Drywall Installers, Ceiling Tile Installers, and Tapers

Drywall installers and ceiling tile installers hang wallboard and install ceiling tile inside buildings. Tapers prepare the wallboard for painting, using tape and other materials. Many workers both install and tape wallboard.

Duties

Drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers typically do the following:

• Measure, mark, and cut drywall panels according to design plans  
• Fasten panels and tiles to support structures
• Patch, trim, and smooth rough spots and edges
• Apply tape and sealing compound to cover joints between wallboards
• Add coats of sealing compound to create an even surface
• Sand all joints and holes for a smooth, seamless finish

Drywall and ceiling tile installers place panels over the walls and ceilings of interior rooms in buildings. The panels cover insulation, electrical wires, and pipes; dampen sound; and provide fire resistance. Tapers prepare the drywall for finishing.

Workers may use mechanical lifts or stand on stilts, ladders, or scaffolds to hang and prepare ceilings. After hanging wallboards, workers use trowels to spread coats of sealing compound over cracks, indentations, and other imperfections. Some workers use a mechanical applicator, a tool that spreads sealing compound on the wall joint while dispensing and setting tape at the same time.

Drywall installers are also called drywallers or hangers. They cut and hang the panels of wallboard. The tools they use include tape measures, straightedges, utility knives, and power saws.

Ceiling tile installers hang ceiling tiles and create suspended ceilings. Tiles may be applied directly to the ceiling, attached to furring strips, or suspended on runners that are connected by wire to the ceiling. Workers are sometimes called acoustical carpenters, because they also install tiles that block sound.

Tapers, also called finishers, prepare the drywall for covering by paint and wallpaper. Tapers apply paper or fiberglass mesh tape to cover drywall seams. They also smooth the tape after affixing it and apply a finishing compound to the tape.

In addition to performing new installations, many installers and tapers make repairs such as fixing damaged drywall and replacing ceiling tiles. The wall coverings applied to the finished drywall are installed by  painters, plasterers, and paperhangers.

Drywall and ceiling tile installers held about 103,100 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of drywall and ceiling tile installers were as follows:

Tapers held about 15,600 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of tapers were as follows:

Drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers work indoors. The work is physically demanding. Workers spend most of the day standing, bending, or reaching, and they must often lift and maneuver heavy wallboard.

Work Schedules

Most drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers work full time.

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.

The median annual wage for drywall and ceiling tile installers was $58,140 in May 2024.

The median annual wage for tapers was $64,700 in May 2024.

Overall employment of drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 8,800 openings for drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.