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Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

Apply plasterboard or other wallboard to ceilings or interior walls of buildings. Apply or mount acoustical tiles or blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings and walls of buildings to reduce or reflect sound. Materials may be of decorative quality. Includes lathers who fasten wooden, metal, or rockboard lath to walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings to provide support base for plaster, fireproofing, or acoustical material.

What you’d do

  • Read blueprints or other specifications to determine methods of installation, work procedures, or material or tool requirements.
  • Measure and mark surfaces to lay out work, according to blueprints or drawings, using tape measures, straightedges or squares, and marking devices.
  • Cut and screw together metal channels to make floor or ceiling frames, according to plans for the location of rooms or hallways.
  • Hang drywall panels on metal frameworks of walls and ceilings in offices, schools, or other large buildings, using lifts or hoists to adjust panel heights, when necessary.
  • Fit and fasten wallboard or drywall into position on wood or metal frameworks, using glue, nails, or screws.
  • Measure and cut openings in panels or tiles for electrical outlets, windows, vents, plumbing, or other fixtures, using keyhole saws or other cutting tools.
  • Cut metal or wood framing and trim to size, using cutting tools.
  • Cut fixture or border tiles to size, using keyhole saws, and insert them into surrounding frameworks.

Skills that matter

  • Critical Thinking
  • Coordination
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Monitoring
  • Speaking
  • Time Management

How to get there

Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

Also called

  • Drywall Finisher
  • Drywall Hanger
  • Drywall Installer
  • Drywall Mechanic
  • Ceiling Installer
  • Installer

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