Plastering and drylining is dusty, kneeling work

Skimming a ceiling, boarding a stud wall, taping and jointing: plastering and drylining keeps a team moving between the floor and a hop-up all day, usually in a part-finished room full of dust and offcuts. Kit that fits well and copes with repeated washing earns its place fast on this kind of job.

Knees take the punishment

Boarding and finishing low down means a lot of time kneeling. Trousers with knee-pad pockets protect the fabric as well as the knee.

Dust gets everywhere

Sanding, mixing and cutting boards throws up fine dust that clings to dark fabric. Many plastering teams choose white, grey or light-coloured kit for this reason alone.

Movement can't be restricted

Reaching overhead to skim a ceiling, then crouching to board a skirting line, all in the same ten minutes. Anything that binds across the shoulders or restricts the knee gets left in the van.

The plastering kit list

This is what most plastering and drylining teams end up ordering, and why each item earns its place.

• Knee-pad trousers & shorts: stretch, multi-pocket trousers with pockets for EN 14404 knee pads, plus shorts for warm days indoors. See work trousers, and our guide to knee pads and EN 14404.
• Polos & T-shirts: the everyday branded top that gets washed hardest and seen most on a customer's job. See branded polos & tees.
• Sweatshirts & hoodies: a warm layer for cold, unheated new builds. See branded hoodies & sweatshirts.
• Gilets & bodywarmers: warmth for the body without restricting the arms while skimming. See branded gilets.
• Dust & eye protection: sanding and mixing create dust, so choose respiratory and eye protection to your own risk assessment. See FFP mask ratings and eye protection standards.
• Boots & hi-vis: safety footwear for site, and hi-vis where the site rules call for it. See safety boots and hi-vis workwear.

Respiratory protective equipment should be selected to your own risk assessment and, for tight-fitting masks, fit tested on the wearer. Dust masks are not a substitute for controlling dust at source.

Knee pads and the trousers they fit

Trousers with knee-pad pockets are only half the story. The pad itself is usually tested as a pair with a specific trouser under EN 14404, so swapping brands between pad and trouser can mean the pad does not sit where it is supposed to. Our guide to knee pads and EN 14404 explains the types and levels and how to match pad to trouser.

Smart on domestic jobs

A lot of plastering and drylining work is in someone's home, and branded kit changes how that feels for the customer. It is closer to advertising than uniform.

A branded polo tells the homeowner who you are

A small embroidered logo when you arrive turns a stranger on a doorstep into a company the customer recognises and, hopefully, recommends.

Logo placement that suits the trade

Left chest for the logo, printed or embroidered depending on the garment. See embroidery vs print, or check our logo placement guide for what goes where.