Dry liner

A dry liner creates the walls and rooms in a building using stud partitioning and plasterboard sheets. They also hide pipes and wires, create space for insulation and install partitions, suspended ceilings and raised flooring.

This role can be combined with traditional plastering or other types of dry lining work and would suit someone who enjoys physical work, lifting and moving panels into place. Dry liners often use work platforms for fitting a ceiling.

• Measuring and cutting plasterboard to the right size and angle

• Fixing boards to ceiling joists (metal or timber frames) Cutting boards to fit around doorways

• Taping over seals (either by hand or with a taping machine)

• Skimming - applying a thin layer of plaster over the tape and boards

• Sanding down ready for painting and decorating

• Newly trained dry liners can earn in the region of £20,000. 

• Trained with experience dry liners can earn in the region of £28,000- £36,000 and up to £40,000.

^*Pay rates
Earnings typically depend on location, employer, the stage of your training, your hours worked and the opportunity to work overtime. Please also note that the pay rate figures have come from a variety of reliable sources including:

• National Home Builders
• Home Builder's Sub-Contractors
• CITB
• The Home Builders Federation
• Construction Recruitment Agencies

Apprenticeship in Dry Lining which currently includes a Diploma and NVQ at Level 2 (Or Scottish Equivalent)

Some of our trades have the opportunity to become "self-employed" where rates of pay will vary depending on your hours and productivity. In addition, all of our trade roles have the opportunity to progress and train as a construction site manager for a house building company. The jobs outlined on this website occur throughout the home building industry, but please note that actual job titles may vary slightly from one organisation to another.

All our featured job roles offer an entry-point for school leavers to commence a career in the industry, particularly in site trades, where you will normally enrol for an apprenticeship. Site Management [Engineering] and Quantity Surveying also offer opportunities for college-leavers and graduates as well as school leavers.

For most jobs, depending on your qualifications and experience there are also openings for those looking to change career. This is particularly so in Sales, where your previous work experience in a customer-facing role will be just as relevant as any academic qualification.