Construction Trades Workers

How to become a Taper

Official title: Tapers

Also called: Drywall Finisher, Drywall Mechanic, Drywall Taper, Finisher, Patch Guy, Patcher, Sheetrock Finisher, Taper Finisher

Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surface for painting or papering.

Main tasks

Press paper tape over joints to embed tape into sealing compound and to seal joints.
Spread and smooth cementing material over tape, using trowels or floating machines to blend joints with wall surfaces.
Spread sealing compound between boards or panels or over cracks, holes, nail heads, or screw heads, using trowels, broadknives, or spatulas.
Work on high ceilings, using scaffolding or other tools, such as stilts.
Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surfaces for painting or papering.
Apply additional coats to fill in holes and make surfaces smooth.
Countersink nails or screws below surfaces of walls before applying sealing compounds, using hammers or screwdrivers.
Mix sealing compounds by hand or with portable electric mixers.

How to become one

Most drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers learn their trade on the job. A formal educational credential is typically not required to enter the occupation.

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Drywall Finisher (Existing Title: Taper).

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $68,270 a year The middle half earn $52,730 to $88,540.
About 15,800 people work in this job now, and about 15,500 are projected by 2035. (-1.6%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Taper?

Most drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers learn their trade on the job. A formal educational credential is typically not required to enter the occupation.

How much does a Taper earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $68,270 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $52,730 to $88,540.

Is a Taper a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 15,800 people now and 15,500 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Taper?

Usually not. Only 3% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Drywall Finisher (Existing Title: Taper).

Will AI change the work of a Taper?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.