Profession stonemason

Stonemasons manually carve and assemble stone for construction purposes. While CNC operated carving equipment is the industry standard, artisanal carving for ornamental stone is still done manually.

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Personality Type

  • Realistic / Conventional

Knowledge

  • 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.

Skills

  • Inspect construction supplies

    Check construction supplies for damage, moisture, loss or other problems before using the material.

  • 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.

  • Create cutting plan

    Draw up plans to show how the material will be cut into functional pieces to minimise loss of material.

  • Regulate cutting speed

    Regulate the speed and depth of stone cutting by pulling the levers and turning the wheels.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Prepare stone for smoothing

    Prepare the stone for the smoothing process by wetting it with the hose.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Interpret 3D plans

    Interpret and understand plans and drawings in manufacturing processes which include representations in three dimensions.

  • Interpret 2D plans

    Interpret and understand plans and drawings in manufacturing processes which include representations in two dimensions.

  • Maintain work area cleanliness

    Keep the working area and equipment clean and orderly.

  • Mark stone workpieces

    Mark planes, lines and points onto a stone workpiece to show where material will be removed.

  • Use stonemason's chisel

    Use a stonemason's chisel with a mallet to chisel away stone and create a straight edge on the workpiece.

  • Work ergonomically

    Apply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.

  • 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.

  • Polish stone by hand

    Polish by hand the stone parts which cannot be polished by a machine, rubbing it with abrasive blocks.

Optional knowledge and skills

sort waste keep personal administration apply restoration techniques operate forklift set up temporary construction site infrastructure monitor stock level follow safety procedures when working at heights program a cnc controller use pneumatic chisel work in a construction team maintain equipment lay stones use traditional stone splitting techniques rig loads finish mortar joints build scaffolding keep records of work progress assess conservation needs polish stone surfaces calculate needs for construction supplies estimate restoration costs answer requests for quotation process incoming construction supplies tend stone splitting machine advise on construction materials pack stone products sharpen edged tools mix construction grouts order construction supplies

Common job titles

  • Structural
  • Mason helper
  • Construction foreman
  • Masonry stone sales representative
  • Natural stone sales field representative
  • Project manager - construction
  • Masonry foreman