Talk to your school counselor about programs and classes like woodworking that are offered at your school so you can start learning skills that will get you started in this field.

Find a class to jump-start your construction skills.

Gain hands-on training in woodworking by taking a class at your school or in your community.

Take a woodworking class.

Search online for how-to videos to see how hard this work is to master--and whether it's something you think you'd like. Does seeing this kind of work in action make you more interested in trying it?

Watch tutorials on how to do this kind of work.

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.

The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Floor Sanders and Finishers

Scrape and sand wooden floors to smooth surfaces using floor scraper and floor sanding machine, and apply coats of finish.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Job Zone One: Little or No Preparation Needed

Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

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.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Carpet, Floor, and Tile Installers and Finishers

Construction and Extraction Occupations

Construction Trades Workers

Buff and vacuum floors to ensure their cleanliness prior to the application of finish.

Scrape and sand floor edges and areas inaccessible to floor sanders, using scrapers, disk-type sanders, and sandpaper.

Attach sandpaper to rollers of sanding machines.

Guide sanding machines over surfaces of floors until surfaces are smooth.

Apply filler compound and coats of finish to floors to seal wood.

Remove excess glue from joints, using knives, scrapers, or wood chisels.

Microsoft Excel

FloorCOST Estimator for Excel

Measure Square

Pacific Solutions FloorRight

Vimeo

Floor planning software

Flooring Technologies QFloors

Floor sanders

Portable belt sanders

Rotary sanders

Floor scraping tools

Floor strippers

Floor buffers

Floor waxers

Dust masks

Tack cloths

Pneumatic orbital sanders

Finish edging tools

Protective ear muffs

Corner tools

Flooring utility knives

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?

Every day

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Continually or almost continually

More than half the time

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?

How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?

Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable

Once a week or more but not every day

How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?

Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling

How much does this job require making repetitive motions?

How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

A lot of freedom

Some freedom

What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?

Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results

Floor Sanders and Finishers

Overview

Career

What Floor Sanders and Finishers Do

Other Job Titles Floor Sanders and Finishers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Floor Sanders and Finishers

Overview

Career

What Floor Sanders and Finishers Do

Other Job Titles Floor Sanders and Finishers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Floor Sanders and Finishers

Majors Related to Career