stonemason

Stonemason is a tradesperson who works with natural stone to construct, repair, and sculpt architectural elements and structures. Stonemasons cut, shape, dress, and fit stone for walls, facades, arches, columns, stairs, and monuments, using mortar or dry-stone techniques. They work with a range of stone types including granite, limestone, marble, sandstone, and slate, selected for durability, texture, and color.

Work begins with site assessment, measurements, and laying out courses. Skilled masons select stones, trim rejects, dress surfaces, and carve decorative details or inscriptions. They join stones with pointing mortar, set in ashlar or rubble patterns, and ensure alignment, level, and bond. In restoration, they match old stone and reproduce historic detailing.

Tools and equipment include chisels (flat, point, tooth), hammers, mallets, pitching tools, gauges, levels, plumb lines, trowels, and power tools such as diamond saws, angle grinders, and polishing machines. Modern masons also apply safety practices, scaffolding, rope access, and dust control.

Training typically proceeds through an apprenticeship, progressing to journeyman and master mason status. Some join trade unions or guilds; others learn through vocational programs and on-the-job instruction. Work settings include new construction, restoration of historic buildings, and sculpture for public art or monuments. Masons may specialize in architectural stonework, carving, or conservation.

Historically, stonemasons have been central to the construction of cathedrals, palaces, and bridges, with techniques evolving from quarrying and rough rubble to ashlar dressing and intricate sculpture. Today, stonemasonry remains essential in preservation projects and luxury architecture, as well as in some new-build applications where stone is chosen for its durability and aesthetics.