Paperhangers
Construction and Extraction Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 47-2142.00
Cover interior walls or ceilings of rooms with decorative wallpaper or fabric, or attach advertising posters on surfaces such as walls and billboards. May remove old materials or prepare surfaces to be papered.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Low· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.13
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Exposed tasks only20 rated tasks · 1 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (5.0%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- 1 rated task is not in the O*NET 31.0 task list; its score is kept as published for O*NET 27.2.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Measure surfaces or review work orders to estimate the quantities of materials needed.O*NET Task ID 14916 | 0.5 |
Smooth strips or sections of paper with brushes or rollers to remove wrinkles and bubbles and to smooth joints.O*NET Task ID 14906 | 0.0 |
Trim rough edges from strips, using straightedges and trimming knives.O*NET Task ID 14907 | 0.0 |
Trim excess material at ceilings or baseboards, using knives.O*NET Task ID 14908 | 0.0 |
Check finished wallcoverings for proper alignment, pattern matching, and neatness of seams.O*NET Task ID 14909 | 0.0 |
Mark vertical guidelines on walls to align strips, using plumb bobs and chalk lines.O*NET Task ID 14910 | 0.0 |
Cover interior walls and ceilings of rooms with decorative wallpaper or fabric, using hand tools.O*NET Task ID 14911 | 0.0 |
Apply adhesives to the backs of paper strips, using brushes, or dunk strips of prepasted wallcovering in water, wiping off any excess adhesive.O*NET Task ID 14912 | 0.0 |
Measure and cut strips from rolls of wallpaper or fabric, using shears or razors.O*NET Task ID 14913 | 0.0 |
Place strips or sections of paper on surfaces, aligning section edges and patterns.O*NET Task ID 14914 | 0.0 |
Fill holes, cracks, and other surface imperfections preparatory to covering surfaces.O*NET Task ID 14915 | 0.0 |
Apply sizing to seal surfaces and maximize adhesion of coverings to surfaces.O*NET Task ID 14917 | 0.0 |
Smooth rough spots on walls and ceilings, using sandpaper.O*NET Task ID 14918 | 0.0 |
Set up equipment, such as pasteboards and scaffolds.O*NET Task ID 14919 | 0.0 |
Remove old paper, using water, steam machines, or solvents and scrapers.O*NET Task ID 14920 | 0.0 |
Apply thinned glue to waterproof porous surfaces, using brushes, rollers, or pasting machines.O*NET Task ID 14921 | 0.0 |
Mix paste, using paste powder and water, and brush paste onto surfaces.O*NET Task ID 14922 | 0.0 |
Staple or tack advertising posters onto fences, walls, billboards, or poles.O*NET Task ID 14923 | 0.0 |
Remove paint, varnish, dirt, and grease from surfaces, using paint remover and water soda solutions.O*NET Task ID 14924 | 0.0 |
Apply acetic acid to damp plaster to prevent lime from bleeding through paper.O*NET Task ID 14925 | 0.0 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (19)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Smooth strips or sections of paper with brushes or rollers to remove wrinkles and bubbles and to smooth joints. | Core |
| Place strips or sections of paper on surfaces, aligning section edges and patterns. | Core |
| Trim rough edges from strips, using straightedges and trimming knives. | Supplemental |
| Trim excess material at ceilings or baseboards, using knives. | Supplemental |
| Check finished wallcoverings for proper alignment, pattern matching, and neatness of seams. | Supplemental |
| Mark vertical guidelines on walls to align strips, using plumb bobs and chalk lines. | Supplemental |
| Cover interior walls and ceilings of rooms with decorative wallpaper or fabric, using hand tools. | Supplemental |
| Apply adhesives to the backs of paper strips, using brushes, or dunk strips of prepasted wallcovering in water, wiping off any excess adhesive. | Supplemental |
| Measure and cut strips from rolls of wallpaper or fabric, using shears or razors. | Supplemental |
| Fill holes, cracks, and other surface imperfections preparatory to covering surfaces. | Supplemental |
| Measure surfaces or review work orders to estimate the quantities of materials needed. | Supplemental |
| Apply sizing to seal surfaces and maximize adhesion of coverings to surfaces. | Supplemental |
| Smooth rough spots on walls and ceilings, using sandpaper. | Supplemental |
| Set up equipment, such as pasteboards and scaffolds. | Supplemental |
| Remove old paper, using water, steam machines, or solvents and scrapers. | Supplemental |
| Apply thinned glue to waterproof porous surfaces, using brushes, rollers, or pasting machines. | Supplemental |
| Mix paste, using paste powder and water, and brush paste onto surfaces. | Supplemental |
| Staple or tack advertising posters onto fences, walls, billboards, or poles. | Supplemental |
| Remove paint, varnish, dirt, and grease from surfaces, using paint remover and water soda solutions. | Supplemental |
0.96/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Smooth strips or sections of paper with brushes or rollers to remove wrinkles and bubbles and to smooth joints. | E2 structured facilities |
