Houses &
Buildings
Solid Plasterer [Renderer]
Wall & Ceiling Liner
Related
Jobs or Working with these Jobs
  
Plasterers make, apply and fix the internal and
external linings of commercial and domestic buildings, including decorative
and protective coverings made of plaster, cement or similar materials.
Plasterers apply and fix plasterboard partitions, suspended ceilings, fire
rating systems, acoustic tiles, and composite wall linings to buildings, and
apply decorative and protective coverings of plaster, cement and similar
materials to the interiors and exteriors of structures.
ANZSCO ID: 3332
Knowledge, skills and attributes
To become a plasterer, you would need:
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to enjoy practical work
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the ability to work carefully and pay attention to detail
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good hand-eye coordination
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a good head for heights and sense of balance
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an awareness of health and safety issues
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some creative flair for decorative work
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good physical fitness.
(Source:
Your Career)Duties and Tasks
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determining plasterboard layout, and installing insulation and vapour
barriers
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measuring, marking and cutting plasterboard, lifting and positioning panels,
and securing them to walls, ceilings and battens
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preparing corner beads and securing them in position
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fixing pre-cast cornices, panel mouldings, ceiling centres and other plaster
fittings
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covering joins and nail holes with wet plaster and sealing compounds, and
smoothing them using wet brushes and sand paper
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mixing and applying coats of plaster, cement and render to structures using
trowels, and levelling and smoothing coats to uniform thickness
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plumbing and straightening corners, angles and wall and ceiling surfaces
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creating decorative textures in finishing coats
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applying and finishing acoustic, insulating and fireproofing materials
bonded with plaster, plastic cement and similar materials
Working conditions
In a full-time job you would work a
standard number of hours, Monday to Friday. Many plasterers are
self-employed, so you may also work on Saturdays, or work longer hours to
suit your clients or complete the amount of work you have on.
You might work indoor or outdoors, and often at heights. You would wear
protective clothing and appropriate safety equipment. You might also work in
a studio creating ornate plasterwork.
You would need to travel from site to site. You would need a current
drivers' licence.
Education and training/entrance requirements
To become a plasterer you usually
have to complete an apprenticeship in Solid Plastering. Employers generally
require you to have gained you junior secondary school certificate or
equivalent.
In some states, plasterers may need to hold a valid building contractor's
licence or work for someone who does.
Construction workers who work at heights must complete a Work Safely at
Heights short course. All those who work in the construction industry must
undergo safety induction training and be issued with a Construction
Induction Card (CIC). Authorised training is conducted by Registered
Training Organisations.
Job Opportunities
Employment of plasterers is
projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations.
Plasterers work in all fields of construction, and demand for plasterers
will mirror the level of overall construction activity. The growth in new
residential and commercial construction, as well as repairing and replacing
existing buildings, should result in steady demand for plasterers.
Houses &
Buildings
Solid
plasterers prepare interior and exterior walls and surfaces to apply
coverings such as plaster, cement, acrylic mixtures or similar materials.
These coverings may be fire, weather or sound resistant. They create and fix
precast decorative surfaces such as cornices, ornamental ceiling roses and
decorative mouldings around arches. Solid plasterers also need to read and
interpret plans to meet specifications set by the builder or client.
ANZSCO
description: 333212: Applies decorative and protective coverings of
plaster, cement and similar materials to the interiors and exteriors of
structures. Registration or licensing may be required.
Alternative names: Plasterer, Renderer
Knowledge, skills and attributes
A solid plasterer
needs:
-
to enjoy
practical work
-
good hand-eye
coordination
-
to demonstrate
precision and care in their work
-
to be
comfortable working at heights
-
to be
physically fit
-
to be able to
work as part of a team.
