How to become a floor layer, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles
Apply blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative coverings to floors.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
What floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles do
- 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 that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Mathematics
Is floor layer, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles a good career?
On the numbers, this job pays above the typical job. Median pay is 11% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
- Alaska $92,860
- Massachusetts $79,280
- Hawaii $77,280
- Illinois $69,880
- New York $61,360
Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.