Floor Sanders and Finishers

Career Description: Scrape and sand wooden floors to smooth surfaces using floor scraper and floor sanding machine, and apply coats of finish.

Industry: Construction and Extraction

Other Job Titles for Floor Sanders and Finishers:

• 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

• Inspect floors for smoothness.
• Scrape and sand floor edges and areas inaccessible to floor sanders, using scrapers, disk-type sanders, and sandpaper.
• Guide sanding machines over surfaces of floors until surfaces are smooth.
• Attach sandpaper to rollers of sanding machines.
• Apply filler compound and coats of finish to floors in order to seal wood.
• Remove excess glue from joints, using knives, scrapers, or wood chisels.
• Cut covering and foundation materials, according to blueprints and sketches.
• Roll and press sheet wall and floor covering into cement base to smooth and finish surface, using hand roller.
• Apply adhesive cement to floor or wall material to join and adhere foundation material.
• Determine traffic areas and decide location of seams.
• Lay out, position, and apply shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative coverings to floors, walls, and cabinets, following guidelines to keep courses straight and create designs.
• Remove excess cement to clean finished surface.
• Disconnect and remove appliances, light fixtures, and worn floor and wall covering from floors, walls, and cabinets.
• Heat and soften floor covering materials to patch cracks or fit floor coverings around irregular surfaces, using blowtorch.
• Suggest or initiate personnel actions such as promotions, transfers, and hires.
• Nail pointed slats to rails to construct picket fences.
• Construct and repair barriers, retaining walls, trellises, and other types of fences, walls, and gates.
• Weld metal parts together, using portable gas welding equipment.
• Erect alternate panel, basket weave, and louvered fences.
• Blast rock formations and rocky areas with dynamite to facilitate posthole digging.
• Insert waterproof sealers, bullets, and/or powder charges into guns, and screw gun ports back into place.
• Clean, gauge, and lubricate gun ports.
• Connect gun chambers to electric detonating devices, and operate controls at panelboards, in order to detonate charges in guns or to ignite chemical charges.
• Lower perforating guns into wells, using hoists; then use measuring devices and instrument panels to position guns in correct positions for taking samples.
• Insert powder charges into chambers of sidewall sample-taking cylinders, and assemble cylinders, using special wrenches.
• Obtain samples of earth from sidewalls of well boreholes, using electrically exploding devices.
• Signal hoist operators to lower torpedoes or sample-taking guns into wells and to raise equipment for sampling from blast holes after detonation.
• Observe odometers, weight indicators, and instrument panels in trucks in order to position guns at predetermined points in wells.
• Repair electrical instruments, using electricians' hand tools.
• Operate hoists to lift power line poles into position.

Emerging Tasks

• Buff and vacuum floors to ensure their cleanliness prior to the application of finish.
• Conduct methane gas checks to ensure breathing quality of air.
• Hang ventilation tubing and ventilation curtains to ensure that the mining face area is kept properly ventilated.

• 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
• cut, shape, fit, or join wood or other construction materials
• fabricate, assemble, or disassemble manufactured products by hand
• finish or refinish floor, furniture, or related wood surfaces
• move or fit heavy objects
• operate floor sanding machine
• operate power construction equipment
• perform safety inspections in construction or resource extraction setting
• prepare building surfaces for paint, finishes, wallpaper, or adhesives
• understand construction specifications
• use hand or power tools
• use hand or power woodworking tools
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• prepare building surfaces for paint, finishes, wallpaper, or adhesives
• read blueprints
• read tape measure
• read technical drawings
• understand construction specifications
• use basic carpentry techniques
• use blowtorch
• use hand or power tools
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• oversee work progress to verify safety or conformance to standards
• perform safety inspections in construction or resource extraction setting
• plan construction of structures or facilities
• plan meetings or conferences
• plan or organize work
• prepare or maintain employee records
• prepare reports
• prepare safety reports
• read blueprints
• read specifications
• read tape measure
• read technical drawings
• read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
• recommend improvements to work methods or procedures
• recommend personnel actions, such as promotions, transfers, and dismissals
• recommend purchase or repair of furnishings or equipment
• resolve or assist workers to resolve work problems
• resolve personnel problems or grievances
• schedule employee work hours
• set priorities for construction workers
• understand construction specifications
• use hand or power tools
• write employee orientation or training materials
• use interpersonal communication techniques
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• use oscilloscopes in electronics repair
• use soldering equipment
• use voltmeter, ammeter, or ohmmeter
• use hazardous materials information
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• use spray paint equipment
• use surfacing machine to polish terrazzo or concrete
• verify levelness or verticality, using level or plumb bob
• work as a team member
• understand construction specifications
• use basic carpentry techniques
• use basic plumbing techniques
• use building materials for routine building maintenance
• use building or land use regulations
• use concrete fabrication techniques
• use hand or power tools
• use hand or power woodworking tools
• use hazardous materials information
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• use oral or written communication techniques
• verify trueness of structure using plumb bob or level
• weld together metal parts, components, or structures

Overall Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a teller might benefit from experience working directly with the public, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be a teller with little difficulty.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.

Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.

Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, pharmacy technicians, salespersons (retail), and tellers.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$15.04
• Average annual wage (2007) - $31,290.00

• Employment (2006): 14,319

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