National
| Median wages (2008) |
$17.80 hourly, $37,030 annual |
| Employment (2006) |
73,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2006-2016) |
Little or no change (-2% to 2%)
|
| Projected need (2006-2016) |
11,000 additional employees |
47-2041.00 - Carpet Installers
Lay and install carpet from rolls or blocks on floors. Install padding and trim flooring materials.
Sample of reported job titles:
Carpet Installer, Flooring Installer, Carpet Layer, Floor Installation Mechanic, Flooring Mechanic, Carpet Jack, Carpet Journeyman
Tasks
- Join edges of carpet and seam edges where necessary, by sewing or by using tape with glue and heated carpet iron.
- Cut and trim carpet to fit along wall edges, openings, and projections, finishing the edges with a wall trimmer.
- Inspect the surface to be covered to determine its condition, and correct any imperfections that might show through carpet or cause carpet to wear unevenly.
- Roll out, measure, mark, and cut carpeting to size with a carpet knife, following floor sketches and allowing extra carpet for final fitting.
- Plan the layout of the carpet, allowing for expected traffic patterns and placing seams for best appearance and longest wear.
- Stretch carpet to align with walls and ensure a smooth surface, and press carpet in place over tack strips or use staples, tape, tacks or glue to hold carpet in place.
- Take measurements and study floor sketches to calculate the area to be carpeted and the amount of material needed.
- Cut carpet padding to size and install padding, following prescribed method.
- Install carpet on some floors using adhesive, following prescribed method.
- Nail tack strips around area to be carpeted or use old strips to attach edges of new carpet.
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Tools & Technology
Tools used in this occupation:
| Glue guns — Butane glue guns; Cool tip glue guns; Cove base guns; Electric glue guns |
| Knife blades — Floor scraper blades; Hooked blades; Tackless cutter blades; Trimmer carpet blades |
| Power saws — Jamb saws; Toe kick saws; Undercut saws |
| Shears — Carpet base cutters; Carpet shears; Standup cutters; Strip cutters |
| Staple guns — Air underlayment staplers; Edge-binding staplers; Hammer tackers; Heavy duty electric staplers |
| Tensioners — Carpet tucking tools; Stairway stretchers; Swivel-lock stretchers; Turning tools |
| Utility knives — Multipurpose trimmers; Tucking trimmers; Wall trimmers |
Technology used in this occupation:
| Analytical or scientific software — Yardage Bible software |
| Calendar and scheduling software — RFMS Schedule Pro |
| Project management software — Aya Associates Comp-U-Floor; Carpet Dealer Management System CDMS; T.E.H. TakeOff; TMS FloorMaster Estimating |
