Floor Sanders and Finishers

Overview

Floor Sanders and Finishers has a national median salary of $50,440 per year, with +1.4% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

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

Work Values

• Support
• Relationships
• Working Conditions

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Buff and vacuum floors to ensure their cleanliness prior to the application of finish.
• Scrape and sand floor edges and areas inaccessible to floor sanders, using scrapers, disk-type sanders, and sandpaper.
• Inspect floors for smoothness.
• Attach sandpaper to rollers of sanding machines.
• Guide sanding machines over surfaces of floors until surfaces are smooth.

Work Activities

• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Getting Information
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public

Detailed Work Activities

• Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
• Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a bachelor's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Bachelor's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for no formal educational credential.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Floor Sanders and Finishers:

Video Resources