Plasterer
   Houses & Buildings



Menu

Solid Plasterer [Renderer]
Wall & Ceiling Liner


Related Jobs or Working with these Jobs


Practical or MechanicalSkill Level 2Skill Level 3

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. FutureGrowthModerate

ANZSCO ID: 3332


Knowledge, skills and attributes

To become a plasterer, you would need:
  • to enjoy practical work

  • the ability to work carefully and pay attention to detail

  • good hand-eye coordination

  • a good head for heights and sense of balance

  • an awareness of health and safety issues

  • some creative flair for decorative work

  • good physical fitness.

Plasterer
(Source: Your Career)Duties and Tasks

  • determining plasterboard layout, and installing insulation and vapour barriers

  • measuring, marking and cutting plasterboard, lifting and positioning panels, and securing them to walls, ceilings and battens

  • preparing corner beads and securing them in position

  • fixing pre-cast cornices, panel mouldings, ceiling centres and other plaster fittings

  • covering joins and nail holes with wet plaster and sealing compounds, and smoothing them using wet brushes and sand paper

  • mixing and applying coats of plaster, cement and render to structures using trowels, and levelling and smoothing coats to uniform thickness

  • plumbing and straightening corners, angles and wall and ceiling surfaces

  • creating decorative textures in finishing coats

  • 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.

Solid Plasterer
   Houses & Buildings

Practical or MechanicalSkill Level 2Skill Level 3

 FutureGrowthModerate

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:Plasterer at work

  • 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

Liquid Plaster

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.

Solid PlastererAdditional 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)

Plasterer

Architect

Electrician

Bricklayer

Plumber

Painter

Construction Worker

Concreter

Carpenter

Tiler

Interior Designer

Floor Finisher

Upholsterer

Interior Decorator

Pool Technician

Cabinetmaker

Roofer

Builder

Handyperson

cleaner

Nanny

Home Improvement Installer

Joiner

Furniture Polisher

Airconditioning Refrigeration Mechanic

Glazier

gardener

Gasfitter

Lift Mechanic

Construction Project Manager

Quantity Surveyor

Construction Rigger

Fencer

Solar Panel Installer

Architect

Electrician

Bricklayer

Plumber

Painter

Construction Worker

Concreter

Carpenter

Tiler

Interior Designer

Floor Finisher

Plasterer

Upholsterer

Interior Decorator

Pool Technician

Cabinetmaker

Roofer

Builder

Handyperson

cleaner

Nanny

Home Improvement Installer

Joiner

Furniture Polisher

Airconditioning Refrigeration Mechanic

Glazier

gardener

Gasfitter

Lift Mechanic

Construction Project Manager

Quantity Surveyor

Construction Rigger

Fencer

Solar Panel Installer

Architect

Electrician

Bricklayer

Plumber

Painter