How To Use A Trowel and Hawk - Plastering For Beginners

If you're completely new to plastering then one of the most important aspects of learning is mastering the basics. You’ll never be able to plaster a full wall if you can’t use your tools.

That's why in today's video we are going to show you how to use your Trowel and Hawk. You’ll learn how to get the plaster from your Hawk and eventually discover the key to applying plaster to your wall.

the tools I'm using in the video are:

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Thanks for watching. For more information visit our website for more tips on plastering and improving your own home:

[MarkMichalowski]

This video should be a model for other YouTubers demonstrating practical skills: great, straightforward videography, no music fannying about in the background; clear and concise explanation of what to do (and why) accompanied by a great demonstration - repeated a few times. And the handy tip on the end to keep practising loading the trowel WITHOUT slapping the plaster on the wall! Brilliant! One of the best videos of its type I think I've ever seen on YouTube! :)

[philipmcgee]

Totally baffled at who would give this video a thumbs down, seems like there are decenters for anything these days. This is a brilliant video I am not a plasterer but capable engineer and having watched this video have now plastered 100m2 + and have started to KRend external finishing using the same technique shown in this video. I only watched the video again as I was looking for anything specific to KRend. Fab post and thanks for taking the time to make the video.

[zacharymurfitt]

Just finished plastering my first room, literally learned everything from you! Happy with the outcome. Thank you so much for your help.

[simongb]

I came to watch some repointing video a long while back, front wall is all nicely done now, I have returned to make good the bottom of my walls after taking of skirting, by coincidence I have the exact same plastic hawk, this is exactly what I was looking for, wasn't sure about how much you should push the plaster into the wall, will be giving it a go tonight..

[richardjordan]

I agree with David Smith. Too often the basics are missed. 👍well done !

[ernieforrest]

My father was in the plastering business.
He started his business shortly after the end of WW2.
In 1952 i left school and began working with him full time.
I had worked part time for several years prior to that.
Back then there were no mortar mixers being used by plasterers.
The brown coat mortar was 100# bags of gypsum mixed with sand by hand using a large mortar hoe in large metal mortar boxes.
We would mix 3 or 4 bags at a time with 13 shovels of sand for each bag of gypsum.
Then we used a hod to carry the mortar from outside the house where the mixing was done to where the plasterers were working.
The hods would hold 5 full square shovels of the brown coat.
As an apprentice, your job was to mix and carry the mortar to the plasterers, build scaffolds, etc.
And, when caught up a bit, you would use a hawk and trowel while standing at the mortar board practicing loading the hawk and taking the mortar from the hawk with the trowel.
We were not permitted to apply mortar to a wall until we were proficient with handling the tools.
Meaning, taking mortar from the front of the hawk, not the back of the hawk.

[fruitbread]

Tell you what. I really enjoyed that. I’ve been at college for months and they’ve not broken that down aswel as that. Thanks pal.

[sugrbaby]

Great video!
Wish I had of practiced this before trying to plaster, it was a fricken messy situation! And repeating the motion a few times so we do t have to rewind, Thankyou!

[ianpardoe]

This is a great video, going to try and plaster a small hall way ceiling over artex, these videos really help, just need to muster up the confidence now

[ThePoolblack]

Brilliant just the video I was looking for 👌👌👍

[simonineile]

great channel mate enjoying the new videos .
all best Simon

[Joetime]

For drywall compound, I much prefer the hawk and trowel. It's got a learning curve but you can spread so much more

[TheStressD]

Great video mate, I've learnt a lot from your videos, helped me out a lot. Keep up the good work!

[petergalloway]

I am a77 year old retired plasterer in my day it was unheard of to work out of a bucket much easier with a board and stand

[rustyrob]

Great video tutorials buddy, any chance of doing a video on applying scrim to plasterboard prior to plastering.

[THEREALG-grxd]

I’m just starting learn plastering now, I find it hard to get a wet mix of plaster from my hand board to the top of the wall that’s the difficult bit for me at the moment

[aylorpaul]

Hi Blaine, lovd your vids, as a DIYer don't do as much plastering as would like, your vids help me refresh my plastering skills. I've invested in some new 14"trowels ( MT PS, RSF2 and RPF), misplaced my old 12" hawk which used with 11" trowels, just wondering what size hawk is optimal with 14" trowels ( going to get a MT aluminium) but not sure whether to get 13", 13.5" or 14"?

[garethsready]

How much would you mix just to practice? I suppose it has to be the right consistency as a full 12.5 litre mix?

[Playoutsquadfan]

blaine do u know the scientist that changed career to a plasterer ? stephen “hawk”ins

[justinfielding]

Thanks for your videos. Something I'd be interested in is tips for plastering a large/complex area. Should we use a retardant to slow the plaster down and do it all in one go, or, split it? If it's split how is that done without it being visible, stop-bead, feathering? I need to plaster my hallway and I'm considering the sponge float/speedskim method as it looks faster.