About

Ask yourself...

  • Are you good with your hands?
  • Do you have an eye for detail?
  • Could you work with precision tools?
  • Do you like working with wood? 

If the answer to these questions is yes, then a career as an Interior Finisher could be right for you.

Interior finishers build, install and repair interior wall panelling, trim and crown mouldings for single- and multi-family homes, and for commercial buildings.

They are employed by construction companies, carpentry contractors and maintenance departments, or they may be self-employed.

Duties

As an Interior Finisher, your duties may include the following:

  • Selecting, measuring and marking materials for interior panelling, trim or mouldings
  • Cutting and shaping materials and joining them with nails, screws, bolts or glue
  • Developing work plans
  • Reading and interpreting blueprints

Work Conditions

The standard work week for interior finishers is 40 hours (8 hours a day, 5 days a week). As with many careers in construction, there are peak periods that will require you to work overtime. The number of additional hours you work each week depends on the construction sector and region you work in, and will vary from one job to the next.

As an Interior Finisher, you will usually work indoors on residential construction sites, often in collaboration with other carpenters and construction professionals.

As with all careers in the construction industry, safety is the top priority. Interior finishers are trained to work safely and wear personal protective equipment such as hard hats, gloves and steel-toed boots.

Training and Certification

Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship involves both classroom studies and on-the-job training under the supervision of a certified Interior Finisher, called a journeyperson.

As an apprentice, you earn while you learn and are paid by the hour while working on the job site. Wages start at about 50 per cent of a journeyperson’s hourly rate and increase during your apprenticeship until you reach the full rate.

Entering an apprenticeship program
Requirements for interior finisher apprenticeship programs vary across Canada. You are usually required to complete secondary school. You may find it helpful to enrol in math, shop, industrial arts and mechanical drawing courses in high school.

Some provinces and territories offer secondary school apprenticeship programs that allow high school students to work towards a career as an Interior Finisher.

Check out the apprenticeship section to learn more.

Program length
Apprenticeship training programs for interior finishers vary across Canada, but generally involve at least one 12-month period, including both on-the-job training and in-class technical training.

Related work experience or completion of an interior finishing program at a college or technical institute can reduce the time required to complete your apprenticeship.

Certification
Certification is available but voluntary in British Columbia and Saskatchewan. In provinces and territories where certification is not available, it may be possible to study as an apprentice through your local labour organization. Check out Related links to find out who to contact. Even where certification is voluntary, it is still recommended as it tells employers and other workers that you are a skilled professional, and it also helps you get jobs.

To be certified as an Interior Finisher, you usually need to complete an apprenticeship program. Once you successfully complete the required on-the-job training, technical training and exams, you are awarded a journeyperson certificate.

You may be eligible for certification if you have on-the-job experience and some high school, college or industry courses in interior finishing.

To keep their skills current, Interior Finishers must keep up with new technologies by reading and speaking with others in their field.               

Courses

Construction Industry Ethics
Construction Project Management
Introduction to Mentorship
Working in a Respectful and Inclusive Workplace

Wage

Salary Gradient
Mid range
$54,080
Salary Range ArrowHigh range
$79,290
The wage range listed here is based on hourly rates multiplied by a 40-hour work week. Wages can vary depending on the contract, company, location and collective agreements (if applicable), as well as local and national economic conditions. Overtime is not included.

The “mid range” wage is based on the national “median” wage reported in the Job Bank career profile for this National Occupational Category (NOC): 7271

Note: Some career profiles may have more than one NOC code associated with them.

Wage data obtained from the Government of Canada’s Job Bank.

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