The stonemason profession might sound like a historical occupation, but still an interesting job. The question is, though, are stonemasons in demand today?
The demand for stonemasons in many parts of the world is expected to rise as much as 8% over the next decade. This could lead to over 5,000 new masonry jobs within multiple areas because of the demand for stonemasons. Starting a stonemasonry career now can offer many opportunities in the near future.
Let’s talk more about these upcoming opportunities and reasons to be looking into stonemasonry careers.
Are stonemasons in high demand?
Over recent years the demand for stonemasons has become higher as we create more brick and stone works. This is a positive rise compared to the beginning of this century. In 2004, the opportunity for stonemasonry work in the United States fell by 27%. Lots of other countries, including those across Europe, experienced similar figures. But there is good news!
Over the next decade, starting from 2018, almost 5,000 new stonemason jobs are expected to come into the market in most countries. The demand for stonemasons is expected to increase more than most other professions. This means that by 2028, the demand for stonemasons will be very high.
If you’re considering becoming a stonemason, now would be a good time to start training. By building up your skills now, you will be an expert with experience by the time the demand for stonemasons is at its peak.
Are there still stonemasons?
There are definitely still stonemasons in our modern workforce. The term ‘stonemasonry’ can be associated with historical buildings, but the work has progressed with the rest of our world. For a while, the stonemasonry work did focus more on the maintenance of historical buildings. But it is also a modern career!
Buildings made of stone are still very common, and stone houses are becoming more and more popular. We have always needed stonemasons to do this kind of work. Even today we lack machines with the skill and precision of human stonemasons. But every stonemason has the best quality masonry tools for their work.
Cities these days seem to be full of metal and glass, but that hasn’t stopped our need for stonemasons. Their work is in higher demand for housing rather than skyscrapers. But the building trends are constantly changing and there is plenty of work coming up for new stonemasons!
What type of work do stonemasons do?
Stonemasonry work mostly involves preparing stones that will be used for buildings. Stonemasons cut and shape stone to the required size and shape to fit into a wall or repair a building like stone houses. They also renovate existing monumental masonry, usually involving carving and shaping the rock when it is already in place. Stonemasons also help with the building process to make sure that bricks and stones will work with the desired architecture. This gives them lots of hands-on work and is what makes this a great trade for anyone with an appreciation for buildings.
The main work of stonemasons is to prepare stone slabs, blocks, and bricks. The carving and care by a stonemason is something that currently can’t be replaced. So, what better time to become a valuable tradesman than now?
Are stonemasons different to brick masons?
Stonemasons work closely with stone as a natural material, while brick masons focus on laying and binding bricks. Brick masonry is often cheaper than stonemasonry and doesn’t require specialized workforces to lay. This is because bricks mostly come in standard building sizes and shapes. By specializing in bricks, a brick mason learns the ins and outs of brick construction. They can problem-solve to use brick in many ways.
Stonemasons specialize in preparing stone for building use. There is more preparation of the material for stonemasons which results in higher costs. They often need to cut and dress the stone to achieve the desired shape and look. Often stonemasons are involved with more of the crafting side. Brick masons can also work as brick layers because they focus more on the construction side.
It is possible to have a career as a stonemason, brick mason and bricklayer if you’re dedicated to your work. Often people start out by completing bricklaying apprenticeships then move on to learning the stonemason trade. The two sectors work closely together at times and have skills that are interchangeable. By getting involved with all of these learnings, you can become a master of multiple trades! Pair this with the demand for both bricklayers and stonemasons and you have promising job security.
Is being a stonemason difficult?
Being a stonemason can be difficult because it is, at times, quite physically demanding. You will be working with stone, using a lot of strength to move and shape the stone, plus precision when creating it.
There is a lot of standing, bending and kneeling for long periods of time. Plus, carrying heavy materials. It is best to be reasonably fit and strong when starting out. You will build up strength as a stonemason over time too. Once you’ve gained experience, you can often seek out a stonemason apprentice to teach who can help out with the physical demand of the job.
There is also the complex and technical side to stonemasonry that can be difficult at times. Mastery stonemasonry will take many years and training does take a lot of time. But this isn’t very different from any other job in terms of learning and becoming an expert. With the right attention and commitment, being a stonemason should become part of your second nature.
With all of this said, stonemasonry certainly seems like an excellent career to look into at this time. If you are inclined to the kind of work we’ve described, then stonemasonry could be for you, especially with the high demand for stonemasons!
If you found this article interesting, you will probably love our other articles such as Is Brick Veneer Better than Cladding? or What are the Advantages of Stone Houses? Be sure to check out our article about if masonry is a good trade or not!
Did you know that Paragon Tools is a premium supplier of Bricklaying and Masonry tools across Ireland and Europe? We are a specialised importer of tools that many of you would have used while working in Australia.