Duties and Tasks
Solid plasterers may perform the following tasks:
- level and straighten corners, angles, and wall and ceiling surfaces
- clean and prepare surfaces by stapling wire-mesh frames to them, or
by roughening them with mechanical hammers
- mix and apply coats of plaster, cement, render or similar materials
to walls and ceilings, levelling and smoothing them using trowels
- apply finishing coats of plaster to give a smooth finish or
decorative texture
- fix precast cornices and panel mouldings, ceiling centres and other
plaster fittings
- render exterior walls and moulds
- finish the underside of concrete floors with a mixture of cement and
granite chips or blue metal
- erect scaffolding (subject to licence requirements in some states or
territories) and trestles
Working conditions
​Solid plasterers may work either indoors or outdoors and most of their work
is done standing up. They may work alone or as part of a team and often
travel to other job sites when work is completed. When on site they need to
adhere to occupational health and safety standards to reduce the risk of
injury. They may have
contact with the public.
Tools and technologies
Solid plasterers apply a range of finishes to internal or external surfaces.
They use tools such as trowels, brushes and spirit levels, and equipment
including mechanical hammers, power grinders, mixers and plaster projection
machines.
Solid plasterers use scaffolding and ladders to reach high areas. They may
wear protective clothing such as safety boots, safety glasses, dust masks,
hard hats and hearing protection.
Education and training/entrance requirements
To become a solid plasterer you usually have to complete an apprenticeship.
The plasterer (solid) apprenticeship usually takes 48 months to complete and
is available as a school-based apprenticeship.
 Additional
Information
In NSW, plasterers carrying out work valued at more than $1000 must either
hold, or work under someone who holds, a valid building contractor's licence
issued by NSW Fair Trading. To gain a builder's license you must have
completed training and have at least two years of relevant industry
experience. Contact NSW Fair Trading for more information.
When working at heights, industry standards require plasterers to obtain a
licence to Perform High Risk Work issued by SafeWork NSW or WorkSafe ACT. To
gain a licence, you will need to complete units of competency at an approved
Registered Training Organisation and work under the supervision of a
licensed operator. You will also need to keep an approved logbook to record
competencies achieved during training. Assessment by an accredited assessor
will then be required. The Perform High Risk Work Licence is issued under
the National Standard for Licensing Persons Performing High Risk Work.
You must be 18 years of age to be eligible to obtain a Perform High Risk
Work Licence. However, training may commence at a younger age.
All those who work in the construction industry must undergo safety
induction training and be issued with a Construction Induction Card. In NSW,
training is conducted by Registered Training Organisations authorised by
SafeWork NSW. In the ACT, training is provided by Registered Training
Organisations approved by WorkSafe ACT.
Once you are employed, you may be able to develop, and have recognised,
additional skills under the Construction, Plumbing and Services Training
Package that will expand your career opportunities within this industry.
Employment Opportunities
Solid plasterers are employed by plastering subcontracting firms, and
building and construction companies. Many plasterers are self-employed and
work on a subcontract basis. The demand for solid plasterers depends on
activity in the building industry, particularly in the housing sector.
Did You Know?
Solid plastering is the art of coating a surface with a cement
render or plaster finish. The finished surface must have the required
aesthetics, strength and durability to be left "as is", or be suitable
for accepting a subsequent render coat, a setting coat of hardwall
plaster and lime putty, or a painted finish.
The term "solid" plastering generally refers to rendering applications
as opposed to the mechanical fixing of wallboard sheeting. "Solid"
plasterers are therefore true craftsmen, being one of the very few
trades to manufacture their product entirely by hand, on site, from raw
materials to finished product.
Common Surface Finishes
Experienced plasterers can produce a range of surface finishes. The more
common finishes are:
* Render and Set
* Sgraffito
* Sand Finish
* Bag Wash
* Glass Faced Cement (Cement Dado)
* Mock Stone
* Tyrolean Finish
* Corbelling
Other finishes include spray on renders, combed finishes, brushed or
trowelled patterns, pebble dashing and washed aggregate.
(Source:
About Solid
Plastering)
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