Career summary

Details for Stonemasons


Description

Build stone structures, such as piers, walls, and abutments. Lay walks, curbstones, or special types of masonry for vats, tanks, and floors.

Tasks

  • Lay out wall patterns or foundations, using straight edge, rule, or staked lines.
  • Shape, trim, face and cut marble or stone preparatory to setting, using power saws, cutting equipment, and hand tools.
  • Set vertical and horizontal alignment of structures, using plumb bob, gauge line, and level.
  • Mix mortar or grout and pour or spread mortar or grout on marble slabs, stone, or foundation.
  • Remove wedges, fill joints between stones, finish joints between stones, using a trowel, and smooth the mortar to an attractive finish, using a tuck pointer.
  • Set stone or marble in place, according to layout or pattern.
  • Clean excess mortar or grout from surface of marble, stone, or monument, using sponge, brush, water, or acid.
  • Lay brick to build shells of chimneys and smokestacks or to line or reline industrial furnaces, kilns, boilers and similar installations.
  • Replace broken or missing masonry units in walls or floors.
  • Smooth, polish, and bevel surfaces, using hand tools and power tools.
  • Drill holes in marble or ornamental stone and anchor brackets in holes.
  • Repair cracked or chipped areas of stone or marble, using blowtorch and mastic, and remove rough or defective spots from concrete, using power grinder or chisel and hammer.
  • Remove sections of monument from truck bed, and guide stone onto foundation, using skids, hoist, or truck crane.
  • Construct and install prefabricated masonry units.
  • Dig trench for foundation of monument, using pick and shovel.
  • Position mold along guidelines of wall, press mold in place, and remove mold and paper from wall.
  • Line interiors of molds with treated paper and fill molds with composition-stone mixture.

Interests

  • Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Education, training, experience

  • Education - Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
  • Training - Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
  • Experience - Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Knowledge

  • Building and Construction -Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Skills

None found.

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