Flooring Installer or Tile and Stone Setter
Flooring Installer or Tile and Stone Setter
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What Flooring Installers and Tile and Stone Setters Do
Flooring installers and tile and stone setters lay and finish carpet, wood, vinyl, and other materials, such as ceramic, glass, marble, and granite.
Duties
Flooring installers and tile and stone setters typically do the following:
- Remove existing materials from floors, walls, or other surfaces
- Clean and level the surface to be covered
- Measure the area and cut material to fit
- Arrange materials according to design plans
- Place materials and secure with adhesives, nails, or staples
- Fill joints with filler compound and remove excess compound
- Trim excess carpet or linoleum
- Apply finishes, such as sealants and stains
Flooring installers and tile and stone setters lay the materials that improve the look and feel of homes, offices, restaurants, and other buildings. Many of these workers install materials on floors. However, they also work on walls, ceilings, countertops, and showers.
Installing floors and tiles requires a smooth, even base of mortar or plywood. Flooring installers and tile and stone setters or other construction craftworkers lay this base. On remodeling jobs, workers may need to remove old flooring and smooth the surface before laying the base.
The following are examples of types of flooring installers and tile and stone setters:
Carpet installers lay carpet on new floors or over existing flooring. They use special tools, including “knee kickers” to position the carpet and power stretchers to pull the carpet snugly against walls. They also join carpet edges and seam edges by sewing or by using tape with glue and a heated carpet iron.
Carpet tile installers lay modular pieces of carpet that may be glued into place. Installing carpet tiles may be an option where standard carpet is impractical, such as in designing a pattern over an area.
Floor sanders and finishers scrape and smooth wood floors, often using power sanders. They then apply stains and sealants to preserve the wood. (For information on workers who install wood floors, see the profile on carpenters.)
Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles, install a variety of resilient flooring materials. Linoleum installers lay washable flooring material of the same name, cutting the linoleum to size and gluing it into place. Vinyl installers lay plastic-based flooring that includes vinyl ester, vinyl sheeting, and vinyl tile. Installers of laminate, manufactured wood, and wood tile floors are included in this category.
Tile and stone setters install pieces of ceramic, marble, granite, glass, or other materials. Tile installers, sometimes called tile setters, cut tiles using wet saws, tile scribes, or handheld tile cutters. They then use trowels of different sizes to spread mortar or a sticky paste, called mastic, evenly on the work surface before placing the tiles. Tile finishers apply grout between tiles after the tiles are set by using a rubber trowel, called a float, and then wipe the tiles clean after the grout dries. Stone setters may cut marble, granite, or other stone to a specified size with a wet saw. They use special adhesives to fasten the stone to the desired surface; in remodeling projects, they may first need to smooth the underlying surface after removing old materials.
Work Environment
Flooring installers and tile and stone setters held about 120,900 jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up flooring installers and tile and stone setters was distributed as follows:
| Tile and stone setters | 59,400 |
| Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles | 30,200 |
| Carpet installers | 25,100 |
| Floor sanders and finishers | 6,200 |
The largest employers of flooring installers and tile and stone setters were as follows:
| Specialty trade contractors | 49% |
| Self-employed workers | 30 |
| Manufacturing | 5 |
| Construction of buildings | 5 |
Installing flooring, tile, and stone is physically demanding, requiring workers to spend much of their time reaching, bending, and kneeling. Workers typically wear kneepads while kneeling; safety goggles when using grinders, saws, and sanders; and dust masks or respirator systems to prevent inhaling work-generated dust in enclosed areas with poor ventilation.
Injuries and Illnesses
Carpet installers and floor sanders and finishers have some of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations.
Work Schedules
Most flooring installers and tile and stone setters work full time, although schedules may vary. In commercial settings, they may need to work evenings and weekends to avoid disturbing regular business operations.
Getting Started
How to Become a Flooring Installer or Tile and Stone Setter
Flooring installers and tile and stone setters typically need no formal educational credential. They learn their trade on the job, sometimes starting as a helper. Some learn through an apprenticeship.
Education
There are typically no formal education requirements for becoming a flooring installer or tile and stone setter, although candidates entering an apprenticeship program may need a high school diploma or equivalent.
Certain high school courses, such as art and math, may be helpful for flooring installers and tile and stone setters.
Training
Flooring installers and tile and stone setters typically learn on the job, working with experienced installers or starting as helpers.
