What Kind of Trowel Do You Spread Stucco With?

Notched Trowel

• This is one of the most common kinds of trowel. Essentially, it's a flat metal rectangle, with a wooden or plastic handle and square or triangular notches running along the edge of one short and one long side. These trowels are used to spread large quantities of stucco across open sections of wall.The notches allow for easier and more even spreading. These notches are also used to create patterns in the stucco.

Pointed Detail Trowel

• The trowels usually have a metal handle that's coated in plastic or wood with a triangular blade that emerges from the handle, much like a spoon would. Pointed trowels are used for packing stucco into very thin corners and other tight spaces. They are also used to scoop stucco mix onto other kinds of trowels or directly onto the wall.

Margin Trowel

• These small trowels have the same handle as a pointed detail trowel. But instead of being triangular, their blades are rectangular and very narrow. If there are narrow flat spaces into which stucco needs to be smoothed, use these trowels. They're usually small but come in varying sizes.

Venetian Trowels

• Venetian trowels resemble notched trowels in that they're rectangular, usually large, and have a handle in the middle of the blade. However, these trowels have no serrated edges along any sides of the trowel blade. The four corners of a venetian trowel's blade are rounded instead of sharp. The venetian trowel is used to apply stucco when you're looking to create a smooth, unblemished surface coat.