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

  • 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.
  • Disconnect and remove appliances, light fixtures, and worn floor and wall covering from floors, walls, and cabinets.
  • Heat and soften floor covering materials to patch cracks or fit floor coverings around irregular surfaces, using blowtorch.
Work Context

Work Context information for this career will be available soon.

Work Activities
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
  • Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
  • Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Clean surfaces in preparation for work activities.
  • Prepare surfaces for finishing.
  • Cut carpet, vinyl or other flexible materials.
  • Inspect work sites to determine condition or necessary repairs.
  • Trim excess material from installations.
  • Prepare surfaces for finishing.
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Knowledge

Building and Construction
  • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Mathematics
  • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
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Skills

Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities

Near Vision
  • The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Extent Flexibility
  • The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
  • The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Computer aided design CAD software
  • Project visualization software Hot Technology
Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office Hot Technology
Data base user interface and query software
  • Aya Associates Comp-U-Floor
  • Textile Management Systems RollMaster
  • Focus Floor Covering Software
  • Flooring Technologies Qfloors
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