What Does it Take to Be a Taper?
Taper Definition Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surface for painting or papering.
List of Taper Job Duties
- Press paper tape over joints to embed tape into sealing compound and to seal joints.
- Remove extra compound after surfaces have been covered sufficiently.
- Apply texturizing compounds or primers to walls or ceilings before final finishing, using trowels, brushes, rollers, or spray guns.
- Apply additional coats to fill in holes and make surfaces smooth.
- Select the correct sealing compound or tape.
- Sand rough spots of dried cement between applications of compounds.
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Things a Taper Should Know How to Do
Tapers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Active Listening: 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.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Related Job Titles
- Drywall Finisher
- Drywall Finisher Foreman
- Drywall Mechanic
- Drywall Finishing Foreman
- Finisher
Job Opportunities for Tapers
There were about 23,700 jobs for Taper in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Taper. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 2,100 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Taper are Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Kentucky, Maine, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Taper Salary
The average yearly salary of a Taper ranges between $31,020 and $91,070.

Tapers who work in Hawaii, Illinois, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.
How much do Tapers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Arizona | $46,980 |
California | $62,060 |
Colorado | $49,240 |
Connecticut | $56,380 |
Florida | $42,020 |
Georgia | $45,550 |
Hawaii | $81,840 |
Idaho | $32,030 |
Illinois | $75,810 |
Indiana | $47,760 |
Iowa | $57,840 |
Maine | $47,540 |
Massachusetts | $58,480 |
Michigan | $53,590 |
Minnesota | $55,430 |
Missouri | $60,220 |
Montana | $30,370 |
Nevada | $41,880 |
New Hampshire | $35,880 |
New Mexico | $49,160 |
New York | $63,490 |
North Dakota | $47,170 |
Ohio | $63,130 |
Oregon | $67,170 |
Pennsylvania | $55,570 |
Texas | $45,130 |
Utah | $42,750 |
Washington | $57,060 |
Wisconsin | $48,690 |
What Tools & Technology do Tapers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Tapers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
- On Center Quick Bid
- Construction Software Center EasyEst
- DevWave Estimate Works
How do I Become a Taper?
Education needed to be a Taper:

How Long Does it Take to Become a Taper?

Where do Tapers Work?

Tapers work in the following industries:

References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
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