Construct stone walls or install cladding with mortar and specialised fasteners. Restore damaged stonework on historic structures and monuments. Sculpt or repair statues and gravestones. Construct and install stonework such as window frames, arches, and garden ornaments.
There are three main types of stonemasons who practise the craft of stonemasonry: banker mason, fixer mason, and memorial mason. Each brings unique abilities and expertise to the industry, and each is required for various positions.
Dry stone construction is constructing walls and other structures using stones without a binder, such as mortar. This technique employs numerous sizes of preferably flat and angled stones and a few helpful instruments, such as a string line, to guide the construction of a straight wall.
Stonemasons manipulate and shape stone blocks (ashlar) and slabs into finished products using various instruments. The essential instruments for shaping stone are a mallet, chisels, and a straight edge made of metal. With these, one can create a flat surface, the foundation of stonemasonry.