Built EnvironmentISCO 7113
Stonemason
A stonemason is a person who carves and sets stone by hand for building purposes. Although CNC machine tools are now in common use in the trade, ornamental stone carving is still done by hand using craft methods.
Check yourself in a minute: stonemason
Rate 5 of the 18 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
transport construction supplies
inspect construction supplies
maintain work area cleanliness
regulate cutting speed
prepare stone for smoothing
About stonemason
The mason works from knowledge of the types of stone being worked: what is soft enough to carve and too soft to weather, which way the bed runs, where a block will split and what each stone looks like once it is cut and polished. Construction materials are inspected before anything is cut, so that cracks and other flaws are found early.
The mason carves with a stone chisel, removing material gradually.
The mason also sets the stone, placing it in a structure with attention to the bedding and the joint. Materials are transported by the mason, the work area is secured, and health and safety procedures in construction apply, since stone dust is a long-term hazard to the lungs and blocks are heavy. The mason uses ergonomic working methods to limit the strain of repeated striking, and prepares stone for polishing, the final finish of its surface.
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (18)
types of stone for workingtypes of stone for workingDifferent 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. Econom...work ergonomicallywork ergonomicallyApply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.transport construction suppliestransport construction suppliesBring 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 suppliesinspect construction suppliesCheck construction supplies for damage, moisture, loss or other problems before using the material.maintain work area cleanlinessmaintain work area cleanlinessKeep the working area and equipment clean and orderly.regulate cutting speedregulate cutting speedRegulate the speed and depth of stone cutting by pulling the levers and turning the wheels.prepare stone for smoothingprepare stone for smoothingPrepare the stone for the smoothing process by wetting it with the hose.secure working areasecure working areaSecure the operation site fixing boundaries, restricting access, placing signs and taking other measures in order to guarantee public and staff safety.follow health and safety procedures in constructionfollow health and safety procedures in constructionApply the relevant health and safety procedures in construction in order to prevent accidents, pollution and other risks.create cutting plancreate cutting planDraw up plans to show how the material will be cut into functional pieces to minimise loss of material.interpret 3D plansinterpret 3D plansInterpret and understand plans and drawings in manufacturing processes which include representations in three dimensions.use measurement instrumentsuse measurement instrumentsUse 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 constructionuse safety equipment in constructionUse 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 do...mark stone workpiecesmark stone workpiecesMark planes, lines and points onto a stone workpiece to show where material will be removed.interpret 2D plansinterpret 2D plansInterpret and understand plans and drawings in manufacturing processes which include representations in two dimensions.polish stone by handpolish stone by handPolish by hand the stone parts which cannot be polished by a machine, rubbing it with abrasive blocks.operate grinding hand toolsoperate grinding hand toolsOperate a variety of hand tools designed for grinding production materials, such as angle grinders, die grinders, grindstones, bench grinders, and others.use stonemason's chiseluse stonemason's chiselUse a stonemason's chisel with a mallet to chisel away stone and create a straight edge on the workpiece.
Optional (28) — show
advise on construction materialsadvise on construction materialsProvide advice on and test a wide range of construction materials.lay stoneslay stonesPlace 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 wastesort wasteManually or automatically sort waste by separating it into its different elements.assess conservation needsassess conservation needsAssess and list the needs for conservation/restoration, in relation to current use and planned future use.apply restoration techniquesapply restoration techniquesSelect and apply appropriate restoration techniques in order to achieve the required restoration goals. This encompasses preventive measures, remedial measures, restoration processes and management pr...answer requests for quotationanswer requests for quotationMake up prices and documents for the products that customers may purchase.operate forkliftoperate forkliftOperate a forklift, a vehicle with a pronged device in front for lifting and carrying heavy loads.use stone splitting techniquesuse stone splitting techniquesDrill holes in a large stone and insert the plugs and feathers. Strike the plugs several times until a crack appears.rig loadsrig loadsSafely 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 materi...monitor stock levelmonitor stock levelEvaluate how much stock is used and determine what should be ordered.work in a construction teamwork in a construction teamWork 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 ma...maintain equipmentmaintain equipmentRegularly inspect and perform all required activities to maintain the equipment in functional order prior or after its use.tend stone splitting machinetend stone splitting machineTend 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 suppliescalculate needs for construction suppliesTake measurements on site and estimate the amount of materials required for the construction or restoration project.estimate restoration costsestimate restoration costsEstimate the cost implications of restoring and replacing products or parts.sharpen edged toolssharpen edged toolsIdentify 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 ...build scaffoldingbuild scaffoldingAssemble temporary scaffolding structures for construction, maintenance or event-related purposes. Set vertical standards on the base plate of the scaffolding structure. Ensure the scaffolding structu...keep personal administrationkeep personal administrationFile and organise personal administration documents comprehensively.order construction suppliesorder construction suppliesOrder required materials for the construction project, taking care to purchase the most suitable material for a good price.process incoming construction suppliesprocess incoming construction suppliesReceive incoming construction supplies, handle the transaction and enter the supplies into any internal administration system.program a CNC controllerprogram a CNC controllerSet up the desired product design in the CNC controller of the CNC machine for product manufacturing.mix construction groutsmix construction groutsMix 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 mixtu...finish mortar jointsfinish mortar jointsUse 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 fr...keep records of work progresskeep records of work progressMaintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.polish stone surfacespolish stone surfacesPolish stone using polishing tools and machines in order to obtained a smooth and lustrous product.set up temporary construction site infrastructureset up temporary construction site infrastructureSet 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 sup...pack stone productspack stone productsUse 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, ...follow safety procedures when working at heightsfollow safety procedures when working at heightsTake 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...
Related Occupations
Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.
bricklayer9 shared essential skillscarpenter8 shared essential skillsconstruction painter8 shared essential skillsinsulation worker8 shared essential skillsplate glass installer8 shared essential skillsplumber8 shared essential skillsstaircase installer8 shared essential skillsbathroom fitter7 shared essential skills
Frequently asked questions
What does a stonemason do?
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.
What skills does a stonemason need?
A stonemason needs 18 essential skills, including types of stone for working, work ergonomically, transport construction supplies, inspect construction supplies, maintain work area cleanliness.
Will AI replace stonemason jobs?
The AI disruption score for stonemason is 35/100 (moderate risk). Skills most exposed to automation: monitor stock level, keep personal administration, keep records of work progress. Most resilient: use safety equipment in construction, polish stone by hand, use stonemason's chisel.
AI Replacement Risk
35/ 100
Moderate Risk
Low riskHigh risk
Quick Facts
Is stonemason right for you?
Take the free 10-minute Career Portrait to see which career direction fits your motivations and strengths.
Take the free test