Masonry and Cement Tools
- Masons use their own specialized tools.red brick wall image by TMLP from Fotolia.com
A good mason will produce durable, level and visually pleasing work. Masons work with bricks, concrete blocks, stone and glass blocks, and they need specialized tools for cutting and sawing the bricks and blocks, mixing and spreading the mortar, making straight lines and corners, removing excess mortar, "pointing" or cleaning out joints and for cleaning up cement residue once the job is completed. - Masons need at least two trowels. A larger trowel 11-12 inches long and 6-7 inches wide is used to spread the mortar or cement. A smaller trowel 9-10 inches long and 4-5 inches wide is for finishing the masonry and repairing old joints. The two major trowel types are called Philadelphia and London trowels. Forged steel blades last longer and they come with a choice of wood or plastic handles.
- A mason's hammer has a regular hammer head at one end and a chisel-like protuberance at the other which is used to cut bricks and blocks. The mason scores the bricks with the chisel end of the hammer so they break cleanly when hit with the regular end of the hammer.
A steel blocking chisel is needed for cutting and resizing bricks or blocks. The chisels come in different shapes and sizes.
A mashing hammer, otherwise known as a mallett or sledge hammer has a heavy two-sided head and is used to hit the chisel. - A good spirit level 18 - 25 inches long is an essential tool because it helps the mason make straight and level walls. Levels come in smaller and larger sizes.
Masons secure synthetic lines across the areas they are working in order to ensure that their work is straight. They also use chalk lines --- cotton lines coated with chalk --- to "snap" or mark straight lines.
A steel square with a 90 degree angle and 12-24 inches long is used to ensure square corners. - Masons either use a mechanical cement mixer to mix the mortar or they mix it by hand using a shovel and wheelbarrow or other container.
Galvanized buckets are useful for measuring the sand and cement and carrying water. - A masonry power saw is necessary if the mason is cutting a large number of bricks. Hand saws or table saws using industrial diamond or carbide blades make it easier and quicker to cut bricks to size and make a cleaner cut. These saws usually require water to cool their blades which is preferable when cutting masonry because dry cutting causes excessive dust.
- A jointer is used before the mortar is totally set to scrape out the joints and give a cleaner look and to help the masonry shed water. They come in many different shapes and sizes, the most common being the V or half-rounded jointer.
After the work is completed the mason must brush or scrub off cement residue. A scrubbing brush that can be used with water and a stiff bristled hand broom are essential.
