How to become a Floor Finisher and Coverer

Floor finishers and coverers install and repair floor coverings such as carpet, vinyl, rubber, cork, parquetry and timber flooring. They may specialise as hard floor finishers, textile layers or resilient layers.

Personal requirements for a Floor Finisher and Coverer

Able to cope with the physical demands of the job
Enjoy practical work
Good hand-eye coordination
Normal colour vision

Education & Training for a Floor Finisher and Coverer

To become a floor finisher and coverer you usually have to complete an apprenticeship. Entry requirements may vary, but employers generally require Year 10.

Additional information

Floor finishers and coverers carrying out work above a certain value (as determined by state or territory regulations) must either be accredited as, or work under the supervision of, a registered building practitioner.

Duties & Tasks of a Floor Finisher and Coverer

Floor finishers and coverers:

Ensure floors are firm, dry and clean, and repair minor defects before laying coverings
Measure areas to be covered, and estimate and order quantities of floor coverings
Fix underlays of hardboard sheets, rubber or felt
Lay covering materials over the floor, match patterns, cut shapes around fixtures and trim edges
Fix floor coverings and fit edge trims in doorways
Sand, stain and finish a variety of timber floors.

Tasks

Preparing surfaces for covering and removing baseboard trims
Sanding, staining and applying finishing coatings to timber floors
Measuring areas to be covered and consulting plans to estimate quantities of floor covering materials required
Securing floor coverings and fitting edge trims in doorways
Measuring, cutting and fixing underlay materials
May install wall, ceiling, counter and bench coverings
Laying coverings, such as carpets, linoleum, parquetry blocks, cork tiles and other resilient flooring materials, over floors, matching patterns, cutting shapes around fixtures and trimming edges

Working conditions for a Floor Finisher and Coverer

Floor finishers and coverers work in small teams. Conditions can be dusty, and the work involves a lot of bending, stretching, kneeling and carrying. Floor finishers and coverers have a high level of contact with the public, retailers, builders and other tradespeople.

Employment Opportunities for a Floor Finisher and Coverer

Many floor finishers and coverers set up their own businesses and work as subcontractors to retailers or floor covering firms. Some work for retail organisations and may combine the duties of retail sales and floor covering.Trade qualifications are often desired, but not essential. Opportunities are dependent on building industry demand, but this is less likely to affect qualified tradespeople.

Specializations

Hard Floor Finisher

A hard floor finisher lays and finishes timber, cork and parquetry floors in mosaic and block patterns. They also sand, stain and apply finished coatings to timber floors.

Resilient Layer

A resilient layer specialises in laying and finishing vinyl, linoleum and rubber in sheet or tile form. They may lay these materials on bench tops and walls as well as floors.

Carpet Layer

A carpet layer fastens the edges and seams of the carpet, then stretches and fixes it along walls and borders, using gripper strips.

Floor Finisher and Coverer

Average age
40 years
Future Growth
Moderate
Gender Share
2% female
Average full-time
44 hours
Weekly Pay
Unavailable
Skill level rating
Medium skill
Unemployment
Lower unemployment
Full-Time Share
73% Full-Time
Employment Size
11,300 workers
Employment by state
ACT: 1.5%
NSW: 30.3%
NT: 0.3%
QLD: 19.3%
SA: 6.6%
TAS: 2.6%
VIC: 28.8%
WA: 10.6%
Age brackets
15-19: 3.4%
20-24: 10.2%
25-34: 23.7%
35-44: 23.4%
45-54: 21.6%
55-59: 8.4%
60-64: 5.7%
65 and Over: 3.7%
Education level
Advanced Diploma/Diploma: 2.9%
Bachelor degree: 2.6%
Certificate III/IV: 44%
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate: 0.4%
Year 10 and below: 25.4%
Year 11: 7.2%
Year 12: 17.4%