Sourcing decorative plaster columns from China

Duty on decorative plaster columns

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 6809 covers articles of plaster or compositions based on plaster. Decorative plaster columns and their plaster components fall within the other articles line, 6809 90 00 00, subject to confirmation of the actual material and construction.

The supplied tariff record shows 0% duty for goods from China on this line, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control. The table distinguishes column forms sharing this commodity code. Import VAT is separate from customs duty.

Give your customs broker the material composition, photographs and assembly drawing to confirm the commodity code. For related decorative articles within the wider heading, see our plaster corbels guide.

Specify the column assembly and fixing method

Specify indoor decorative use, overall assembled height, shaft diameter, taper, fluting, wall thickness and whether the shaft is solid, hollow or split. Draw the mating surfaces between shaft, capital and base. Identify reinforcement, fixing points, finish and the parts included in each assembly. Agree a sample assembled with the intended fixing method.

For consumer products in Great Britain, the safety rule covers normal and reasonably foreseeable use. Ask the supplier to explain stability, attachment and safe installation. Before accepting CE or UKCA claims, ask a testing and certification adviser to check the applicable construction product standard or assessment route for the intended use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative mixed batch of indoor decorative plaster column shafts, capitals and bases under 6809 90 00 00, invoiced at £7,500 free on board, with £2,400 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,900, so it is £1,980. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: assemble sampled shafts, capitals and bases; check alignment, seating surfaces, seam position and clearance for the intended fixings.

Casting: check cracks, pinholes, chipped flutes, incomplete ornament and uneven wall thickness against the approved sample.

Arrival: open packs before installation; check damp marks, softened surfaces, concealed cracks and crushed packing around projecting details.

Traceability: retain records identifying suppliers so the products can be traced; match delivered parts to the order and supplier documents. Agree the scope through our quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A column can look correct separately but lean when assembled because its mating surfaces are uneven. Split shafts may leave visible seams, capitals may overhang unevenly, and repeated casts may lose detail. Check an assembled production sample rather than approving only a photograph of the mould.

Projecting leaves and base corners can break when the packing supports only the shaft. Request shaped supports that avoid pressure on ornament, separate protection for capitals and bases, and photographs before dispatch. Record arrival damage before moving or installing the pieces.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.