Plasterers and stucco masons apply plaster and stucco to walls, ceilings, and building exteriors. Their trade blends art and science, as they create unique and lasting surfaces. Stucco masons and plasterers set up scaffolds, and prepare surfaces to be covered. They mix their own cement, stucco, or plaster, and use trowels, brushes, and spray equipment to apply it to surfaces. Some jobs call for decorative textures including sand, pebbles or stones, or adding a protective layer of finish. They take precautions to protect windows and sidewalks from spillage, and ensure they leave a clean job site. Plasterers spend most of the workday on their feet, often outdoors in all types of weather. They wear protective equipment, and encounter noise levels that may be uncomfortable at times. Most work for building contractors, and work as part of a team. Stucco work is most common in the southwestern United States and Florida, but there may be positions in any state. Typically, there are no specific education or training requirements, and plasterers and stucco masons often learn on the job or through an apprenticeship.
What they do:
Apply interior or exterior plaster, cement, stucco, or similar materials. May also set ornamental plaster.
On the job, you would:
Cover surfaces such as windows, doors, or sidewalks to protect from splashing.
Clean job sites.
Mix mortar and plaster to desired consistency or direct workers who perform mixing.
Engineering and Technology
building and construction
design
Business
management
customer service
Arts and Humanities
English language
Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Hand and Finger Use
hold or move items with your hands
keep your arm or hand steady
Endurance
exercise for a long time without getting out of breath
People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
Attention to Detail
Dependability
Integrity
Self Control
Cooperation
Initiative
You might use software like this on the job:
Operating system software
Linux
Microsoft operating system
Graphics or photo imaging software
Autodesk Maya
Corel Painter
Project management software
Cost estimating software
Sage Construction Anywhere
no high school diploma/GED or high school diploma/GED usually needed
In the military:
see titles from the Air Force, Army, or Navy.
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