Stonemason

Stonemasons build stone walls and set stone exteriors and floors. They work with two types of stone: natural-cut stone, such as marble, granite, and limestone; and artificial stone, made from concrete, marble chips, or other masonry materials. Using a special hammer or a diamond-blade saw, workers cut stone into various shapes and sizes. Some stonemasons specialize in setting marble, which is similar to setting large pieces of stone.

Excludes people using automated equipment.

The duties of a stonemason include, but are not limited to:

• Reading and interpreting structural blueprints.
• Determining the materials and equipment needed for the project.
• Mixing grout and cement.
• Cutting and shaping stones to desired dimensions.
• Laying stones according to construction plans or project specifications.
• Operating cranes, hoists, or heavy machinery to move stones.
• Digging trenches using a pick and shovel.
• Smoothing and polishing stones and concrete.
• Replacing defective or missing stones on walls and structures.

The following job titles also refer to stonemason:

craft stonemason
memorial mason
stone setter
stone cutter
artisanal stonemason
stone carver
architectural stone mason
building mason
tombstone carver
artisanal stone mason
stone finisher
craft mason
heritage stone mason
memorial stonemason
architectural stonemason
stone mason
mason
fixer mason
structural stoneworker
stoneworker
banker mason
heritage stonemason

A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required to enter the occupation.

Many technical schools offer programs in masonry. These programs operate both independently and in conjunction with apprenticeship training.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Stonemason is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to stonemason.

bricklayer
plasterer
construction painter
resilient floor layer
insulation worker

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of stonemason. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of stonemason with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

bricklaying supervisor
carpenter supervisor
construction scaffolding supervisor
roofing supervisor
bridge construction supervisor

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of stonemason.

• Types of stone for working: Different types of stone that stonemasons and other stone workers use to process into building materials. The mechanical properties of stone, such as their weight, tensile strength, durability. Economical properties such as cost, transport and sourcing.
• Building codes: The set of guidelines that determine the minimum standards for buildings and other constructions in order to protect public health and safety.

These skills are necessary for the role of stonemason.

