Painter and Decorator - Red Seal Self-Assessment and Exam Breakdown

Self-Assessment

This tool can be used to reflect on your own experience and knowledge in the trade compared with what is on the exam.

Exam Breakdown

Each Red Seal exam's questions are developed to assess the activities laid out in in the National Occupational Analysis. This trade's Red Seal exam has 130 questions Footnote *, which are distributed as follows:

Block A - Common occupational skills - 29 questions
Task 1 Performs safety-related functions
6 questions
Task 2 Uses and maintains tools and equipment
9 questions
Task 3 Performs routine trade practices
7 questions
Task 4 Performs quality control assessments
7 questions
Block B - Surface preparation - 36 questions
Task 5 Performs general surface preparation
11 questions
Task 6 Prepares wood surfaces for paints, coatings and wall coverings
6 questions
Task 7 Prepares concrete and masonry surfaces
5 questions
Task 8 Prepares metal surfaces
6 questions
Task 9 Prepares plaster surfaces and drywall
8 questions
Block C - Residential, institutional and commercial paints and coatings - 26 questions
Task 10 Prepares for application of residential, institutional and commercial paints and coatings
9 questions
Task 11 Applies residential, institutional and commercial paints and coatings
12 questions
Task 12 Applies decorative/specialty finishes
5 questions
Block D - Wall coverings - 10 questions
Task 13 Prepares for application of wall coverings
4 questions
Task 14 Applies wall coverings
6 questions
Block E - Wood finishes - 13 questions
Task 15 Prepares for wood finishing applications
7 questions
Task 16 Finishes wood surfaces
6 questions
Block F - Industrial paints and coatings - 16 questions
Task 17 Prepares for application of industrial paints and coatings
8 questions
Task 18 Applies industrial paints and coatings
8 questions

For more information about exam preparation materials (textbooks, modules, etc.) contact your provincial/territorial apprenticeship office.