painters wore white even before these unions existed, so they continued wearing the same color when such unions began. White signaled union membership, setting the members apart from the non-union painters.
This tradition endures after several decades. Today, the majority of professional painters wear white uniforms on the job, whether they’re union members or not.
2) White clothing is pretty cheap
Before being made into clothing, fibers are naturally white (or close to it). White clothing is more affordable since there’s no need to dye it. After all, if you wear something that will eventually be covered with paint, then why spend a lot more on the clothing of any other color?
Thus, white clothing is much simpler for the manufacturers to produce, making them cheap for retail stores to sell and inexpensive for the end customers to purchase.
3) White keeps you cool
It’s only practical to wear white while painting, especially outdoors on a hot, sunny day. While darker clothing absorbs heat, white clothing reflects it, similar to how white paint keeps a home feeling cooler.
4) White serves as a warning
Painters wearing all-white uniforms act as a subliminal “wet paint” warning to anyone else passing by.
If passersby see painters working at the site, they become more aware that they just entered a painting zone. Thus, they would become more aware of their surroundings. As they enter a painting site, they become more careful not to touch anything freshly painted, trip over paint trays or buckets, or walk under ladders or scaffolding. Thus, white can help prevent accidents on the site, resulting in a smoother, faster, and safer work process for the painters.
5) White represents cleanliness
Traditionally, white is a symbol of cleanliness. Think of a bridal gown, a sterile hospital, or the linens at a restaurant table – they are all white.
If you hire someone to paint your home or business, you will likely want them to walk in looking clean, neat, and professional.
6) Homes used to be painted white
Almost all homes were painted white several centuries ago, especially in the southern region. White reflects sunlight, helping houses stay cooler. Painters chose to wear white so they would always look neat and not have to worry about the mess on their clothing. White was a practical choice for painter’s uniforms to hide paint splatters and by-product debris.
7) White is generally the base color of every other paint color
Think about what happens when mixing paint colors. The base color is always going to be white. If you want to create another color, add the right amount of any other color to the white base, such as red, blue, yellow, or whatever color you want. This addition of color is still how mixing paint works in general.
A long time ago, painters would mix a white lead powder with paint paste to make paint. The white powder would create a mess all over the place, especially over the painter’s clothes. So, it made sense for them to wear white to hide these white particles.
Now, you know why painters always wear white.
Painters began wearing white uniforms for several reasons – to hide stains, keep themselves cool, and look neat and professional. Whether they’re union or non-union professional painters, they carry on the tradition of wearing white. So, white is simply the logical and practical choice for commercial painters in Pleasanton and other areas.