Brickmasons, Blockmasons, and Stonemasons

Summary

Brickmasons build and repair walls.

Quick Facts: Brickmasons, Blockmasons, and Stonemasons
2010 Median Pay	$45,410 per year $21.83 per hour
Entry-Level Education	High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	Apprenticeship
Number of Jobs, 2010	104,800
Job Outlook, 2010-20	40% (Much faster than average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	41,800

What Brickmasons, Blockmasons, and Stonemasons Do

Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons (or, simply, masons) use bricks, concrete blocks, and natural stones to build fences, walkways, walls, and other structures.

Work Environment

The work is physically demanding because masons often must lift heavy materials and must stand, kneel, and bend for long periods of time. They usually work outdoors, and poor weather conditions may reduce work activity. Most masons work full time.

How to Become a Brickmason, Blockmason, or Stonemason

Although most masons learn through a formal apprenticeship, some learn informally on the job. Others learn through 1- or 2- year mason programs at technical colleges.

Pay

In May 2010, the median annual wage of brickmasons and blockmasons was $46,930, and the median annual wage of stonemasons was $37,180.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of masons is projected to grow 40 percent from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average for all occupations. Population growth will create a need for schools, hospitals, apartment buildings, and other structures, but construction of these buildings may be delayed as state and local governments face budget shortfalls. Highly skilled masons with a good job history and work experience in construction should have the best job opportunities.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons with similar occupations.

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Contacts for More Information

Learn more about brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons by contacting these additional resources.

What Brickmasons, Blockmasons, and Stonemasons Do About this section

Blockmasons often use a level.

Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons (or, simply, masons) use bricks, concrete blocks, and natural stones to build fences, walkways, walls, and other structures.

Duties

Masons typically do the following:

• Read blueprints or drawings to calculate materials needed
• Lay out patterns or foundations, using a straightedge
• Break or cut bricks, stones, or blocks to their appropriate size
• Mix mortar or grout and spread it onto a slab or foundation
• Lay bricks, blocks, or stones according to plans
• Clean excess mortar with trowels and other handtools
• Construct corners with a corner pole or by building a corner pyramid
• Ensure that a structure is perfectly vertical and horizontal, using a plumb bob and level
• Clean and polish surfaces with hand or power tools
• Fill expansion and contraction joints with the appropriate caulking materials

The following are common types of masons:

Brickmasons and blockmasons—who often are called bricklayers—build and repair walls, floors, partitions, fireplaces, chimneys, and other structures with brick, precast masonry panels, concrete block, and other masonry materials.

Pointing, cleaning, and caulking workers repair brickwork, particularly on older structures on which mortar has come loose. Special care must be taken not to damage the structural integrity or the existing bricks.

Refractory masons are brickmasons who specialize in installing firebrick and refractory tile in high-temperature boilers, furnaces, cupolas, ladles, and soaking pits in industrial establishments. Most of these workers are employed in steel mills, where molten materials flow on refractory beds from furnaces to rolling machines. They also are employed at oil refineries, glass furnaces, incinerators, and other locations with manufacturing processes that require high temperatures.

Stonemasons build stone walls, as well as 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 to make various shapes and sizes. Some stonemasons specialize in setting marble, which is similar to setting large pieces of stone.

Work Environment About this section

Stonemasons often lay out a sidewalk.

Masons held about 104,800 jobs in 2010, of which 48 percent were employed in the masonry contractors industry. About 29 percent of masons were self-employed. Many self-employed contractors work on small jobs, such as patios, walkways, and fireplaces. Although most masons work in residential construction, nonresidential construction is growing in importance because most nonresidential buildings are now built with walls made of some combination of concrete block, brick veneer, stone, granite, marble, tile, and glass.

As in many other construction occupations, the work is physically demanding. Masons must often lift heavy materials and stand, kneel, and bend for long stretches of time.

They usually work outdoors, and poor weather conditions may reduce work activity.

Injuries

Overall, masons experience a rate of injury and illness that is much higher than the national average. Stonemasons experience a higher rate of injury and illness than brickmasons and blockmasons. Muscle strains from lifting heavy materials are the most common injuries. Other hazards include injuries from tools and falls from scaffolds.

Work Schedules

Although most masons work full time, some work longer hours to meet construction deadlines. Because they primarily work outdoors, they may have to stop work in extreme cold or rainy weather. However, new processes and materials are allowing masons to work in a greater variety of weather conditions than in the past.

