Plastering

Course summary

The broad purpose of this occupation is to apply layers of plaster onto walls, floors and ceilings. Plastering serves a protective function, in that it makes buildings more robust and also adds an aesthetic function. Plasterers will often complete dry lining projects during their career. Although a person may specialise solely in dry lining, a plasterer must have the knowledge of dry lining in addition to their knowledge and skills to plaster. The occupation covered by this apprenticeship standard is for a Plasterer that will specialise in either Solid or Fibrous plaster work after undertaking the core learning (which includes introductory elements of both solid and fibrous plastering). They work on small-scale domestic jobs, large repair and restoration projects and on big commercial developments such as schools or hospitals, therefore coming into contact with a wide range of people. Whilst some plasterers are directly employed by companies specialising in plastering, there are a lot who are sub contracted by companies to work on new or existing buildings. An employee in this occupation will be responsible for: Solid plastering Solid plastering involves applying a range of plastering systems on to different background surfaces using traditional and modern materials. Background surfaces include solid plain walls, walls with openings and returns, ceiling joists and partitions and beams and piers that are attached or independent of walls. Solid plastering work includes preparing solid backgrounds by hand and mechanical means and installing sheet materials such as expanded metal lath/rib lath, standard angle beads, skim beads, stop beads, expansion beads and reinforcements for the application of one, two or three coat plastering or rendering systems. As a solid plasterer you would mainly be installing products on site. Fibrous plastering Fibrous plastering involves creating plaster components with either a modern contemporary design or with an ornamental enrichment to a classical design. These components could include: lighting troughs, beam and column casings, ceiling roses, complete ceilings, cornices, panel mouldings and many others. They are produced using plaster that is reinforced with hessian canvas and timber laths (fibrous) or artificial fibres (Glass fibre Reinforced Gypsum). As a fibrous plasterer you would produce work in a workshop in addition to installing products on site. You will find fibrous work in traditional and modern buildings and sometimes in the film industry.