Free Sample
The Complete Guide to Becoming A Brickmason and Blockmason
Know exactly what brickmasons earn, how to get trained, and whether you're cut out for a career in masonry before you spend a dime on school
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: What Does a Brickmason and Blockmason Actually Do?
Before you spend a single dollar on training or a single Saturday researching apprenticeship programs, you should understand what a brickmason and blockmason actually does between the hours of 7:00 AM and 3:30 PM. This is not a job you learn from a YouTube video or a career day brochure, and it is not a job you can fake your way through. It is physical, precise, repetitive, and surprisingly creative work.
At its most basic level, a brickmason and blockmason builds structures out of bricks, concrete blocks, and other masonry units. They lay these materials in neat, even rows called courses, binding them together with mortar - which is a paste made from cement, sand, and water. The mortar starts out wet and workable, and hardens as it cures. The mason's job is to get the mortar and the units into exactly the right position before that mortar sets, because once it hardens, there's no going back. You cannot nudge a brick after the mortar has set, and you cannot wash out a messy joint without leaving a mark.
Core Responsibilities: Laying, Leveling, and Finishing
The core of the work is laying units. A residential brickmason might work on a house foundation, a fireplace, or a decorative brick wall on the front of a home. A commercial blockmason might build the exterior walls of a school, a warehouse, or a hospital using hollow concrete blocks that are 8 inches by