What is a Paperhanger?
Career Description Cover interior walls or ceilings of rooms with decorative wallpaper or fabric, or attach advertising posters on surfaces such as walls and billboards. May remove old materials or prepare surfaces to be papered.
Daily Life Of a Paperhanger
- Cover interior walls and ceilings of rooms with decorative wallpaper or fabric, using hand tools.
- Apply acetic acid to damp plaster to prevent lime from bleeding through paper.
- Place strips or sections of paper on surfaces, aligning section edges and patterns.
- Check finished wallcoverings for proper alignment, pattern matching, and neatness of seams.
- Remove paint, varnish, dirt, and grease from surfaces, using paint remover and water soda solutions.
- Trim rough edges from strips, using straightedges and trimming knives.
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Things a Paperhanger Should Know How to Do
These are the skills Paperhangers say are the most useful in their careers:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Other Paperhanger Job Titles
- Wallcovering Hanger
- Bill Poster Installer
- Vinyl Hanger
- Wallpaperer
- Advertising Installer
Are There Job Opportunities for Paperhangers?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 5,700 jobs in the United States for Paperhanger. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 300 new jobs for Paperhanger by 2026. There will be an estimated 500 positions for Paperhanger per year.

The states with the most job growth for Paperhanger are Iowa, Florida, and North Carolina. Watch out if you plan on working in Tennessee, New Mexico, or Nebraska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Paperhanger
The typical yearly salary for Paperhangers is somewhere between $26,700 and $58,570.

Paperhangers who work in New York, California, or Michigan, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Paperhangers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $43,200 |
Arizona | $35,780 |
Arkansas | $31,460 |
California | $50,130 |
Colorado | $42,730 |
Florida | $36,850 |
Michigan | $39,830 |
Missouri | $36,940 |
Montana | $27,840 |
New Mexico | $34,400 |
New York | $45,650 |
North Carolina | $41,450 |
Ohio | $40,580 |
Oklahoma | $33,630 |
Pennsylvania | $36,910 |
Texas | $36,970 |
Washington | $38,250 |
What Tools do Paperhangers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Paperhangers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
- On Center Quick Bid
- Construction Software Center EasyEst
- A-Systems Jobview
Becoming a Paperhanger
Learn what Paperhanger education requirements there are.

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Paperhangers Are Employed

Below are examples of industries where Paperhangers work:

References:
Image Credit: Margo Wright via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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