Plasterer

Plasterers plaster inside walls and ceilings to give them a smooth finish. They may also cover floors and outside walls with cement and other materials. They use a variety of tools to do their work.

Work activities

Plasterers mix and apply plaster to inside walls and ceilings. They may also apply cement to floors and outside walls or do decorative work. Solid plaster is used for most types of plastering work. Plasterers often mix their own materials or have an operative to do it for them.

When a job starts, first the plasterer will prepare the area to be plastered to ensure that the first coat sticks to the material the wall is made of. Plaster is generally built up in two coats but where the wall is very uneven, three or even four coats may be needed.

Fibrous plasterers work with plaster that has short lengths of fibre added to hold it together while they are working on it. They make ornamental plasterwork and decorative panels by moulding and casting plaster in workshops. The finished pieces are then fixed on-site.

On historic buildings, specialist skills are often required, for example, to conserve existing plaster work which may be hundreds of years old. Fibrous plasterers may work from architects’ designs or copy pieces of plasterwork from artists’ drawings, or from photographs.

Plasterers need to work quickly with the plaster before it dries out. They must finish off their work to a high standard and leave it ready for painters and decorators to work on.

Dry lining is a common alternative to wet plastering work in certain types of construction project. Dry lining involves building internal walls using plasterboard panels. Many plastering firms will also do dry lining work. Plasterers often work at height using ladders or scaffolding.

Being able to read, write and speak Welsh may be an advantage when you’re looking for work in Wales.

Personal qualities and skills

As a plasterer, you’ll need:

• Good practical skills.
• To work very carefully, following specifications.
• An eye for design. This would be useful in decorative plasterwork.
• To be physically fit, as the work involves a lot of bending, lifting and stretching.
• To be self-motivated.
• Awareness of the importance of health and safety in this industry.
• A good head for heights, as some of the work of a plasterer involves being on ladders or scaffolding.
• Experience of dry lining work would be very useful.

As you may have to travel around locally, a driving licence would be useful for this type of work.

This job might not be suitable for people who have skin conditions, such as eczema, or breathing difficulties, such as asthma.

Pay and opportunities

Plasterers start on around £19,000 per year once training is complete, rising to as much as £34,000 with experience.

Plasterers can expect to work a long 43-45-hour week. Overtime, including Saturday and Sunday working, may be available.

Employers are building contractors throughout the UK. Fibrous plasterers normally work for firms specialising in ornamental plasterwork. They are in great demand from film companies, as this method is extensively used in the construction of film sets. Opportunities for plasterers occur with employers in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Self-employment opportunities occur for experienced plasterers to work as self-employed contractors.

What’s happening in this work area?

Construction is an industry dominated by small firms. Employment levels are projected to grow steadily, as there is an urgent need for more housing over the coming decades. The construction industry is one of the most male dominated industries. Women account for only one in 10 of all jobs. The industry is actively trying to change this. Full-time working remains the main method of working.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards, and on the Government’s Find a Job and Find an Apprenticeship services.

Entry routes and training

An intermediate apprenticeship in the role of plasterer is a great way into this profession. You can choose to specialise as a fibrous plasterer or a solid plasterer. On an apprenticeship, you will carry out most of your training on the job.

There are various relevant qualifications available from organisations like City & Guilds and Edexcel. These courses may be in a more general subject area, such as construction.

Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS): For most building companies, you’ll need a CSCS card to work on site. These cards show that you are qualified to do the work you’ve been employed for. Go to the CSCS website for more details.

Apprenticeships will usually involve work- and college-based training. You will also receive training in subjects like health and safety. There are various work-based qualifications related to plastering and drylining. Training is also available in short-duration courses through the manufacturers, British Gypsum, Knauf and Siniat.

In the construction industry, it is possible to work up from craft-level positions to managerial roles, such as construction site manager.

Qualifications

If you wish to enter this career through an apprenticeship, you’ll need GCSEs in English and maths, although if you don’t have these you may be able to gain them as part of your course.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Related skills, for example, gained whilst working as a building operative, are useful.

Colleges will usually consider applications from candidates who do not meet their usual entry requirements. You should check the admissions policy of individual colleges.

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