About 29 percent of masons were self-employed in 2010. Self-employed workers may be able to set their own schedule.

How to Become a Brickmason, Blockmason, or Stonemason About this section

Apprentices learn by working with experienced brickmasons.

Although most masons learn through a formal apprenticeship, some learn informally on the job. Others learn through 1- or 2-year mason programs at technical colleges.

Apprenticeship

A 3- to 4-year apprenticeship is how most masons learn the occupation. For each year of the program, apprentices must complete at least 144 hours of related technical instruction and 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training. Apprentices learn construction basics such as how to read blueprints, mathematics, building code requirements, and safety and first-aid practices. 

In the coming years, the focus of apprenticeships is likely to change from time served to demonstrated competence. This may result in apprenticeships of shorter duration.

After completing an apprenticeship program, masons are considered journey workers and are able to do tasks on their own.

Several groups, including unions and contractor associations, sponsor apprenticeship programs. The basic qualifications for entering an apprenticeship program are as follows:

• Minimum age of 18
• High school education or equivalent
• Physically able to do the work

Some contractors have their own training programs for masons. Although workers may enter apprenticeships directly, some masons start out as construction helpers.

Education

Many technical colleges offer 1-year programs in basic masonry. These programs operate both independently and in conjunction with formal training. The credits earned as part of an apprenticeship program usually count toward an associate’s degree. Some people take courses before being hired, and some take them later as part of on-the-job training.

For someone interested in becoming a mason, high school courses in English, math, mechanical drawing, and shop are useful.

Important Qualities

Creativity. Stonemasons must be able to shape stones into a finished structure that is functional and looks attractive.

Dexterity. Workers must be able to apply smooth, even layers of mortar, set bricks, and remove any excess, before the mortar hardens.

Math skills. Knowledge of math—including measurement, volume, and mixing proportions—is important in this trade.

Physical strength. Workers must be strong enough to lift blocks that sometimes weigh more than 40 pounds. They must also carry heavy tools, equipment, and other materials, such as bags of mortar and grout.

Stamina. Brickmasons must keep a steady pace while setting bricks all day. Although no individual brick is extremely heavy, the constant lifting can be tiring.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage of brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons was $45,410 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.

The median annual wage for brickmasons and blockmasons was $46,930 in May 2010. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,790, and the top 10 percent earned more than $78,630.

The median annual wage for stonemasons was $37,180 in May 2010. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,560, and the top 10 percent earned more than $61,370.

The starting pay for apprentices is usually between 30 percent and 50 percent of what fully trained workers make. They get pay increases as they gain more skill.

Although most masons work full time, some work longer hours to meet construction deadlines.

About 29 percent of masons were self-employed in 2010. Self-employed workers may be able to set their own schedule.

Job Outlook About this section

Overall employment of masons is projected to grow 40 percent from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Population growth will create a need for schools, hospitals, apartment buildings, and other structures. However, construction of these buildings may be delayed as states and local governments face budget shortfalls.

Also stimulating demand for workers will be the need to restore a growing number of old brick buildings. Although expensive, brick and stone exteriors should remain popular, reflecting a preference for low-maintenance, durable exterior materials.

Building code requirements in hurricane-prone areas also will increase the demand for durable homes that use brick, block, or stone.

Job Prospects

Overall job prospects should improve over the coming decade as construction activity rebounds from the recent recession. As with many other construction workers, employment is sensitive to the fluctuations of the economy. On the one hand, workers may experience periods of unemployment when the overall level of construction falls. On the other hand, shortages of workers may occur in some areas during peak periods of building activity.

The masonry workforce is growing older, and a large number of masons are expected to retire over the next decade, which will create many job openings.

Highly skilled masons with a good job history and work experience in construction should have the best job opportunities.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For details about apprenticeships or other work opportunities for brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons, contact the offices of the state employment service, the state apprenticeship agency, local contractors or firms that employ masons, or local union–management apprenticeship committees. Information on apprenticeships is available from the U.S. Department of Labor’s toll-free help line, 1 (877) 872-5627, or Employment and Training Administration.

For information about training for brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons, visit

Mason Contractors Association of America

National Association of Home Builders

For information about training, including obtaining a credential in green construction, visit

International Masonry Institute

National Center for Construction Education and Research

For general information about the work of bricklayers, visit

Associated General Contractors of America