Plasterer
Create smooth walls and ceilings, renders and ornate mouldings – a skilled finishing trade that rewards a steady hand.
- Salary£21,000 – £38,000
- Hours40 to 45 hours a week, usually between 8am and 6pm (National Careers Service)
- Working for yourselfSelf-employment is common
What the job is like
Plasterers give walls and ceilings the smooth finish that decorators then paint, and they also render outside walls, fit plasterboard partitions and create decorative features such as cornices and ceiling roses. Good plastering looks effortless, but it takes practice, timing and a very steady hand.
It suits people who take pride in a neat finish and do not mind physical work. Later you could supervise, move into dry lining, tiling or estimating, specialise in heritage plasterwork, or run your own business.
What you'll do
- Estimate the materials a job needs
- Prepare surfaces and level uneven areas
- Mix plaster to the right consistency by hand or with a mixer
- Apply wet plaster finishes to walls and ceilings
- Fit plasterboard partitions
- Render or coat outside walls
- Create ornamental features such as cornices, ceiling roses and architraves
Where you'll work
- Indoors
- In customers' homes
- Construction sites
- Working at height
- In a team
- On your own
Skills and hobbies that help
Weighted by how much they matter in this job, from the official job profile's skills and tasks. Tap one to see other careers that use it.
Key skills
Used a lot
Handy to have
Hobbies that give you a head start
How to become a plasterer
Apprenticeship
Plasterer – Level 2 apprenticeship (ST0096), typical duration 24 months.
Craft Plasterer – Level 3 apprenticeship (ST1385), typical duration 18 months, covering fibrous and solid plastering including decorative work.
Onsite Trades Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship for 16 to 21 year olds (or 22 to 24 in some circumstances).
College
Plastering or construction skills (plastering) courses; entry requirements vary.
Other ways in
Start as a plasterer's labourer or 'mate'; some employers look for on-site experience, then offer training on the job.
Qualifications, licences and cards
- CSCS card (or equivalent) – most principal contractors expect one before you work on a construction site
- A driving licence helps for some jobs
Where it can lead
- Supervisory roles
- Dry lining, tiling or ceiling fixing
- Estimating or site management
- Heritage conservation plastering
- Training apprentices or setting up your own business
Good to know
- The National Careers Service profile still mentions the Onsite Construction T Level, but the Department for Education lists September 2024 as its final enrolment, and it no longer appears on the T Levels subject list. For this trade, look at college diplomas or apprenticeships instead.
- The National Careers Service says you need a good level of fitness and to be comfortable working at height.
- Taking feedback well and working under time pressure both matter – plaster will not wait.
Courses and training
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Apprenticeship search
Find an apprenticeship – GOV.UK
The official GOV.UK service for searching and applying for apprenticeship vacancies in England.
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Course search
Find a course – National Careers Service
The National Careers Service search for college and training provider courses in England, including Skills Bootcamps.
Official information
Sources
We checked these pages in September 2026. Rules, pay and courses change, so always confirm with the official source.
- National Careers Service: Plasterer nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/plasterer
- Plasterer (Level 2, ST0096) skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0096-v2-2
- Craft plasterer (Level 3, ST1385) skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st1385-v1-0
- Introduction of T Levels (GOV.UK) gov.uk/government/publications/introduction-of-t-levels/introduction-of-t-levels
- T Level subjects tlevels.gov.uk/students/subjects
- Go Construct: Plasterer goconstruct.org/construction-careers/what-jobs-are-right-for-me/plasterer