Floor Sanders and Finishers: Career Profile
Scrape and sand wooden floors to smooth surfaces using floor scraper and floor sanding machine, and apply coats of finish.
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What Do Floor Sanders and Finishers Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of floor sanders and finishers cover:
- 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.
- Apply filler compound and coats of finish to floors to seal wood.
- Remove excess glue from joints, using knives, scrapers, or wood chisels.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top floor sanders and finishers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Floor Sanders and Finishers Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Bowling Alley Refinisher
- Finisher
- Floor Finisher
- Floor Mechanic
- Floor Refinisher
- Floor Renovator
- Floor Sander
- Floor Sander and Finisher
Employment and Demand
There are about 131,005 floor sanders and finishers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -0.1% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Floor Sanders and Finishers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $71,975 |
| Hourly median | $34.60 |
| 10th percentile | $43,017 |
| 25th percentile | $57,496 |
| 75th percentile | $86,454 |
| 90th percentile | $100,933 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $73,140 |
| Oregon | $65,180 |
| Minnesota | $60,690 |
| Missouri | $54,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $53,780 |
| Georgia | $52,730 |
| Florida | $51,750 |
| Texas | $50,930 |
| New York | $50,460 |
| Tennessee | $50,310 |
| Colorado | $49,180 |
| Maryland | $48,580 |
| Indiana | $48,480 |
| Alaska | $48,200 |
| Massachusetts | $47,020 |
| Virginia | $46,840 |
| Ohio | $46,160 |
| Nebraska | $45,440 |
| California | $45,180 |
| North Carolina | $43,550 |
| Wisconsin | $43,350 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,600 |
Where Floor Sanders and Finishers Earn the Most
Earnings for floor sanders and finishers differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains States | $54,340 | 4.7% | 1.00 |
| Middle Atlantic | $53,780 | 7.1% | 0.74 |
| Rocky Mountains | $49,180 | 12.9% | 2.88 |
| Southeast | $48,432 | 73.5% | 2.10 |
| Far Western US | $48,200 | 1.8% | 3.62 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Floor Sanders and Finishers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $66,470 | |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $60,690 | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | MO | $59,920 | 30 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | NC | $53,860 | 40 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $53,530 | 180 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $52,240 | 190 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | FL | $52,000 | |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $50,460 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of floor sanders and finishers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 3,840 | $49,490 |
| Manufacturing | 100 | $47,410 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 100 | $37,910 |
| Retail Trade | 80 | $54,340 |
Below are examples of industries where floor sanders and finishers work:
Software Floor Sanders and Finishers Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for floor sanders and finishers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How to Become Floor Sanders and Finishers
Entry-level floor sanders and finishers positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons (Supplemental)
- Carpenters (Supplemental)
- Carpet Installers (Primary-Short)
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles (Primary-Short)
- Tile and Stone Setters (Primary-Short)
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (Primary-Long)
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers (Primary-Short)
- Construction Laborers (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for floor sanders and finishers often complete programs in:
Construction Trades
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-2043.00 (Floor Sanders and Finishers).
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