Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles

What the job really is

Apply blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative coverings to floors.

At a glance

• Sector: Construction & Extraction
• O*NET-SOC code: 47-2042
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Sweep, scrape, sand, or chip dirt and irregularities to clean base surfaces, correcting imperfections that may show through the covering.
• Cut flooring material to fit around obstructions.
• Inspect surface to be covered to ensure that it is firm and dry.
• Trim excess covering materials, tack edges, and join sections of covering material to form tight joint.
• Form a smooth foundation by stapling plywood or Masonite over the floor or by brushing waterproof compound onto surface and filling cracks with plaster, putty, or grout to seal pores.
• Measure and mark guidelines on surfaces or foundations, using chalk lines and dividers.
• Cut covering and foundation materials, according to blueprints and sketches.
• Roll and press sheet wall and floor covering into cement base to smooth and finish surface, using hand roller.
• Apply adhesive cement to floor or wall material to join and adhere foundation material.
• Determine traffic areas and decide location of seams.
• Lay out, position, and apply shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative coverings to floors, walls, and cabinets, following guidelines to keep courses straight and create designs.
• Remove excess cement to clean finished surface.

Tools and technology

Facebook, Microsoft Office software, Adhesive spreaders, Adhesive syringes, Adjustable wedges, Appliance sliders, Automatic plasma arc welding machines, Aviation snips, Aya Associates Comp-U-Floor, Bar scribers, Base molding lifters, Broad knives

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Tile and Stone Setters
• Carpet Installers
• Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
• Floor Sanders and Finishers
• Terrazzo Workers and Finishers
• Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
• Brickmasons and Blockmasons
• Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

Browse the verified job sources directory, or explore more occupations.

Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.