What does a stone mason do?
Stone mason responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real stone mason resumes:
- Remove wedges, fill joints between stones, finish joints between stones to an attractive finish.
- Perform various household maintenance jobs including mowing and landscaping.
- Ensure the historical integrity of properties through application of masonry techniques and detail cosmetic repairs.
- Hand engraving, cast cleaning and solder assembly as needed.
Stone mason skills and personality traits
We calculated that 20% of Stone Masons are proficient in Retaining Walls, Hand Tools, and Customer Service. They’re also known for soft skills such as Color vision, Dexterity, and Physical strength.
We break down the percentage of Stone Masons that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Retaining Walls, 20%
Rock work on buildings, retaining walls, general labor, mixing mortar, working in extreme weather conditions.
- Hand Tools, 12%
Hand tools trowels, hammers, wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers and levels.
- Customer Service, 10%
Job Description: Laying stone, cutting stone, mixing cement and mortar, general clean up, customer service
- Bobcat, 6%
Operated equipment such as a Masonry Saw and Bobcat.
- Construction Sites, 5%
Maintained a clean and safe work area on construction sites.
- Horizontal Alignment, 5%
Set vertical and horizontal alignment of structures and stone pieces using level.
Most stone masons use their skills in "retaining walls," "hand tools," and "customer service" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential stone mason responsibilities here:
Color vision. One of the key soft skills for a stone mason to have is color vision. You can see how this relates to what stone masons do because "masonry workers need to be able to distinguish between small variations in color when setting terrazzo patterns in order to produce the best looking finish." Additionally, a stone mason resume shows how stone masons use color vision: "created custom stone sidewalks, patios, and retaining walls specific to customer's vision. "
Dexterity. Many stone mason duties rely on dexterity. "masonry workers must be able to place bricks, stones, and other materials with precision.," so a stone mason will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways stone mason responsibilities rely on dexterity: "operated skid-steer, forklift, and backhoe to load/un-load supplies, transport heavy material, and dig trenches and holes. "
Physical strength. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of stone masons is physical strength. This skill is critical to many everyday stone mason duties, as "masonry workers should be able to lift more than 50 pounds." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "assisted in the day to day activities of setting headstones, mostly physical labor. "
The three companies that hire the most stone masons are:
- Brinker International2 stone masons jobs
- Masters Co Inc1 stone masons jobs
- Blythe Construction1 stone masons jobs
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Compare different stone masons
Stone mason vs. Bricklayer
Helpers are employed by families or homeowners to provide overall assistance in the house. They are usually assigned to do household chores such as cleaning the house, doing the laundry, cooking meals, and tending the garden. They may also be assigned to do groceries or even drive the family around. They take care of children at home and assist them with their schoolwork should it be needed. They also address any other needs that the family may require assistance with. Helpers are expected to be patient and trustworthy since they will be working closely with the family members.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, stone mason responsibilities require skills like "hand tools," "customer service," "bobcat," and "mixes." Meanwhile a typical bricklayer has skills in areas such as "safety regulations," "reference points," "demo," and "structural tile." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
On average, bricklayers reach similar levels of education than stone masons. Bricklayers are 0.9% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.6% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Stone mason vs. Helper
Finish carpenters are skilled professionals who perform the final touches on homes after the structure is fully built. These carpenters must carry out various tasks such as installing doors, building bookshelves, and adding designs to window and door trims. They are required to follow work from sketches and drawings to complete the job to the right specifications as well as collecting the correct materials before beginning a job. Finish carpenters must also dismantle and demolish before carrying out repairs or installing new materials.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that stone mason responsibilities requires skills like "retaining walls," "hand tools," "customer service," and "bobcat." But a helper might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "food handling," "safety procedures," "safety rules," and "windows."
In general, helpers achieve similar levels of education than stone masons. They're 0.3% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Stone mason vs. Bricklayer apprentice
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, stone masons are more likely to have skills like "retaining walls," "hand tools," "customer service," and "bobcat." But a bricklayer apprentice is more likely to have skills like "safety regulations," "scaffolding," "reference points," and "sponges."
Bricklayer apprentices typically earn similar educational levels compared to stone masons. Specifically, they're 0.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Stone mason vs. Finish carpenter
Even though a few skill sets overlap between stone masons and finish carpenters, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a stone mason might have more use for skills like "retaining walls," "customer service," "bobcat," and "mixes." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of finish carpenters require skills like "custom cabinets," "safety rules," "drywall installation," and "door hardware. "
Finish carpenters reach similar levels of education compared to stone masons, in general. The difference is that they're 1.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of stone mason
Updated January 8, 2025
