Tools and equipment are essential for plastering work. A variety of trowels, floats, hammers, and edging tools are used to apply and finish plaster depending on the task. Personal protective equipment must always be worn and tools must be properly maintained and stored between uses to work safely. Power tools like drills can also help mix materials and strip plaster more efficiently on large jobs.

1. Tools and Equipment

2. Health and safety rules
• Always make sure that you use the correct personal protective
equipment for the tool and the job that you are carrying out.
• Never ‘make do’ with tools. Using the wrong tool for the job can be
dangerous.
• Never play or misuse tools, equipment or power tools.
• Never use a tool that you have not been trained to use.

3. Trowels
• Used to apply
materials
• Different types and
sizes

4. Spatulas
• Used to flatten plaster
on walls and ceilings
• Different types and
sizes

5. Hawk
• Used for holding
materials

6. Bucket and gauging trowels
• Both are used to mix, remove and clean
materials from buckets.
• Also can be used to plaster awkward areas.

7. Internal/external angle trowel
• Used to form a clean and sharp
internal and external angle

8. Floats
• Used to flatten and close-in surfaces
on internal backing/finishing coats
and external finishes.

9. Harling Trowel
Used for throwing dry
and wet dash onto a
background.

10. Straight/feather Edge and Darby
• All are used to straighten and
flatten surfaces.

11. Scratch Comb
• Used to provide a mechanical key between
coats

12. Spirit level
• Plasterers use them for making
sure that angle beads, walls and
floors are plumb and level.

13. Tin snips
• Used by plasterer to cut metal trims
and EML

14. Lath Hammer
• Used for stripping down
old plaster.
• Trimming joint edges.
• Nailing plaster board.
• Withdrawing nails.
• Providing a key.

15. Hammer and Bolster
• Used for manually stripping
down old plaster.

16. Kango Hammer Drill
• Used for stripping down
old internal and external
plaster/tile brick

17. Splash Brush
• Used for cleaning tools.
• Used for damping down
walls.
• The best type is a good
quality 5’’or
6’’decorators brush
• A good brush will retain
its shape and hold
water.

18. Board and Stance
• Used for storing material ready to be applied.
• Make plaster easy to transfer on to the hawk .

19. Mixing Wheel
• For hand mixing of plaster
• Used for Mixing small batches of material.

20. Mixing drill and paddle
• This is a power tool that has a
long stem with a paddle on the
bottom. It enables you to mix
plaster easily and thoroughly
and at a controlled speed.

21. Machine Plastering
• Increased Meterage
• Saves time

22. Maintenance
• All should be kept clean throughout the
day.
• Cleaned free from plaster, dried and
oiled/lubricated where necessary.
• Stored in a safe and secure place.