Beneath the surface of the rooms we inhabit are the materials that make up walls and ceilings. The exacting workers who construct these interior surfaces are drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers. Drywall installers attach wallboard to create walls in new construction, or to remodel existing spaces. They measure and cut wallboard with exacting precision, and hang the panels on wooden or metal framing. Tapers cover drywall seams with paper or fiberglass mesh tape so walls are ready for the final coating of plaster, paint, or wallpaper. They sand joints and holes as needed to create a seamless finish. Ceiling tile installers create the framework for suspended ceilings, cut ceiling tiles to size, and insert them in the frames. These workers spend hours each day standing, bending, climbing up and down ladders, and lifting materials. Skilled with both manual and power tools, they may use mechanical lifts for ceiling work, or stand on stilts or scaffolds to reach the work surface. They wear protective masks, goggles, and gloves as needed. Most drywall and ceiling tile installers and tapers work for drywall contractors, and learn their trade on the job. Knowledge of basic math is helpful, but there are no formal education requirements. In this field, when your back is up against the wall… the job is done.
What they do:
Apply plasterboard or other wallboard to ceilings or interior walls of buildings. Apply or mount acoustical tiles or blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings and walls of buildings to reduce or reflect sound. Materials may be of decorative quality. Includes lathers who fasten wooden, metal, or rockboard lath to walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings to provide support base for plaster, fireproofing, or acoustical material.
On the job, you would:
Read blueprints or other specifications to determine methods of installation, work procedures, or material or tool requirements.
Measure and mark surfaces to lay out work, according to blueprints or drawings, using tape measures, straightedges or squares, and marking devices.
Fit and fasten wallboard or drywall into position on wood or metal frameworks, using glue, nails, or screws.
Engineering and Technology
building and construction
mechanical
Math and Science
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Safety and Government
public safety and security
Business
management
Basic Skills
thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Hand and Finger Use
hold or move items with your hands
keep your arm or hand steady
Endurance
exercise for a long time without getting out of breath
Physical Strength
use your lower back and stomach
lift, push, pull, or carry
People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
Attention to Detail
Dependability
Cooperation
Integrity
Achievement/Effort
Self Control
You might use software like this on the job:
Word processing software
Microsoft Word
Wilhelm Publishing Threshold
Project management software
DevWave Estimate Works
Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
Accounting software
Job costing software
no high school diploma/GED or high school diploma/GED usually needed
In the military:
see titles from the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, or Navy.
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