• Work ergonomically: Apply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.
• Transport construction supplies: Bring construction materials, tools and equipment to the construction site and store them properly taking various aspects into account such as the workers’ safety and protection from deterioration.
• Inspect construction supplies: Check construction supplies for damage, moisture, loss or other problems before using the material.
• Maintain work area cleanliness: Keep the working area and equipment clean and orderly.
• Regulate cutting speed: Regulate the speed and depth of stone cutting by pulling the levers and turning the wheels.
• Prepare stone for smoothing: Prepare the stone for the smoothing process by wetting it with the hose.
• Secure working area: Secure the operation site fixing boundaries, restricting access, placing signs and taking other measures in order to guarantee public and staff safety.
• Inspect stone surface: Inspect the surface of the stone to identify any uneven areas.
• Follow health and safety procedures in construction: Apply the relevant health and safety procedures in construction in order to prevent accidents, pollution and other risks.
• Create cutting plan: Draw up plans to show how the material will be cut into functional pieces to minimise loss of material.
• Interpret 3d plans: Interpret and understand plans and drawings in manufacturing processes which include representations in three dimensions.
• Use measurement instruments: Use different measurement instruments depending on the property to be measured. Utilise various instruments to measure length, area, volume, speed, energy, force, and others.
• Use safety equipment in construction: Use elements of protective clothing such as steel-tipped shoes, and gear such as protective goggles, in order to minimise risk of accidents in construction and to mitigate any injury if an accident does occur.
• Mark stone workpieces: Mark planes, lines and points onto a stone workpiece to show where material will be removed.
• Interpret 2d plans: Interpret and understand plans and drawings in manufacturing processes which include representations in two dimensions.
• Polish stone by hand: Polish by hand the stone parts which cannot be polished by a machine, rubbing it with abrasive blocks.
• Operate grinding hand tools: Operate a variety of hand tools designed for grinding production materials, such as angle grinders, die grinders, grindstones, bench grinders, and others.
• Use stonemason’s chisel: Use a stonemason’s chisel with a mallet to chisel away stone and create a straight edge on the workpiece.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of stonemason. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Advise on construction materials: Provide advice on and test a wide range of construction materials.
• Lay stones: Place stone blocks or paving stones, which have been cut to the right size and thickness beforehand, to build stone walls and stairs, to lay pavement or to insert door and window frames.
• Sort waste: Manually or automatically sort waste by separating it into its different elements.
• Assess conservation needs: Assess and list the needs for conservation/restoration, in relation to current use and planned future use.
• Apply restoration techniques: Select and apply appropriate restoration techniques in order to achieve the required restoration goals. This encompasses preventive measures, remedial measures, restoration processes and management processes.
• Answer requests for quotation: Make up prices and documents for the products that customers may purchase.
• Operate forklift: Operate a forklift, a vehicle with a pronged device in front for lifting and carrying heavy loads.
• Use traditional stone splitting techniques: Drill holes in a large stone and insert the plugs and feathers. Strike the plugs several times until a crack appears.
• Rig loads: Safely attach loads to different types of hooks and attachments, taking into account the weight of the load, the power available to move it, static and dynamic tolerances of all instruments and materials, and the mass distribution of the system. Communicate with the operator verbally or with gestures to ensure the safety and efficiency of the operation. Detach loads.
• Monitor stock level: Evaluate how much stock is used and determine what should be ordered.
• Work in a construction team: Work as part of a team in a construction project. Communicate efficiently, sharing information with team members and reporting to supervisors. Follow instructions and adapt to changes in a flexible manner.
• Maintain equipment: Regularly inspect and perform all required activities to maintain the equipment in functional order prior or after its use.
• Use pneumatic chisel: Operate a pneumatically powered chisel to remove material from a stone workpiece.
• Tend stone splitting machine: Tend the machine which splits concrete stone into building blocks by positioning the stone against the end stops and by depressing the pedal to lower the blade.
• Calculate needs for construction supplies: Take measurements on site and estimate the amount of materials required for the construction or restoration project.
• Estimate restoration costs: Estimate the cost implications of restoring and replacing products or parts.
• Sharpen edged tools: Identify dull edges to sharp tools, or any defect in the edge. Use appropriate equipment to safely and effectively sharpen the tool. Maintain and protect sharpened tools. Report irreparable faults to the appropriate person.
• Build scaffolding: Assemble temporary scaffolding structures for construction, maintenance or event-related purposes. Set vertical standards on the base plate of the scaffolding structure. Ensure the scaffolding structure is secured from lateral forces and supported sufficiently. Place wood or metal scaffolding decks into the transoms to stand on and make sure they are aligned. Safely set scaffolding stairs and ladders, which allow enough room for safe and easy manoeuvring.
• Keep personal administration: File and organise personal administration documents comprehensively.
• Order construction supplies: Order required materials for the construction project, taking care to purchase the most suitable material for a good price.
• Process incoming construction supplies: Receive incoming construction supplies, handle the transaction and enter the supplies into any internal administration system.
• Program a cnc controller: Set up the desired product design in the CNC controller of the CNC machine for product manufacturing.
• Mix construction grouts: Mix construction materials with water and other materials based on the appropriate recipe. Mix thoroughly to prevent lumps. Avoid contamination, which will adversely affect the properties of the mixture.
• Finish mortar joints: Use a trowel to apply extra mortar to joints to smoothen and finish them after the mortar has partially hardened. Make sure that the joints are full to prevent dampness and other outside influences from passing through the wall.
• Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.
• Polish stone surfaces: Polish stone using polishing tools and machines in order to obtained a smooth and lustrous product.
• Set up temporary construction site infrastructure: Set up a variety of temporary infrastructure used on building sites. Put up fences and signs. Set up any construction trailers and make sure that these are connected to electricity lines and water supply. Establish supplies stores and garbage disposal in a sensible manner.
• Pack stone products: Use lifting equipment to lower the heavy pieces into boxes and guide them by hand to make sure they take the right place. Wrap the pieces in a protective material. When all the pieces are in the box, secure them with separating material such as cardboard to prevent them from moving and from sliding against each other during transportation.
• Follow safety procedures when working at heights: Take necessary precautions and follow a set of measures that assess, prevent and tackle risks when working at a high distance from the ground. Prevent endangering people working under these structures and avoid falls from ladders, mobile scaffolding, fixed working bridges, single person lifts etc. since they may cause fatalities or major injuries.

7113 – Stonemasons, stone cutters, splitters and carvers

---

References

1. Stonemason – ESCO
2. Masonry Workers : Occupational Outlook Handbook – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. Stonemason Job Description – Betterteam
4. Featured image: By Bhaskaranaidu – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0