Plaster coving and plasterboard from China

Zero duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, articles of plaster or of compositions based on plaster, heading 6809, carried 0% on goods from China on all three lines, with no anti-dumping measure and no suspension. Boards faced or reinforced only with paper or paperboard are declared by the square metre.

The tariff also shows a waste import control on the paper-faced board line, aimed at shipments of waste; ask your customs broker how new board is declared against it. Fibre cement boards are covered in our fibre cement boards guide; confirm the commodity code from the board's binder and facing.

Standards and declarations

Gypsum plasterboard is covered by BS EN 520, gypsum boards with fibrous reinforcement by BS EN 15283, preformed plasterboard cornices (coving) by BS EN 14209 and gypsum blocks by BS EN 12859. Under retained [Regulation (EU) No 305/2011](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2011/305/contents), products covered by these designated standards are placed on the market with a declaration of performance and UKCA or CE marking, including the reaction to fire class under BS EN 13501-1.

Decorative plaster such as ceiling roses and ornaments sold to consumers must be safe under the [General Product Safety Regulations 2005](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1803/contents). Specify dimensions, profile drawings, board type and edge, and the declared values the project needs in the product specification.

Worked duty example

For a made-up shipment of 1,500 plaster coving lengths and ceiling roses under 6809 90 00 00, add the £2,400 of freight and insurance to the £7,500 free-on-board price and customs sees £9,900. Duty on plaster coving is zero, leaving import VAT of £1,980, 20% of the customs value. For a VAT-registered buyer that is a cash-flow cost rather than a lasting one. The duty and VAT guide walks through the calculation.

Inspection checklist

Boards: check length, width and thickness, squareness and edge profile of sampled boards against the tolerances in BS EN 520 or BS EN 15283 for the declared type, check the paper facing is bonded with no blisters, and check the declaration of performance names the board type and fire class.

Coving and mouldings: check sampled lengths against the profile drawing with a template, measure length and straightness, check the surface for pinholes and cracks, and check that joints between lengths line up as BS EN 14209 coves are intended to be installed.

Packing: check that boards are stacked flat on pallets with edge protection and that coving and roses are boxed with dividers, then drop-test a packed carton and count breakage before the container is loaded.

What goes wrong

Plaster fails on breakage, moisture and dimensions. Corners snap off boards and coving arrives cracked when cartons are stacked or pallets shift, damp in the container softens gypsum and marks the paper facing, and profiles drift from the drawing so lengths do not join. Boards arrive without a declaration of performance, or the fire class claimed is not in it.

Approve profiles on samples, check dimensions and surface on production pieces, keep boards dry with desiccant and liners, and photograph the stowage at container loading.

Cambridge China Bridge sources plaster coving, ceiling roses and gypsum boards for merchants, decorators and developers, usually by the full container because plaster is heavy for its value. See our container programmes.