New workers usually do simple tasks, such as moving materials. As they gain experience, they take on more complex tasks, such as cutting carpet. Some helpers work as tile finishers before becoming tile installers.
Some flooring installers and tile and stone setters learn their trade through a 2- to 4-year apprenticeship. For each year of a typical program, apprentices must complete a predetermined number of hours of technical instruction and paid on-the-job training. Technical instruction in the apprenticeship may include mathematics, building code requirements, safety and first-aid practices, and blueprint reading. After completing an apprenticeship program, flooring installers and tile and stone setters are considered journey workers and may perform duties on their own.
Certification
Several organizations offer certification for floor and tile installers. Although certification is not required, it demonstrates that a flooring installer and tile and stone setter has a specific mastery of skills to do a job.
The Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) offers the Certified Tile Installer (CTI) designation for workers with 2 or more years of experience as a tile installer. Applicants must pass a written test and a hands-on performance evaluation.
Several groups, including the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation, the International Masonry Institute (IMI), the International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers (IUBAC), the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA), the Tile Contractors’ Association of America (TCAA), and the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) have created the Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers (ACT) program. To qualify for the program, applicants must have either completed a qualified apprenticeship program or earned the CTI certification. Requirements for certification include passing both an exam and a field test.
The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) offers optional certification for floor sanders and finishers. Sanders and finishers must have 2 years of experience and must have completed NWFA-approved training. Applicants are required to complete written and performance tests.
The International Certified Floorcovering Installers Association (CFI) offers certification for flooring and tile installers. Installers need 2 years of experience before they can take the written test and performance evaluation.
The International Standards & Training Alliance (INSTALL) offers a comprehensive flooring certification program for flooring and tile installers. INSTALL certification requires both classroom and hands-on training and covers all major types of flooring.
Job Outlook
Overall employment of flooring installers and tile and stone setters is projected to grow 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 9,800 openings for flooring installers and tile and stone setters are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Projected employment of flooring installers and tile and stone setters varies by occupation (see table). The construction of new homes and the renovation of existing units will be the primary source of flooring and tile and stone installation over the projections decade.
Vinyl and other resilient flooring products have become increasingly popular, especially in homes, which will lead to employment growth for floor layers. Tile and stone installation will continue to be common for bathrooms, restaurants, and other buildings, supporting demand for these workers.
Contacts for More Information
For details about apprenticeships, training, or other work opportunities in this trade, contact the offices of the state employment service, the state apprenticeship agency, local contractors or firms that employ flooring installers and tile and stone setters, or local union–management apprenticeship committees. Apprenticeship information is available from the U.S. Department of Labor's Apprenticeship program online or by phone at 877-872-5627. Visit Apprenticeship.gov to search for apprenticeship opportunities.
For more information about flooring installers and tile and stone setters, visit
Ceramic Tile Education Foundation
International Masonry Institute
International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers
Tile Contractors’ Association of America
The Tile Council of North America, Inc.
For more information about training and certification of flooring installers and tile and stone setters, visit
International Certified Floorcovering Installers Association
Finishing Trades Institute International
International Standards & Training Alliance (INSTALL)
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of flooring installers and tile and stone setters.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Carpenters |
Carpenters construct, repair, and install building frameworks and structures made from wood and other materials. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $51,390 |
|
Masonry Workers |
Masonry workers use bricks, concrete and concrete blocks, and natural and manmade stones to build structures. |
See How to Become One | $49,490 |
|
Painters, Construction and Maintenance |
Painters apply paint, stain, and coatings to walls and ceilings, buildings, large machinery and equipment, and bridges and other structures. |
No formal educational credential | $46,090 |
|
Electricians |
Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $60,240 |
|
Glaziers |
Glaziers install glass in windows, skylights, and other fixtures in buildings. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $48,720 |
|
Grounds Maintenance Workers |
Grounds maintenance workers install and maintain landscapes, prune trees or shrubs, and do other tasks to ensure that vegetation is attractive, orderly, and safe. |
See How to Become One | $36,160 |
|
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers |
Hazardous materials removal workers identify and dispose of harmful substances such as asbestos, lead, and radioactive waste. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $46,690 |
|
Material Moving Machine Operators |
Material moving machine operators use equipment to transport objects. |
See How to Become One | $41,730 |
|
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters |
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters install and repair piping fixtures and systems. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $60,090 |
|
Construction Laborers and Helpers |
Construction laborers and helpers perform many tasks that require physical labor on construction sites. |
See How to Become One | $39,520 |