Stonemasons: Career & Application Guide

What do stonemasons do?

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

This describes a U.S. occupation, not a live vacancy. Individual employers may use different titles and requirements.

O*NET reports these titles for this occupation. Compare the responsibilities in each posting before treating titles as equivalent.

Set vertical and horizontal alignment of structures, using plumb bob, gauge line, and level.
Lay out wall patterns or foundations, using straight edge, rule, or staked lines.
Set stone or marble in place, according to layout or pattern.
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.
Clean excess mortar or grout from surface of marble, stone, or monument, using sponge, brush, water, or acid.
Shape, trim, face and cut marble or stone preparatory to setting, using power saws, cutting equipment, and hand tools.
Mix mortar or grout and pour or spread mortar or grout on marble slabs, stone, or foundation.
Construct and install prefabricated masonry units.
Smooth, polish, and bevel surfaces, using hand tools and power tools.
Lay brick to build shells of chimneys and smokestacks or to line or reline industrial furnaces, kilns, boilers and similar installations.

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