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Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles

Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles is the O*NET name for people who apply blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative coverings to floors. The skills rated most useful are speaking, active listening, and time management. Expect to cut covering and foundation materials, according to blueprints and sketches. On the six-type interest model it reads RCA, meaning hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world comes first, followed by orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. Getting in usually takes a few months to a year of learning on the job, a level O*NET calls some preparation. People who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world usually fit better here than those who need leading, persuading and making business decisions.

What they do

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

Main tasks

  • Cut covering and foundation materials, according to blueprints and sketches.
  • Trim excess covering materials, tack edges, and join sections of covering material to form tight joint.
  • Cut flooring material to fit around obstructions.
  • Roll and press sheet wall and floor covering into cement base to smooth and finish surface, using hand roller.
  • 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.
  • Sweep, scrape, sand, or chip dirt and irregularities to clean base surfaces, correcting imperfections that may show through the covering.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Active Listening
  • Time Management
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Monitoring
  • Judgment and Decision Making

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and active listening.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You want to lead people or run the business side. Enterprising rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCA takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Floor Covering Contractor
  • Floor Coverings Installer
  • Floor Installer
  • Floor Layer
  • Flooring Installer

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.