Hardwood floor layer
Also known as: wood floor layer, parquet floor installer, installer of harwood floors, timber floor layer, hardwood floor installer, parquet floor layer
About this occupation
Hardwood floor layers install floors made of solid wood. They prepare the surface, cut parquet or board elements to size, and lay them in a predetermined pattern, straight and flush.
Essential skills and knowledge
- inspect construction supplies
- identify wood warp
- pin parquet
- join wood elements
- wood cuts
- lacquer wood surfaces
- work ergonomically
- prepare surface for hardwood floor laying
- monitor processing environment conditions
- lay underlayment
- create smooth wood surface
- follow health and safety procedures in construction
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles (O*NET 47-2042.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Cut covering and foundation materials, according to blueprints and sketches.
- Trim excess covering materials, tack edges, and join sections of covering material to form tight joint.
- Cut flooring material to fit around obstructions.
- Roll and press sheet wall and floor covering into cement base to smooth and finish surface, using hand roller.
- 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.
- Sweep, scrape, sand, or chip dirt and irregularities to clean base surfaces, correcting imperfections that may show through the covering.
- 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, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination
US median pay: US$56,460 a year (2025), 23,640 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 (3.9)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsVery important (3.8)
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalImportant (3.4)
- Technical DrawingO*NET: DesignImportant (3.1)
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.
- Tile and Stone Setters
- Carpet Installers
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
- Floor Sanders and Finishers
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons
- Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters
- Insulation Workers, Mechanical
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
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.