Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators

Laminate layers of fiberglass on molds to form boat decks and hulls, bodies for golf carts, automobiles, or other products.

What you'd actually do

• Release air bubbles and smooth seams, using rollers.
• Spray chopped fiberglass, resins, and catalysts onto prepared molds or dies using pneumatic spray guns with chopper attachments.
• Mix catalysts into resins, and saturate cloth and mats with mixtures, using brushes.
• Check completed products for conformance to specifications and for defects by measuring with rulers or micrometers, by checking them visually, or by tapping them to detect bubbles or dead spots.
• Pat or press layers of saturated mat or cloth into place on molds, using brushes or hands, and smooth out wrinkles and air bubbles with hands or squeegees.
• Select precut fiberglass mats, cloth, and wood-bracing materials as required by projects being assembled.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

Time pressure is a real part of the job. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0.7% of fiberglass laminators and fabricators are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.

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Quick questions

How much does a fiberglass laminators and fabricator make?

The median pay is $22.54 per hour — roughly $47,000 a year, with the real range running from about $17.75/hr (10th percentile) to $30.65/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a fiberglass laminators and fabricator?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a fiberglass laminators and fabricator actually do all day?

Release air bubbles and smooth seams, using rollers. Spray chopped fiberglass, resins, and catalysts onto prepared molds or dies using pneumatic spray guns with chopper attachments. Mix catalysts into resins, and saturate cloth and mats with mixtures, using brushes.