How should the trowel be held against the wall when plastering with Portland cement used for exterior application?

• A. Slight angle
• B. Flat
• C. 45-degree angle
• D. 30-degree angle

Answer: (A)

Hold the trowel against the wall at a slight angle. That small tilt lets the edge press the Portland cement plaster into the wall’s roughness and pores, helping the mix bond and compact properly. It also helps control the thickness and push out air pockets, producing a smoother, more durable exterior surface. If you keep the trowel flat, you’ll skim off material and fail to embed enough for a solid bond. If you tilt too far, you can gouge or drag and leave ridges or an uneven finish. The slight angle gives you the right balance of embedding, leveling, and finishing for exterior plaster.