Home / Tasks / Apply sealants or other protective coatings
In 3 of the 17 jobs that do this, AI or robots already show up on it, most often as robots doing it. In the other 14, there's no evidence yet. Jobs spend a median of 12m of an 8-hour shift on it, and about 2.4 million U.S. workers hold these jobs.
Every job that does this
Each job words the task its own way. Minutes are that job's estimate for a typical shift; the label is the evidence for that job's version.
| Job and its version of the task | Per shift | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Floor Sanders and FinishersApply filler compound and coats of finish to floors to seal wood. | 2h | No evidence yet |
| TapersSpread sealing compound between boards or panels or over cracks, holes, nail heads, or screw heads, using trowels, broadknives, or spatulas. | 1h 18m | No evidence yet |
| Mechanical Insulation WorkersCover, seal, or finish insulated surfaces or access holes with plastic covers, canvas strips, sealants, tape, cement, or asphalt mastic. | 1h | No evidence yet |
| Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and WallCover, seal, or finish insulated surfaces or access holes with plastic covers, canvas strips, sealants, tape, cement or asphalt mastic. | 41m | No evidence yet |
| Terrazzo Workers and FinishersWash polished terrazzo surface, using cleaner and water, and apply sealer and curing agent according to manufacturer's specifications, using brush or sprayer. | 25m | Robots |
| Solar Photovoltaic InstallersApply weather sealing to array, building, or support mechanisms. | 24m | No evidence yet |
| Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersApply hardening and sealing compounds to cure surface of concrete, and waterproof or restore surface. | 21m | No evidence yet |
| Tile and Stone SettersApply a sealer to make grout stain- and water-resistant. | 13m | No evidence yet |
| Helpers for Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble SettersApply caulk, sealants, or other agents to installed surfaces. | 12m | No evidence yet |
| Helpers for RoofersPlace tiles, nail them to roof boards, and cover nailheads with roofing cement. | 11m | No evidence yet |
| RoofersCover exposed nailheads with roofing cement or caulking to prevent water leakage or rust. | 7m | No evidence yet |
| Painters, Construction and MaintenanceWaterproof buildings, using waterproofers or caulking. | 7m | No evidence yet |
| Solar Thermal Installers and TechniciansApply ultraviolet radiation protection to prevent degradation of plumbing. | 7m | No evidence yet |
| Brickmasons and BlockmasonsSpray or spread refractory material over brickwork to protect against deterioration. | 7m | No evidence yet |
| PaperhangersApply thinned glue to waterproof porous surfaces, using brushes, rollers, or pasting machines. | 7m | No evidence yet |
| Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment OperatorsSpray ties, fishplates, or joints with oil to protect them from weathering. | 7m | Robots |
| Construction LaborersSpray materials, such as water, sand, steam, vinyl, paint, or stucco, through hoses to clean, coat, or seal surfaces. | 6m | Robots |
How to read this
This task type comes from O*NET's detailed work activities, which link similar tasks across jobs. A label applies to one job's version of the task: AI use comes from real AI conversations (Anthropic Economic Index) and robot evidence from deployments in real workplaces. "No evidence yet" may just mean the task is rare in the data. How we keep time.
See all 250 shared tasks, or find any job on the big clock.