If you’re considering starting a commercial or residential painting business, you’ll just need a few basic, inexpensive tools to get started. You can purchase other tools as more jobs come along and with your down payments. Here is a list of the most essential commercial painting tools needed to get started.

1.) Quality Cage Frame – Also known as a paint roller. Both Wooster and Purdy have heavy-duty, commercial-grade cage frames that are sold at most professional paint stores.

2.) Extension Pole – Get a good medium-sized fiberglass extension pole to roll out walls and ceilings.

3.) Wall Sander – I always sand walls and ceilings before laying them out. Clean cobwebs and everything that is necessary to knock down to smooth walls and ceilings.

4.) Roller Bucket – I use Wooster’s Roller Bucket. It is tall, square and has a lid. It’s made of durable plastic and scales much better than a paint tray and washes up easily. It is essential.

5.) Cutting Bucket – I like to put some paint in a small plastic cutting bucket. There are small 1-gallon buckets of drywall compound that, when empty, make a great bucket for cutting, plus they have a lid. They will last for years.

6.) Stepladder – A regular 5-foot wooden stepladder works perfectly for most homes. If I need a 6 foot ladder I have an aluminum one for that. Most of the time all I need is my 5ft foot and I’m only 5’6″, so there you have it.

7.) 16′ Extension Ladder – Great for ranch-style stairs or exterior work. I use my 16 foot extension ladder more than any other size. I also have 20′ and 24′ extension ladders, but I couldn’t manage without my little 16′ ladder. They are inexpensive, light to carry, and can be easily moved around the room. I also have 9 x 12 on hand.

9.) Fluorescent Light: Painting interiors without a fluorescent light is nearly impossible, especially on a cloudy day. Fluorescent light is a pleasant white light that is excellent for painting and shows colors in their true form.

10.) Tool Bucket – An empty 5 gallon bucket makes a great tool bucket. I keep my pliers, hammer, razor blades, caulking gun, etc., in my tool bin.

11.) Small Fan – I bought a $30 blower type fan made by Stanley Tools from Walmart. It dries walls and ceilings fast so you can get back to work cutting and moving around the room without getting wet.

12.) Drywall Compound: I hate Spackle. It flashes under the paint jobs. I use Sheetrock brand of 90 minute quick dry drywall compound found at Lowes or other hardware stores for about $11 a bag. It will last me all year. It is the powder formula and is easy to mix right on the job with water and a small chopped bucket. This way you don’t have to carry around a heavy 5 gallon stick that can also freeze during the winter and accumulate a lot of chunks over time.

13.) Caulk Gun – I use painters caulk all the time to fill small gaps between woodwork, trim and walls. Most paint stores have it on hand. I use the 35 year old indoor/outdoor type.

So there you have it. If you’re considering starting your own painting business and want to know how much it will cost to get started, this list will help. I’d guess everything listed comes to around $300. If you already have a stepladder and even a small extension ladder, this will cut your initial cost considerably.