A stonemason is someone who takes rough pieces of rock or stone and shapes them into geometric shapes in order to create a structure and/or a work of art. These structures can include monuments, buildings, cathedrals, tombstones, etc. Stonemasons take great pride in being able to produce beautiful yet functional work that is uniquely suited for each client.

Modern stonemasonry is all about the conservation, reparation and restoration of stone buildings, statues and bridges, as well as the construction of new stone structures. Work in this area can be varied: a stonemason might spend days painstakingly chiselling beautiful carvings, or they might fire up the modern power tools to prepare and trim blocks of stone for the cladding of modern buildings.

Don't be fooled into thinking that stonemasonry is all dinky chiselling: modern stonemason workshops are loud, noisy and dusty. Protective clothing, such as ear defenders, goggles and masks, are frequently used. It's not a job for those who like their creature comforts, as it often involves outdoor work in all weathers and heavy lifting.

Stonemasons build stone walls, floors, and the exteriors of private homes and other buildings. They also make stone piers, arches, sills, steps, and hearths.

Stonemasons work with both natural and artificial stone. The natural stones they use are marble, granite, sandstone, and limestone. The artificial stones are made of cement and cement mixed with marble chips or other masonry materials. Stonemasons use tools such as hammers, chisels, trowels, mallets, wedges, pneumatic (compressed air) drills, and brushes. They generally work with helpers who carry the stones.

The stone facing that stonemason put on the surfaces of buildings is called veneer. It is generally two inches thick, and it is fastened on and supported by the building's steel frame.

Sometimes stonemasons must cut stone to exact size. They determine the grain of the stone for easy cutting and mark a line along with it. They use a stonemason's hammer to strike the stone along this line. Sometimes they use an abrasive saw to cut valuable stones.

Some stonemasons specialize in soapstone and other stones that are resistant to acid and are used to contain dangerous acidic substances. Masons set such stone into tank and vat linings and on floors.

- A quarryman works in a quarry splitting sheets of rock down the vein of the rock in order to extract rough chunks of stone.

- A sawyer mason is someone who takes these rough chunks of stone and shapes them to meet the required shape and size using diamond-tipped saws.

- A banker mason takes these stones into their workshop and further hones the stones into the shape and size required by the building designs. A banker mason's goal is to make sure that the shaped stone is oriented in the building in as natural a position as it was oriented in the ground.

- A carver mason uses their artistic ability to create patterns and designs in or from the stone-like animals, figures, or other types of designs.

- A fixer mason specializes in fixing stone permanently onto building structures using various forms of epoxy resins and/or cement. This is a highly dangerous and skilled position requiring precise tolerances and works at high altitudes, all while manipulating very heavy pieces of stone using tackle lift systems.

- A memorial mason carves gravestones, statues and memorials.

A stonemason's workplace is generally outdoors and relatively hazardous, making hard hats and caution extremely important. The work is physically demanding, and contracts are often less frequent in times of bad weather as stonemasons typically work outside. However, various advancements in masonry technology allow modern-day masons to work outside in varying weather conditions.

The work can be considered hard physical labour, as stonemasons are required to climb scaffolding, use chisels and hammers, and spend all day bending, kneeling and lifting heavy materials over rough terrain. Stonemasons will often be contracted privately and therefore have a schedule to keep, meaning overtime and weekend work is often necessary to meet deadlines.