Carpet Installers Career

Tile, carpet, and other kinds of floor coverings serve an important function in buildings. The decorative qualities of these coverings contribute to the appeal of the buildings. Floor, carpet, tile installers, and finishers lay floor coverings in offices, homes, stores, restaurants, hospitals, and many other types of buildings. Tile can be installed on ceilings and walls.

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Nature of Work The work of carpet installers is to inspect the surface that is covered to determine its condition. These installers also need to correct any imperfections that may show through the carpet. Carpet installers measure the area to be carpeted. They need to plan the layout keeping in mind estimated placement of seams and traffic patterns for maximum wear and best appearance. Carpet installers have to fasten a tackless strip to the floor while installing wall-to-wall carpet without tacks. Subsequently, they install the padded cushion or underlay. Then they measure, roll out, cut, and mark the carpet consenting to two or three inches of extra carpet for the final fitting. Carpet installers use the device called �knee kicker' to position the carpet. They stretch the carpet to fit evenly on the floor and fasten it against each door and wall threshold.

Carpet installers then cut off the excess carpet and use a power stretcher to stretch the carpet. Finally, they hook it to the tackless strip to hold it in proper place. The carpet installers then cut off the edges with a wall trimmer. The carpet that is installed wall-to-wall requires installers to put the carpet sections together for large rooms. These installers connect the sections using heat-taped seams. They join the seams together using special plastic tape, which is activated by heat.

In commercial installations, carpet has to be fastened directly to the padding or to floor that is glued on the floor. Carpet installers have to use tools such as drills, hammers, carpet knives, staple guns, and rubber mallets. They also need to use carpet laying tools such as knee kickers, carpet shears, wall trimmers, heat irons, loop pile cutters, and power stretchers.

Floor layers and floor installers lay floor coverings such as linoleum, laminate, cork, vinyl, and rubber to decorate floors, absorb shocks, deaden sounds, and create air-tight environments. These workers may install wood, carpet, and tile. However, this is not their main job. Floor layers have to inspect the surface before installing the floor. They need to correct the deficiencies such as an unleveled or rotted sub floor to start with a smooth, sturdy, and clean foundation.

Floor installers and floor layers measure and cut floor covering materials. When installing vinyl or linoleum they require using an adhesive to strengthen the material directly to the floor. For laminate floor installation, these installers have to install and unroll a polyethylene film, which acts as a moisture barrier with added and thicker under layer. Rubber floors and cork can be installed directly on the top of the sub-floor without using any under layers. Finally, floor layers need to install covering in order to form a tight cover.

The work of floor sanders and finishers is to smooth any imperfections in the wood and apply finish costs of polyurethane or varnish. They install a new hardwood floor when a consumer wants to refinish an old wood floor. To smooth the surface and remove imperfections, finishers scrape and sand wooden floors using floor sanding machines. Consequently, they examine the floor and remove excess glue from joints with wood chisel or knife. They may further sand wood facade by hand using sandpaper. Finally, they apply sealant using rollers or brushes.

Tile setters, tile installers, and marble setters apply marble and hard tile to walls, floors, counter tops, ceilings, roof decks, and patios. Marble and tile are impermeable to water, durable, and easy to clean. Tile and marble are used in kitchens, bathrooms, commercial buildings, and hospitals. These workers have to carry out following responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Join edges of seam and carpet where required by using tape with heated carpet iron and glue or sewing.
• Trim and cut carpet to fit along wall edges and finish edges using a wall trimmer
• Evaluate the surface that is covered to determine its condition and correct imperfection that may cause carpet to wear unevenly
• Measure, roll out, cut, and mark carpeting to size using carpet knife allowing extra carpet for final fitting
• Place seams for longer wear and best appearance, plan the layout of the carpet, and allow expected traffic patterns
• Stretch carpet to line up walls to ensure a smooth surface, put carpet in place over tack strips and use tape, staples, glue, or tacks to hold carpet in place
• Study floor sketches and take measurement to compute the section to be carpeted and the amount of material required
• Cut and measure carpet padding to install and size padding using prescribed method
• Install carpet on floors applying prescribed and adhesive method
• Pin tack strips around the section to be carpeted and old strips to connect edges

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