| Trim rough edges from strips, using straightedges and trimming knives. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Trim excess material at ceilings or baseboards, using knives. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Check finished wallcoverings for proper alignment, pattern matching, and neatness of seams. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Mark vertical guidelines on walls to align strips, using plumb bobs and chalk lines. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Cover interior walls and ceilings of rooms with decorative wallpaper or fabric, using hand tools. | E0 none |
| Apply adhesives to the backs of paper strips, using brushes, or dunk strips of prepasted wallcovering in water, wiping off any excess adhesive. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Measure and cut strips from rolls of wallpaper or fabric, using shears or razors. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Place strips or sections of paper on surfaces, aligning section edges and patterns. | E0 none |
| Fill holes, cracks, and other surface imperfections preparatory to covering surfaces. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Measure surfaces or review work orders to estimate the quantities of materials needed. | E2 structured facilities |
| Apply sizing to seal surfaces and maximize adhesion of coverings to surfaces. | E2 structured facilities |
| Smooth rough spots on walls and ceilings, using sandpaper. | E2 structured facilities |
| Set up equipment, such as pasteboards and scaffolds. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Remove old paper, using water, steam machines, or solvents and scrapers. | E0 none |
| Apply thinned glue to waterproof porous surfaces, using brushes, rollers, or pasting machines. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Mix paste, using paste powder and water, and brush paste onto surfaces. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Staple or tack advertising posters onto fences, walls, billboards, or poles. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Remove paint, varnish, dirt, and grease from surfaces, using paint remover and water soda solutions. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Apply acetic acid to damp plaster to prevent lime from bleeding through paper. | E2 structured facilities |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 2K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 2K
- Change (2025–35)
- +4.3%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $52,140
- Typical education needed for entry
- No formal educational credential
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78351 | 도배공 | Same scope | confirmed |
| 95392 | 전단지 배포원 및 벽보원 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 7131Painters and Related Workers
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Painters and related workers prepare surfaces of buildings and other structures for painting, apply protective and decorative coats of paint or similar materials, or cover interior walls and ceilings of buildings with wallpaper or other finishes.
Tasks
- (a) cleaning and preparing walls and other surfaces of buildings for painting or wallpapering;
- (b) selecting and preparing paints to required colours by mixing pigments and additives;
- (c) applying or spraying paint, varnish, and similar materials to surfaces, fixtures and fittings of buildings;
- (d) measuring and hanging wallpaper or other fabrics on interior walls and ceilings;
- (e) applying paints, varnishes and stains to surfaces using brushes, rollers and sprays.
Example occupations
Building painter · Paperhanger
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- paperhangerESCO 7131.2Same scope
Paperhangers are specialised in hanging up wallpaper. They apply adhesives to the paper, or to the wall in the case of reinforced wallpaper, and fix the paper straight, well aligned, and avoiding the inclusion of air bubbles.
- advertising installerESCO 9629.1This occupation is broader
Advertising installers attach posters and other advertisement materials on buildings, buses and underground transport and in other public places such as shopping malls, in order to attract the attention of passersby. They use equipment to climb buildings and reach higher places, following health and safety regulations and procedures.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| F1606 | Peintre en bâtiment | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| I1201 | Agent / Agente technique d'affichage | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| F1609 | Poseur / Poseuse de revêtements de sols | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 7231 | Pintores y empapeladores | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| 9420 | Repartidores de publicidad, limpiabotas y otros trabajadores de oficios callejeros | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 33212 | Berufe für Maler- und Lackiererarbeiten - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | This occupation is narrower |
| 51321 | Berufe für Post- und Zustelldienste - Helfer-/Anlerntätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 669 | その他の建設従事者 | This occupation is narrower |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources