Why do painters tend to wear bib and brace white overalls and not boilersuits?

Answer 1

Boiler suits, Bib & Brace, Brown Warehouse Coat, White Coat, are all trade orientated when once we had tradesmen.
These crossed of in other sectors later, but initially they were trade orientated.

Railway Engines ran on coal and their long boilers had long tubes in them to carry the water, soon to become steam.
These tubes were annually cleaned on the outside to remove the coal soot from them.
Black was the colour of the man's clothing when he was finished as was his Boiler Suit.
During the war a female edition was devised called a Siren Suit where the word suit meant all the body was covered.
Engineers wore them for the same reason, as did anybody working machinery to stop loose clothing getting caught up in moving parts.
Bib and Brace, trousers with a front Bib, were used by Carpenters in the first instance, where the large floppy pockets held their 'in use tools' and the Bib protected the clothing when Brace Drill was used containing a brace bit. These had two sharpened edges it was one of two drill bits used in carpentry.
This carried over to their workmates, the Painters, who carried their own bits and pieces.
The other clothing was not in the question.

Answer 2

White Bib And Brace Overalls

Answer 3

No offense at all, but I'm guessing we are about 5 hrs distant geographically. You being East of me, across a really big pond.

I suspect the reasons are archaic in the year 2006, and after applying thousands of gallons of paint, I have never opted for 'the Whites" YIKES!!!

I also have a bumper sticker that reads,,,"Never trust a painter with a "clean" truck"

I suspect my opinion is based on what I want to feel comfortable in at a job that might seem pretty mundane, sometimes tedious, and not so highly regarded as Bill Gates position in society. That said,,, I don't stress over cut offs, or BLUE jeans, and T shirts, that might second as "work clothes"

Beyond that, perhaps we all "Get into Costume" no matter our job, or status. I have chosen a path less traveled,,,smiles.

Rev. Steven

Answer 4

I am in my boiler suit now, just about to go back to work on a boiler, I think its the pockets on the front for keeping brushes etc in easier to get to, with boilers we have to crawl around a lot and go through small openings so pockets are more out of the way. Also the painter needs his arms free to have uninterrupted strokes whereas the arms on a boiler suit would constrict him there.
Good question though

Do you know why traditionally boiler suits are white? Because the old days the dyes were poisonous to the blood but not to the skin, if you had a steam cut it could force the dyes into your blood stream and kill you

Answer 5

Old men were bib & brace! My other half is a painter & just wears the white trousers, It makes them clean & presentable. Have you tried painting in a boilers suit? Bet its blinkin hard!
Dunno why they were white though - no good if your using black paint all day!!

Answer 6

It's quite smiple really , 90% of paint used world wide is white , thats all paints like emulsion , undercoat , primer , gloss etc etc , therefore any mess just does'nt show so much .

Answer 7

I reckon its to keep their arms free as they stretch and reach into high places to paint. Cant you just imagine wearing a boiler suit, tight at the crouch and having to reach a high corner to paint :)

Answer 8

Becourse thay r painters n not boilermen lol

Answer 9

Because it looks professional and experience shows it's the best for the job.

Answer 10

I should imagine you are not so restricted with arm movements ... so therfore more comfortable to work in...also ... it's job distinction.... well it was, years ago! Plus you have somewhere to put your tools!!!!