A plating apparatus and method to perform plating in non-through-hole openings or through-hole openings of a printed wiring board having at least either non-through holes or through-holes to form via-hole conductors or through-hole conductors. The plating method contacts a printed wiring board having the non-through holes or through-holes with a plating solution including plating ingredients, and plates metal on a surface of the printed wiring board while making contact with at least a portion of a pliable contact body.