What does this painting checklist cover?

12 items across 4 sections, covering surface preparation, conditions and materials, application, acceptance. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.

Who should run this inspection?

Painting contractor; the GC verifies preparation before the first coat and finish at acceptance.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

Preparation before priming, conditions on each coating day, and acceptance under final lighting.

Why does every item ask for a photo?

All 12 items call for photo evidence, 21 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.

What most often fails a painting inspection?

Painted over dust or an unprimed patch, then blamed on the product. Applied outside the temperature or humidity range with no record of conditions. Finish accepted under work lights, rejected the day the real fixtures go on.

Can I use this checklist in RTI?

Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.

Free checklist

Painting inspection checklist

Paint failures are almost always preparation failures, and preparation is invisible under the first coat. Capture the substrate and the conditions before the sprayer starts and the argument about who owns a peeling wall is already settled.

Start free with this checklist Download as PDF

The checklist

Every item, and the photo evidence it needs

The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.

Surface preparation

Substrate clean, dry and sound
No dust, grease or efflorescence; moisture within range for the substrate.
Patches, repairs and caulking complete and sanded
Repairs feathered and spot-primed so they do not flash through.
Protection and masking in place
Floors, hardware, glazing and finished surfaces covered before any spraying.

Conditions and materials

Temperature and humidity within the product range
Record the readings on each coating day. A photo of the meter beats a memory.
Products match the approved submittal
Photograph the can label; confirm sheen and system against the schedule.
Approved mock-up or sample available for comparison
Colour and sheen compared against the accepted sample, not a chip.

Application

Primer appropriate to the substrate and fully applied
Correct primer for drywall, masonry, metal or wood, not one primer for the job.
Coats applied at the specified thickness with recoat times observed
Wet or dry film readings where specified; recoat windows respected.
Coverage uniform with no holidays, runs or lap marks
Check at a low angle with a light; corners and cut lines are where it shows.

Acceptance

Cut lines straight and edges clean
No bleed at trim, ceiling or colour changes.
Finish inspected under final lighting
Walk with the installed fixtures on; document what is accepted.
Attic stock delivered and labelled
Correct quantity, labelled by room and colour, stored where the owner will find it.

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Painted over dust or an unprimed patch, then blamed on the product.
Applied outside the temperature or humidity range with no record of conditions.
Finish accepted under work lights, rejected the day the real fixtures go on.

Common questions

6 answers

What does this painting checklist cover?: 12 items across 4 sections, covering surface preparation, conditions and materials, application, acceptance. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
Who should run this inspection?: Painting contractor; the GC verifies preparation before the first coat and finish at acceptance.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: Preparation before priming, conditions on each coating day, and acceptance under final lighting.
Why does every item ask for a photo?: All 12 items call for photo evidence, 21 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
What most often fails a painting inspection?: Painted over dust or an unprimed patch, then blamed on the product. Applied outside the temperature or humidity range with no record of conditions. Finish accepted under work lights, rejected the day the real fixtures go on.
Can I use this checklist in RTI?: Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.

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Run it with the Photo Gate

A checklist nobody can submit half-finished

Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 21 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.