Career Details :: Brickmasons and Blockmasons
Description
Lay and bind building materials, such as brick, structural tile, concrete block, cinder block, glass block, and terra-cotta block, with mortar and other substances to construct or repair walls, partitions, arches, sewers, and other structures.
Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.
Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.
Tasks
- Calculates angles and courses and determines vertical and horizontal alignment of courses.
- Breaks or cuts bricks, tiles, or blocks to size, using edge of trowel, hammer, or power saw.
- Cleans working surface to remove scale, dust, soot, or chips of brick and mortar, using broom, wire brush, or scrapper.
- Fastens or fuses brick or other building material to structure with wire clamps, anchor holes, torch, or cement.
- Sprays or spreads refractory material over brickwork to protect against deterioration.
- Measures distance from reference points and marks guidelines to lay out work, using plumb bobs and levels.
- Lays and aligns bricks, blocks, or tiles to build or repair structures or high-temperature equipment, such as cupola, kilns, ovens, or furnaces.
- Removes burned or damaged brick or mortar, using sledgehammer, crowbar, chipping gun, or chisel.
- Mixes specified amount of sand, clay, dirt, or mortar powder with water to form refractory mixture.
- Applies and smoothes mortar or other mixture over work surface and removes excess, using trowel and hand tools.
- Examines brickwork or structure to determine need for repair.
Related Careers
- Drywall Installers
- Fence Erectors
- Helpers, Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters
- Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
- Rough Carpenters
- Ship Carpenters and Joiners
- Stonemasons
- Tile and Marble Setters
Important Abilities
General Work Activities
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Getting Information Needed to Do the Job
- Implementing Ideas, Programs, etc.
Important Skills
Frequent Work Context
- Consequence of Error
- Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Using Hands on Objects, Tools, Controls
- Standing
Institutions Offering Related Majors
No institutions found.