Name two common tools used to finish plaster.

Name two common tools used to finish plaster.

• A. Trowel and float
• B. Hammer and chisel
• C. Sander and grinder
• D. Brush and roller

Answer: (A)

Finishing plaster relies on smoothing tools that level and refine the surface. The trowel and the float are the two most common. The trowel is used to spread plaster and shape the surface, pushing material into joints and feathering edges as it begins to set. After the initial pass, the finishing float is used to smooth out remaining ridges and fill small voids, producing an even, glassy, uniform finish. The combination lets you build the coat and then refine it to the desired flatness and texture. Other tools don’t fit as well for this final step: hammers and chisels are for cutting or shaping masonry, not smoothing; sanders and grinders can gouge plaster and are not standard for finishing a new coat; brushes and rollers are typically for applying paint or texture coats rather than the final smooth finish itself.

Finishing plaster relies on smoothing tools that level and refine the surface. The trowel and the float are the two most common. The trowel is used to spread plaster and shape the surface, pushing material into joints and feathering edges as it begins to set. After the initial pass, the finishing float is used to smooth out remaining ridges and fill small voids, producing an even, glassy, uniform finish. The combination lets you build the coat and then refine it to the desired flatness and texture.

Other tools don’t fit as well for this final step: hammers and chisels are for cutting or shaping masonry, not smoothing; sanders and grinders can gouge plaster and are not standard for finishing a new coat; brushes and rollers are typically for applying paint or texture coats rather than the final smooth finish itself.