DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
47-2081 Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
Occupational Description:
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, fire-proofing, or acoustical material. Excludes “Carpet Installers" (47-2041), "Carpenters" (47-2031), and "Tile and Marble Setters" (47-2044).| Percentiles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| Minnesota | 490 | 133 | $25.11/hr | $1.23/hr | $17.12/hr | $20.57/hr | $24.93/hr | $30.55/hr | $34.08/hr |
| U S | 75,810 | 1,744 | $20.57/hr | $0.21/hr | $12.00/hr | $14.74/hr | $18.06/hr | $24.45/hr | $35.19/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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| Occupation (click title for details) | OES | Projections | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Median Wage | % Change 2010 - 2020 | |
| Carpenters | 12,320 | $21.80/hr | 24.0% |
| Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | 2,140 | $17.41/hr | 20.4% |
| Tapers | 390 | $19.47/hr | 28.4% |
| Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers | 370 | $29.43/hr | 62.3% |
| Tile and Marble Setters | 340 | $20.60/hr | 29.0% |
| Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons | 100 | $16.52/hr | N/A |
Tasks for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
- Applies acoustical tiles or shock-absorbing materials to ceilings and walls of buildings to reduce or reflect sound and to decorate rooms.
- Nails or screws molding to wall to support and seals joint between ceiling tile and wall.
- Applies cement to back of tile and presses tile into place, aligning with layout marks and joints of previously laid tile.
- Scribes and cuts edges of tile to fit wall where wall molding is not specified.
- Cuts tiles for fixture and borders, using keyhole saw, and inserts tiles into supporting framework.
- Hangs dry lines (stretched string) to wall molding to guide positioning of main runners.
- Washes concrete surfaces with washing soda and zinc sulfate solution before mounting tile to increase adhesive qualities of surfaces.
- Inspects furrings, mechanical mountings, and masonry surface for plumbness and level, using spirit or water level.
- Measures and marks surface to lay out work according to blueprints and drawings.
- Nails channels or wood furring strips to surfaces to provide mounting for tile.
- Trims rough edges from wallboard to maintain even joints, using knife.
- Fits and fastens wallboard or sheetrock into specified position, using hand tools, portable power tools, or adhesive.
- Cuts openings into board for electrical outlets, windows, vents, or fixtures, using keyhole saw or other cutting tools.
- Installs horizontal and vertical metal or wooden studs for attachment of wallboard on interior walls, using hand tools.
- Lays out reference lines and points, computes position of framing and furring channels, and marks position, using chalkline.
- Assembles and installs metal framing and decorative trim for windows, doorways, and bents.
- Reads blueprints and other specifications to determine method of installation, work procedures, and material and tool requirements.
- Installs blanket insulation between studs and tacks plastic moisture barrier over insulation.
- Removes plaster, drywall, or paneling, using crowbar and hammer.
- Suspends angle iron grid and channel iron from ceiling, using wire.
- Cuts metal or wood framing, angle and channel iron, and trim to size, using cutting tools.
- Measures and marks cutting lines on framing, drywall, and trim, using tape measure, straightedge or square, and marking devices.