Summary Report for:
47-2161.00 - Plasterers and Stucco Masons
Apply interior or exterior plaster, cement, stucco, or similar materials. May also set ornamental plaster.
Sample of reported job titles:
Plasterer, Plasterer Foreman, Plasterer Journeyman, Applicator, Artisan Plasterer, Plaster Mechanic, Plastering Contractor, Stucco Man, Quality Control Patch-Man (QC Patch-Man), Swimming Pool Plasterer
Tasks | Tools & Technology | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Work Activities | Work Context | Job Zone | Interests | Work Styles | Work Values | Related Occupations | Wages & Employment
Tasks
- Apply coats of plaster or stucco to walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings, using trowels, brushes, or spray guns.
- Mix mortar and plaster to desired consistency or direct workers who perform mixing.
- Create decorative textures in finish coat, using brushes or trowels, sand, pebbles, or stones.
- Apply insulation to building exteriors by installing prefabricated insulation systems over existing walls or by covering the outer wall with insulation board, reinforcing mesh, and a base coat.
- Cure freshly plastered surfaces.
- Clean and prepare surfaces for applications of plaster, cement, stucco, or similar materials, such as by drywall taping.
- Rough the undercoat surface with a scratcher so the finish coat will adhere.
- Apply weatherproof, decorative coverings to exterior surfaces of buildings, such as by troweling or spraying on coats of stucco.
- Install guide wires on exterior surfaces of buildings to indicate thickness of plaster or stucco and nail wire mesh, lath, or similar materials to the outside surface to hold stucco in place.
- Spray acoustic materials or texture finish over walls and ceilings.
back to top
Tools & Technology
Tools used in this occupation:
| Edgers — Corner tools; Inside step tools; Ornamental cut and shape tools; Outside step tools |
| Floats — Darbies |
| Hammers — Claw hammers; Plasterers' hammers |
| Ladders — Stilts |
| Paint sprayers — Plaster spraying machines; Spray guns |
| Saws — Hand saws; Keyhole saws |
| Trowels — Featheredgers; Hand trowels; Power trowels; Scratcher trowels |
| Utility knives — Trimming knives |
Technology used in this occupation:
| Accounting software — A-Systems JobView; Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal |
| Project management software — Construction Software Center EasyEst; Cost estimating software; Sage Construct |
back to top
Knowledge
| Building and Construction — Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads. |
back to top
Skills
| Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. |
| Instructing — Teaching others how to do something. |
| Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. |
| Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
| Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others. |
| Equipment Selection — Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job. |
| Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. |
| Management of Material Resources — Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work. |
| Management of Personnel Resources — Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job. |
| Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
back to top
Abilities
| Manual Dexterity — The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects. |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness — The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position. |
| Extent Flexibility — The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs. |
| Gross Body Equilibrium — The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position. |
| Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). |
| Static Strength — The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects. |
| Trunk Strength — The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing. |
| Multilimb Coordination — The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion. |
| Far Vision — The ability to see details at a distance. |
| Finger Dexterity — The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects. |
back to top
Work Activities
| Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials. |
| Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. |
| Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. |
| Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity. |
| Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. |
back to top
Work Context
| Work With Work Group or Team — How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? |
| Freedom to Make Decisions — How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? |
| Time Pressure — How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? |
| Contact With Others — How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? |
| Spend Time Standing — How much does this job require standing? |
| Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company? |
| Exposed to High Places — How often does this job require exposure to high places? |
| Face-to-Face Discussions — How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? |
| Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body — How much does this job require bending or twisting your body? |
back to top
Job Zone
| Title |
Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed |
| Overall Experience |
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a teller might benefit from experience working directly with the public, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be a teller with little difficulty. |
| Job Training |
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. |
| Job Zone Examples |
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, pharmacy technicians, salespersons (retail), and tellers. |
| SVP Range |
(4.0 to < 6.0) |
| Education |
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed. |
There are 2 recognized apprenticeable specialties associated with this occupation:
Plasterer; Plasterer
To learn about specific apprenticeship opportunities, please consult the U.S. Department of Labor State Apprenticeship Information
website.
For general information about apprenticeships, training, and partnerships with
business, visit the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship
website.
back to top
Interests
Interest code: R
| Realistic — Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others. |
back to top
Work Styles
| Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical. |
| Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. |
| Independence — Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. |
| Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. |
| Innovation — Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. |
| Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. |
| Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. |
| Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. |
| Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. |
| Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. |
back to top
Work Values
| Independence — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy. |
| Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. |
| Working Conditions — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions. |
back to top
Related Occupations
back to top
Wages & Employment Trends
National
| Median wages (2007) |
$17.52 hourly, $36,430 annual |
| Employment (2006) |
61,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2006-2016) |
Average (7% to 13%)
|
| Projected need (2006-2016) |
19,000 additional employees |
State & National
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2007 wage data
and 2006-2016 employment projections
.
"Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2006-2016). "Projected need" represents job openings due to growth and net replacement.
back to top
