Tools for Ceiling Plaster

Bucket

• It may sound inconsequential but a good, clean bucket is an essential tool when working with plaster. The bucket is what will be used to mix and hold the plaster before it is put on the ceiling. The bucket has to be large, clean, dry and flexible. A large bucket keeps trips up and down the ladder to a minimum. A clean bucket ensures that nothing is contaminating the mix. A dry bucket prevents no more water from entering the mix than you need. A flexible bucket is essential because plaster will expand as it dries and a flexible bucket will not crack under the added pressure.

Float

• If plaster is being used, then a plaster float is an essential tool to have. Without a float plaster cannot be used properly, especially on the ceiling. The main purpose of the float is to smoothly apply the plaster to the ceiling. The best type of float will be made of stainless steel because it will last longer, it will not rust and the plaster will not stick to it which will allow you to create a smoother finish.

Hawk

• The hawk is a small rectangular tray that is used to hold a small amount of plaster. When plastering a ceiling the bucket cannot be held in your hand, so the bucket is hung on the ladder and small amounts of plaster are put into the hawk.

Mixing Drill and Paddle

• A mixing drill and paddle are crucial for those that use plaster on a daily basis. A mixing drill and paddle make the process of mixing the plaster faster, easier and more efficient. When mixing plaster with a drill and paddle a smoother consistency can be reached than if the plaster was mixed by hand.

Bucket Trowel

• The bucket trowel is a small spade shaped tool that is used for transferring plaster from the bucket to the hawk. This tool is specifically designed for this purpose and makes getting plaster out of the bucket faster and less messy than using some other type of tool to do the job.

Level

• As with most types of construction jobs, a level is a very important tool for keeping things level and straight. When plastering, a level is used in conjunction with plasterers beads to keep the plaster on the ceiling level. The beads ensure that the plaster is level and put on at an even depth. The level ensures that the beads are straight and level.