Viva Lewes Issue #107 August 2015

Hundreds of local families
have put their trust in us.
We haven’t let them down.
42 High Street, Lewes BN7 2DD
Please call 01273 475 557 or visit our website
www.cooperandsonfs.co.uk for more details
Also at: Cross in Hand • Seaford • Uckfield
Local family
funeral directors
Directory Spotlight: Colin Poulter Plastering
When did you start working as a
plasterer? I’ve been doing it since
1987. My sister’s boyfriend was a
plasterer and his dad owned the
business, so I used to help them at
weekends and in school holidays.
They gave me a job when I left
school. I’ve always been self-employed
but set up my own company
eleven years ago.
What kind of work do you
specialise in? I stick to the domestic
side of things, such as home
extensions, loft conversions, outside
rendering and new houses. There’s a team of people I
can call on for bigger jobs but it’s usually just me.
What mistakes do other people make when
they’re plastering? It’s all about knowing when to
‘trowel up’ the plaster, when to touch it and when to
leave it alone. If you do it when
it’s too wet then you just push the
plaster around and don’t actually
smooth the surface. It comes
down to experience. Once you’ve
got the knack then you never
forget it, like riding a bike.
What makes a good plasterer?
Patience… and having an eye
for detail. You need to notice the
finer points of things. And being
able to put up with the dust.
Has the technology of plastering
changed much? I think the
only thing that’s made any difference is using electric
drills to mix it. All the other tools and techniques are
the same as they were 100 years ago.
Mark Bridge
cdpoulter@btinternet.com, 07974 752491