Plastering is an art form, plain and simple. As such, it’s tough to go into a jobsite, even one in your own home, without at least some knowledge of what you are getting into. Fortunately, there are plastering courses available that can get you headed in the right direction.
In most cases, they range from a weekend course solely intended to introduce you to the basics to a few weeks worth of hands on work mixed with classroom study. You can also take certification courses that let your potential customers know that you are a professional. It’s all up to you, based on what you need.
The first kind of course in plastering you may be tempted by is the ‘study-at-home’ course. You can find these kinds of courses in books, on CDs or DVDs and some may even be online. These courses certainly have their place. They are probably best for those who have some good knowledge, but just need a refresher on the basics. They are also good for someone who has absolutely no idea what is involved in the art of plastering. The biggest downfall with these kinds of courses is that there isn’t anyone to answer your questions. Some may provide an answer line, but it can still be tough to get the answer you need, and they certainly can’t show you how something needs to be done. You also need to have a place on your own where you can try to decipher the course into hands-on experience.
A weekend course may also be a good fit for you. Typically, there is an instructor on hand and just a few students, each with his or her own workspace. These kinds of plastering courses are great if you have questions. They may not delve incredibly deep into the art form, but you should leave the class with a good knowledge of at least the basics. When you are choosing a class, your first consideration should, of course, be your own budget. You also want to make sure that the class sizes are relatively small so you can get the attention you need. A ratio of one instructor with thirty students makes it tough for the teacher to get around to all of the students in just a couple of days.
Once you have completed the basic plastering course, there are many courses available that will get you into specific methods and techniques. For instance, you may want to take something like an advanced skimming course. This will help you create a flat surface faster and may introduce techniques for curves and large surfaces. There are plastering courses that will teach you to use stucco and create different patterns and designs on the outside of buildings. You can also find courses that will show you the same types of things for indoor plaster. If you’d like to create plaster pieces from molds, there are classes available that will teach you to so this, as well. Take a look around. Most likely you will be able to find a course in plastering that suits your needs.
