The Modern Stonemason

Stone masonry is one of the oldest artisan professions that is still in existence today. Individually, people engaged in this craft are called stonemasons. They have been with society from the beginning, when villages became cities and began to build from stone. These stonemasons fashioned and shaped stones from the surrounding environment. Modifying them and working with them in ways that enabled them to be fitted together. Creating building blocks that were used for various structures to house people. They also were the ones to construct the first walls to protect the cities from attack. They were the ones to build the world's first memorials, many of these still exist today after thousands of years.

Even with modern technology and the knowledge accumulated over centuries, stone masonry is still to this day partly an art. In fact, the path to become a stonemason still consists of a certain time period spent as an apprentice, learning the hands on aspect of the work that is not possible to teach from a book.

The modern stonemason can be found working on both private and government projects in which a particular design requires the services of handcrafted work. Much of what may appear to be the work of a stonemason is often prefabricated and installed by construction workers. The work of a stonemason is more labour intensive and is therefore more expensive. However, when an architect is looking for a special look on the interior or exterior of a building, it is often the stonemason that gets the job.

Everything that they produce will have a unique one of a kind appearance as nothing is every reproduced exactly the same by hand. This is true even when the same design and materials are used.

Home owners looking to redesign or remodel their homes should call a stonemason to look at the full range of possibilities for remodelling. Stonework has tremendous aesthetic appeal to people and your home will have an added beauty if you utilize stone work. A good example is your fireplace. Any fireplace that is stone crafted is going to be more attractive that a simple brick design.

Other areas that a stonemason can help the exterior of the home with include walkways and patio surfaces. Outdoor grills made of stone are attractive in appearance and areas around a pool or hot tub can be enhanced with the use of stone.

Designing with stone is only limited by the imagination. Every good stonemason will have a portfolio of work that he can show a prospective customer to not only demonstrate the ability of his profession, but also to display the various possibilities that exist for the home owner. There are many materials that a stone mason works with and unless you have knowledge of stone masonry, you may not be aware of all of them. Some of these materials may fit the exterior of your home more than others. An experienced stonemason can not only do the job, but help you decide on what will enhance the look of your property.

This article is brought to you by MATCH.