Life As a Plasterer or Stucco Mason
Plasterer or Stucco Mason Job Description Apply interior or exterior plaster, cement, stucco, or similar materials. May also set ornamental plaster.
What Do Plasterers and Stucco Masons Do On a Daily Basis?
- Apply coats of plaster or stucco to walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings, using trowels, brushes, or spray guns.
- 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.
- Create decorative textures in finish coat, using brushes or trowels, sand, pebbles, or stones.
- Determine materials needed to complete the job and place orders accordingly.
- Rough the undercoat surface with a scratcher so the finish coat will adhere.
- 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.
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Things a Plasterer or Stucco Mason Should Know How to Do
Plasterers and Stucco Masons state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Types of Plasterer or Stucco Mason Jobs
- Plaster Foreman
- Plaster Molder
- Plaster Mechanic
- Plastering Contractor
- Dry Plasterer
Is There Job Demand for Plasterers and Stucco Masons?
There were about 27,700 jobs for Plasterer or Stucco Mason in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 4% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,100 new jobs for Plasterer or Stucco Mason by 2026. There will be an estimated 2,700 positions for Plasterer or Stucco Mason per year.

The states with the most job growth for Plasterer or Stucco Mason are Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Virginia, Ohio, or New Mexico. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Plasterers and Stucco Masons Salary
The salary for Plasterers and Stucco Masons ranges between about $28,360 and $75,590 a year.

Plasterers and Stucco Masons who work in Minnesota, Illinois, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Plasterers and Stucco Masons make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $37,070 |
Arizona | $43,410 |
Arkansas | $34,390 |
California | $52,510 |
Colorado | $36,140 |
District of Columbia | $50,620 |
Florida | $38,010 |
Georgia | $35,020 |
Hawaii | $61,630 |
Idaho | $36,560 |
Illinois | $77,010 |
Indiana | $48,820 |
Iowa | $49,930 |
Kansas | $47,400 |
Kentucky | $43,740 |
Louisiana | $35,110 |
Maryland | $51,300 |
Massachusetts | $67,540 |
Michigan | $53,030 |
Minnesota | $80,870 |
Mississippi | $36,500 |
Missouri | $48,750 |
Montana | $36,710 |
Nebraska | $39,710 |
Nevada | $38,630 |
New Hampshire | $55,100 |
New Jersey | $51,340 |
New Mexico | $40,490 |
North Carolina | $40,230 |
Ohio | $49,540 |
Oklahoma | $40,210 |
Oregon | $54,430 |
Pennsylvania | $48,450 |
South Carolina | $34,900 |
Tennessee | $44,930 |
Texas | $44,750 |
Utah | $36,550 |
Virginia | $41,820 |
Washington | $51,900 |
Wisconsin | $39,340 |
What Tools & Technology do Plasterers and Stucco Masons Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Plasterers and Stucco Masons:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Linux
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Oracle software
- Salesforce software
- Microsoft operating system
- Accounting software
- Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
- Corel Paint Shop Pro
- Cost estimating software
- Corel Painter
- Autodesk Maya
- Autodesk 3ds Max Design
- Construction Software Center EasyEst
- Embedded systems development software
- Sage Construction Anywhere
Becoming a Plasterer or Stucco Mason
What kind of Plasterer or Stucco Mason requirements are there?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Plasterer or Stucco Mason?

Where do Plasterers and Stucco Masons Work?

Below are examples of industries where Plasterers and Stucco Masons work:

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Plasterer or Stucco Mason might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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