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If you're a professional plasterer or serious DIYer looking for the best plastering trowel available in Ireland, the three brands that consistently come up in trade conversations are Nela, Refina, and Marshalltown. At Tool Source, we stock all three — and we get asked regularly which one is right for the job. Here's our honest comparison from the trade floor.
First launched in 2014, Nela has quickly become one of the most respected and trusted names in the plastering trade. Made in Germany, Nela trowels are built for plasterers who want precision and an exceptional feel in the hand.
Their flagship range includes the Nela Premium Trowel with its signature BiKoGRIP cork handle — ergonomic, lightweight, and designed to reduce fatigue on long days. For advanced finishing work, the Nela Flex II Gold Edition delivers superior flexibility and is trusted by professional plasterers for Venetian plaster and decorative finishes. The Nela Black Edition Elite is their premium offering — a pre-worn blade with a gold alloy coating for the ultimate glide and a sharper edge in less time.
Nela trowels are particularly popular among Irish plasterers who want a tool that performs straight out of the box, with no lengthy break-in period.
Best for: Experienced plasterers, finishing coats, decorative and Venetian plaster work.
Shop our Nela trowels here
Refina is a UK brand that has built a fiercely loyal following among Irish and British plasterers. Manufactured in Germany from the highest quality chrome stainless steel, Refina trowels are forged for rust-free durability. Their range is built around different levels of flex — making it easy to pick the right trowel for the right stage of the job.
The Refina Superflex 1 is their original flexible finishing trowel — fitted with a unique 0.4mm gauge flexible blade that provides an optimum level of flexibility for the finishing stages of multi-finish and board-finish plasters. The Superflex 3 Rose Gold is their all-rounder — slightly firmer at 0.5mm, it handles the full plastering process from application right through to final finish. For polishing and decorative work, the Plaziflex plastic-bladed trowel is a trade favourite — its lightweight non-marking blade lets you work earlier with plaster, smooth out trowel lines more easily, and finish sets faster with less pressure on your elbows and shoulders.
Best for: Plasterers who want a range of flex options, multi-finish and board-finish work, and those finishing decorative plasters.
Shop our Refina trowels here
Marshalltown has been the trusted name in plastering trowels for over 130 years, delivering professional-grade tools that combine superior craftsmanship with innovative design. If Nela and Refina are the newer generation of trowels, Marshalltown is the one your father's plasterer used — and still swears by.
Their trowels feature Golden Stainless Steel blades that are ground, tempered and polished to exacting standards — creating a blade that's both flexible and durable with a perfectly smooth surface that won't mark plaster. The Marshalltown Pre-Worn Finishing Trowel is a particular favourite — the factory-rounded corners eliminate the break-in period, so it's ready for a clean finish from day one. Their ergonomic DuraSoft handle is one of the most comfortable in the trade, reducing fatigue during long days on site.
Marshalltown also offers the widest range of sizes — from compact 11" trowels for detail work right up to 18" for covering large wall areas fast.
Best for: Plasterers who want tried-and-tested reliability, apprentices starting out, and anyone working on larger rendering or cement projects.
Shop our Marshalltown trowels here
Honestly? Many of Ireland's best plasterers have all three in their bag.
All three brands are available now at Tool Source with next-day delivery across Ireland and Northern Ireland. Not sure which is right for your job? Give us a call on 087 980 4668 or email info@toolsource.ie — Tommy and the team are happy to help.
Browse our full Plastering Tools range here
