How to become a floor covering installer
Official title: Floor covering installers
Also called: Floor layer, Rug installer, Carpet installer, Floor tile layer, Vinyl floor layer, Broadloom installer, Parquet floor layer, Floor sheeting layer, Hardwood floor layer, Linoleum floor layer, Wood floor installer, Resilient floor layer
Floor covering installers install carpet, wood, linoleum, vinyl and other resilient floor coverings in residential, commercial, industrial and institutional buildings. They are employed by construction companies, floor-covering contractors and carpet outlets, or they may be self-employed. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main tasks
- Inspect, measure and mark surfaces to be covered
- Measure, cut and fasten underlay and underpadding
- Measure, cut and install carpeting using hand or machine stitcher, seaming iron, bonding tape or other bonding materials
- Stretch carpeting using knee-kicker or power stretcher and secure carpeting to floor or other surfaces using staple gun or other devices
- Measure, cut and install resilient floor covering using adhesive, rollers and other hand tools
- Install hardwood floors, such as strip floors, block floors or plank floors, using glue, staples, nails or other means
- Inspect and repair damaged floor coverings
- May estimate material and labour costs
How to become one
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a two- to three-year apprenticeship program or Over four years of work experience in the trade and some courses in floor covering installation are usually required to be eligible for trade certification. Trade certification for floor covering installers is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified floor covering installers upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Red Seal trade. Completion of a two- to three-year apprenticeship program or Over four years of work experience in the trade and some courses in floor covering installation are usually required to be eligible for trade certification. Red Seal endorsement is available. Apprenticeships are run by each province and territory.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $50,700 a year The middle half earn $39,000 to $68,250.
- About 16,600 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 18,600 are projected by 2033. (+12%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: moderate risk of shortage.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a floor covering installer?
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a two- to three-year apprenticeship program or Over four years of work experience in the trade and some courses in floor covering installation are usually required to be eligible for trade certification. Trade certification for floor covering installers is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified floor covering installers upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
How much does a floor covering installer earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $50,700 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $39,000 to $68,250.
Is a floor covering installer a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 12% by 2033, from about 16,600 to about 18,600 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a floor covering installer?
Usually not. Only 5% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Red Seal trade.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03