Carpet Installers

Career Description: Lay and install carpet from rolls or blocks on floors. Install padding and trim flooring materials.

Industry: Construction and Extraction

Other Job Titles for Carpet Installers:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• 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.
• Fasten metal treads across door openings or where carpet meets flooring to hold carpet in place.
• Measure, cut and install tackless strips along the baseboard or wall.
• Draw building diagrams and record dimensions.
• Move furniture from area to be carpeted and remove old carpet and padding.
• Cut and bind material.
• Install refractory bricks and other heat-resistant materials in fireboxes of pressure vessels.
• Assemble large vessels in an on-site fabrication shop prior to installation, in order to ensure proper fit.

Emerging Tasks

• Clean up before and after installation, including vacuuming carpet and discarding remnant pieces.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• adhere to safety procedures
• apply adhesives, caulking, sealants, or coatings
• compute production, construction, or installation specifications
• cut, fit, or join floor covering or foundation materials
• determine material or tool requirements
• fabricate, assemble, or disassemble manufactured products by hand
• inspect premises or structure for evidence of deterioration or damage
• install carpet, linoleum, tile, or related material onto floors or walls
• measure and mark reference points or cutting lines on workpieces
• move or fit heavy objects
• perform safety inspections in construction or resource extraction setting
• read tape measure
• read technical drawings
• sew by hand
• understand construction specifications
• use basic carpentry techniques
• use hand or power tools
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• mix mortar, grout, slurry, concrete, or related masonry material
• mix paint, ingredients, or chemicals, according to specifications
• move or fit heavy objects
• perform safety inspections in construction or resource extraction setting
• plan or organize work
• prepare site or surfaces for concrete or masonry work
• read blueprints
• read tape measure
• read technical drawings
• repair or replace damaged bricks, tile, or related masonry
• select masonry material to be installed according to specifications
• understand construction specifications
• use acetylene welding/cutting torch
• use arc welding equipment
• use hand or power tools
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• verify levelness or verticality, using level or plumb bob
• weld together metal parts, components, or structures
• signal directions or warnings to coworkers
• stretch, bend, straighten, shape, pound, or press metal or plastic
• test mechanical products or equipment
• understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
• use acetylene welding/cutting torch
• use arc welding equipment
• use basic plumbing techniques
• use combination welding procedures
• use hand or power tools
• use pipe fitting equipment
• use pneumatic tools
• use precision measuring devices in mechanical repair work
• use precision measuring tools or equipment
• use pressure gauges
• use turnbuckle in structural repair or assembly work
• verify levelness or verticality, using level or plumb bob
• weld together metal parts, components, or structures

Overall Experience
No previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, a person can become a cashier even if he/she has never worked before.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few days to a few months of training. Usually, an experienced worker could show you how to do the job.

Education
These occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate. Some may require a formal training course to obtain a license.

Examples
These occupations involve following instructions and helping others. Examples include taxi drivers, amusement and recreation attendants, counter and rental clerks, cashiers, and waiters/waitresses.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$17.33
• Average annual wage (2007) - $36,040.00

• Employment (2006): 73,205

• Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers
• Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
• Packers and Packagers, Hand
• Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers
• Upholsterers
• Rough Carpenters
• Stonemasons
• Tile and Marble Setters