Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles
Apply blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative coverings to floors.
Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles apply blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative coverings to floors. The role reports a median annual salary of $54,340 in the US and is projected to grow 10% over the next decade (faster than average). Entry typically requires a No formal educational credential, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.44 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Active Listening, Speaking, Coordination, Monitoring, Critical Thinking.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £32,861 a year for Floorers and wall tilers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 5322). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Craft and related trades workers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 7. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Building and Construction
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
- Mechanical
- Production and Processing
- Design
- English Language
- Education and Training
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles do?
Apply blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative coverings to floors.
How much does Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles earn?
The median annual salary for Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles in the US is $54,340.
What is the job outlook for Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles?
The role is projected to grow 10% over the next decade (faster than average). Current US employment is approximately 33,700 workers.
How do I become floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles?
The typical entry education is a No formal educational credential. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Active Listening, Speaking, Coordination, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Time Management. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles?
Our AI-durability model gives Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles a score of 0.44 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.