All About Tapers
Career Description Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surface for painting or papering.
Life As a Taper
- Spread and smooth cementing material over tape, using trowels or floating machines to blend joints with wall surfaces.
- Check adhesives to ensure that they will work and will remain durable.
- Mix sealing compounds by hand or with portable electric mixers.
- Sand rough spots of dried cement between applications of compounds.
- Apply additional coats to fill in holes and make surfaces smooth.
- Apply texturizing compounds or primers to walls or ceilings before final finishing, using trowels, brushes, rollers, or spray guns.
Featured schools near , edit
Taper Needed Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Tapers say are important on the job.
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.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Types of Taper
- Drywall Finisher
- Drywall Mechanic
- Wall Taper
- Sheet Rock Taper
- Finisher
What Kind of Taper Job Opportunities Are There?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 23,700 jobs in the United States for Taper. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Taper. There will be an estimated 2,100 positions for Taper per year.

The states with the most job growth for Taper are Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Kentucky, Maine, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Tapers Make A Lot Of Money?
The salary for Tapers ranges between about $31,020 and $91,070 a year.

Tapers who work in Hawaii, Illinois, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.
How much do Tapers make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Arizona | $46,980 |
California | $62,060 |
Colorado | $49,240 |
Connecticut | $56,380 |
Florida | $42,020 |
Georgia | $45,550 |
Hawaii | $81,840 |
Idaho | $32,030 |
Illinois | $75,810 |
Indiana | $47,760 |
Iowa | $57,840 |
Maine | $47,540 |
Massachusetts | $58,480 |
Michigan | $53,590 |
Minnesota | $55,430 |
Missouri | $60,220 |
Montana | $30,370 |
Nevada | $41,880 |
New Hampshire | $35,880 |
New Mexico | $49,160 |
New York | $63,490 |
North Dakota | $47,170 |
Ohio | $63,130 |
Oregon | $67,170 |
Pennsylvania | $55,570 |
Texas | $45,130 |
Utah | $42,750 |
Washington | $57,060 |
Wisconsin | $48,690 |
What Tools & Technology do Tapers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Tapers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
- On Center Quick Bid
- Construction Software Center EasyEst
- DevWave Estimate Works
How do I Become a Taper?
What education or degrees do I need to become a Taper?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Taper?

Tapers Sector

Below are examples of industries where Tapers work:

References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |