Ten Masonry Tools and Equipments

From the Stone Age to the present day, masonry tools have been essential to creating and building almost everything. The Alhambra or the Great Wall of China are excellent examples of long-lasting masonry structures built by humans at different times, aided by hand tools.

Maybe your claims are not that high. But in any case, as a DIY enthusiast, before you start building a brick wall for your garden, or laying pavers or tiles in your patio, you need to get yourself the basic tools and equipment that you will need.

Surely you have ever wondered what are the essential masonry tools for beginners in the world of construction. And is that having the right tools makes any job easier and the end result is much better.

10 Masonry Tools and Equipment List and Details

The tools may vary depending on the type of work you are going to do. But, in general, the masonry tools that we are going to talk about next are almost always those necessary for any type of construction.

1. Palette

The trowel is the masonry tool par excellence in any type of construction. It basically serves to transport the mortar or mortar from the bucket or container in which it was made, to the surface of bricks, blocks or tiles where it will be applied to join. With this tool, you avoid having to touch the cement or plaster with your hands, as they are very aggressive construction materials that can damage the skin.

The pallet is usually composed of a triangular piece of forged steel from which a wooden or plastic hand comes out to handle it. Metal blades vary in size in their length and width.

The larger trowels are used to spread the mortar. And the smaller trowels are used to repair old mortar joints and to remove excess mortar. These smaller pallets are also called pallets , and they are perfect for making final finishes.

Likewise, a trowel can end with a pointed vertex or have it more rounded, depending on its use. Pointed trowels are often used to apply mortar in the corners.

2. Trowel

The trowel is a widely used masonry tool. It is used to spread and smooth mortar, plaster, lime or other types of paste. It is made up of a smooth metal piece that is held by a wooden or plastic handle. Generally the smooth metal trowel is used to smooth different wall coverings.

There are also other types of trowel , such as the rubber or rubber trowel that is used to spread grout on tiles or tiles and seal their joints.

Or the serrated trowels , which are used to spread the cement, glue or other kinds of adhesives used in the laying of stone or ceramic.

3. Flat blade chisel

The flat-bladed chisel is used for lifting plastered walls or walls, and for breaking and loosening dirt, screed and asphalt. The chisel is a very versatile masonry tool. It is used to remove burrs, to make clean cuts in bricks, tiles or tiles. Flat spade chisels are made of steel and are used by holding the small end and hitting it with a heavy hammer or mallet. These allow you to make a clean cut with a single stroke.

When using a chisel, chips and sharp pieces can fly off, causing injury to the skin or eyes. Therefore, our recommendation is that you always wear safety gloves and protective glasses when carrying out work of this type.

4. Mace

The mace is like a hammer with a larger and heavier head. It is used for demolition or for hitting the chisel with a sharp blow to cut bricks or other masonry pieces cleanly.

5. Ceramic cutters

If you are going to lay floors or tiles, a ceramic cutter is going to be almost essential. A ceramic cutter is nothing more than a masonry saw that allows you to cleanly cut bricks, tiles, tiles, etc. The cut is made without chipping the material and to the extent that is precise. Generally, these pieces usually have a specific measure that does not always fit the size of the surface that we want to cover with them. Therefore, it is necessary to make cuts to these pieces. It also allows you to fit the decorative motifs of tiles and tiles, and play with them.

There are two types of ceramic cutters : manual ceramic cutters and electric ceramic cutters.

The electric ceramic cutters can be table or manual. They are tools that must be used by professionals, since they are very powerful and can cause amputations or other injuries if they are not properly handled.

The ceramic cutters manuals are most suitable for home DIY jobs, since they are easier and safer to use. Use a diamond-tipped disc with which they make fine, clean cuts with different shapes (straight, square, curved,…). Depending on the type of material to be cut, one cutter or another will be recommended.

In general, all ceramic cutters can be very dangerous. Safety glasses are essential during use. And it is advisable to remove the rings and jewelry while using this masonry tool because they could get caught and cause a serious accident.

6. Level

After the trowel, the level is the second most important tool you should have if you are going to build a wall. The objective of the level is to keep the work you are doing plumb, that is, straight both horizontally and vertically, up and down. A good level usually has at least 3 bubble vials, one in the center and one at each end. The bubble should line up symmetrically between the two marks. That will tell us that the wall, the wall or what we are building is straight or level. 

There are levels of different lengths, from about 20 or 30 centimeters long to greater than one meter. Depending on if what you are building is a wall or if you are laying tiles on the floor, you will need a more or less long level.

7. Flexometer

A tape measure or meter is an essential measuring tool in any DIY task. It will be useful to have a tape measure of at least 5 meters in construction tasks.

8. Wheelbarrow

The wheelbarrow is another of the essential masonry tools when we are going to carry out a small reform in our house. It is used to transport construction materials from one place to another or carry out debris removal tasks. It can also be very useful for mixing the mortar directly into it.

9. Shovel

The shovel is another necessary tool if you are going to make mortar. It serves to properly mix the mixture between sand, cement and water.

10. Bucket

A bucket of work will help you to add water to the mortar. Also to transport it or even to mix it directly if you don’t need a lot of quantity.