Plasterer (Interior) - Working conditions

Kaiwhakapiri Uhi Raima (o Roto)

Working Conditions

Interior plasterers work in buildings that are being renovated or built. They travel locally between job sites.

Conditions may be dusty and noisy.

 

Shane Sumner

"The job we're on at the moment is probably going to take four months. In those four months there might be odd days when I help out other guys on other jobs then they'll help me out for a day. You do that a lot, so it's not like a job where you're going to the same place every day for four months, which is really good."

Shane Sumner - Interior Plasterer

 

Equipment

Equipment interior plasterers may use includes:

  • stopping compounds/plaster
  • stopping machines
  • compound boxes
  • plaster or fibre cement board
  • panel board lifters
  • hand tools such as trowels, hammers, knives, hawks (boards used by plasterers to hold plaster while they are working), and collated screw guns for fixing plasterboard
  • sanding machines or vacuum sanders
  • a power mixer
  • mobile scaffolding, trestles and stilts
  • protective clothing such as overalls, a hard hat and a dust mask.
A close-up of an interior plasterer using a trowel

Mark Holtom applies plaster with a trowel

Mark Holtom holding a hawk in his left hand as he bends down to get plaster out of a bucket

Mark Holtom works with a hawk, which is used to hold plaster as he works

 

Hours

Interior plasterers work regular hours, but may also be required to work weekends and evenings to complete jobs.

 

Contact with people

Interior plasterers work independently and in small teams.

They have contact with:
  • clients
  • building material suppliers
  • other building workers such as carpenters and electricians.
Vince Troake talking to a trainee

Vince Troake helps a trainee with her trowelling technique

 

Updated September 2009