Terrazzo setter
Also known as: terrazzo layer, terrazzo team member, terrazzo flooring worker, epoxy terrazzo setter, poured flooring worker, terrazzo team worker
About this occupation
Terrazzo setters create terrazzo surfaces. They prepare the surface, installing strips to divide sections. They then pour the solution containing cement and marble chips. Terrazzo setters finish the floor by polishing the surface to ensure smoothness and shine.
Essential skills and knowledge
- prevent premature drying
- grout terrazzo
- blast surface
- grind terrazzo
- work ergonomically
- apply proofing membranes
- transport construction supplies
- screed concrete
- mix terrazzo material
- follow health and safety procedures in construction
- pour terrazzo
- prepare floor for terrazzo
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Tile and Stone Setters (O*NET 47-2044.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Align and straighten tile using levels, squares, and straightedges.
- Finish and dress the joints and wipe excess grout from between tiles, using damp sponge.
- Cut and shape tile to fit around obstacles and into odd spaces and corners, using hand and power cutting tools.
- Determine and implement the best layout to achieve a desired pattern.
- Mix, apply, and spread plaster, concrete, mortar, cement, mastic, glue or other adhesives to form a bed for the tiles, using brush, trowel and screed.
- Study blueprints and examine surface to be covered to determine amount of material needed.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Artistic
Top skills: Active Listening, Speaking, Mathematics, Critical Thinking, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving
US median pay: US$55,690 a year (2025), 35,850 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- WoodworkO*NET: Building and ConstructionVery important (4.0)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsImportant (3.4)
- Technical DrawingO*NET: DesignImportant (3.0)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers
- Stonemasons
- Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters
- Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons
- Carpet Installers
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
- Plasterers and Stucco Masons
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.