While most people tend to leave masonry work and repair in the hands of professional masons, sometimes learning to do something on your own is more satisfying and rewarding. Not only do you get to practice and improve at an invaluable skill – that you can use to maintain your home – but understanding the skills and tools involved in masonry work can help you diagnose and address problems before they worsen. If you are interested in learning to do masonry work, here are some essential tools and materials that you should know about to get the job done.
Masonry Tools
Masonry work involves several tools necessary to complete various tasks and types of work, so having each of these essential tools is a must if you plan to start doing any masonry work around your home.
1 – Cold Chisel
Cold chisels can slice through bricks and veneer stone with the help of a hammer. Furthermore, you can use it to chip away at excess mortar or remove bricks from a brick wall.
2 – Wire Brush
A wire brush is necessary for sweeping away rock and concrete chips that will accumulate around your work site, making it an excellent tool for keeping your space clean. Additionally, it can remove debris from cracks in concrete before you begin repairing it.
3 – Margin Trowel
Another crucial tool for masonry work is a margin trowel, which you will use for heaping mortar on stone and spreading it. This is necessary to avoid an overflow of mortar from falling over the sides of any stone veneer units, making it a nearly universal tool for most masonry projects.
4 – Square-Notch Trowel
Last but not least, a square-notch trowel is a beneficial tool to have in any mason’s kit. It is typically used for dispersing an exact amount of mortar across a flat surface. Normally, it would be near impossible to spread the mortar evenly with just the flat edge of a trowel, so using this tool is necessary to create a smooth surface.
Masonry Materials
In addition to having the necessary tools, some materials are vital for almost any masonry project.
1 – Aggregate
Using a mixture of sand and gravel, masons use aggregate to fill out and form the bulk of concrete blocks and structures. When working with concrete, you will likely need to have some aggregate at hand.
2 – Mortar
Mortar is one of the most crucial materials any mason will use to form the joints between bricks, stones, and cinder blocks and help things stick together. While mortar is typically made with cement, water, and sand, you can also make it with a variety of different materials as well.
3 – Veneer Mortar
Similar to regular mortar, veneer mortar is a special material to help masonry units stick to angled surfaces and structures. Due to its higher costs, you will typically only use it in small batches for manufactured veneer stones.
4 – Portland Cement
Using a mix of lime, silica, alumina, iron, and gypsum, masons typically use Portland cement to reinforce concrete buildings, pavements, and more.
5 – Conventional Grout
To fill in gaps and seams in masonry units and reinforce structures, you can use conventional grout, which consists of a mix of Portland cement and sand. You can also use it as a waterproofing material.
6 – Ready-Mix Concrete
When settings fence posts and deck supports, you can use a mix of Portland cement, gravel, sand, and water, otherwise known as ready-mix concrete.
7 – Rebar
Finally, rebars are steel bars that strengthen and reinforce masonry structures, typically used in large-scale projects.
Now that you have an idea about basic mason tools, it’s time to get started on your first project. If you or someone you know is keen on learning more about masonry services or hiring a team of experts to help you with masonry work at home, Turnbull Masonry can help. We provide various masonry services at competitive prices and record turnaround times. Contact us today to learn more about our services!