According to people in this career, the main tasks are...
| Task | Importance |
|---|---|
| Measure distance from reference points and mark guidelines to lay out work, using plumb bobs and levels. | 94% |
| Construct corners by fastening in plumb position a corner pole or building a corner pyramid of bricks, and filling in between the corners using a line from corner to corner to guide each course, or layer, of brick. | 91% |
| Apply and smooth mortar or other mixture over work surface. | 89% |
| Calculate angles and courses and determine vertical and horizontal alignment of courses. | 86% |
| Break or cut bricks, tiles, or blocks to size, using trowel edge, hammer, or power saw. | 86% |
| Interpret blueprints and drawings to determine specifications and to calculate the materials required. | 85% |
| Remove excess mortar with trowels and hand tools, and finish mortar joints with jointing tools, for a sealed, uniform appearance. | 84% |
| Fasten or fuse brick or other building material to structure with wire clamps, anchor holes, torch, or cement. | 79% |
| Clean working surface to remove scale, dust, soot, or chips of brick and mortar, using broom, wire brush, or scraper. | 76% |
| Examine brickwork or structure to determine need for repair. | 70% |
| Mix specified amounts of sand, clay, dirt, or mortar powder with water to form refractory mixtures. | 70% |
| Lay and align bricks, blocks, or tiles to build or repair structures or high temperature equipment, such as cupola, kilns, ovens, or furnaces. | 68% |
| Remove burned or damaged brick or mortar, using sledgehammer, crowbar, chipping gun, or chisel. | 63% |
| Spray or spread refractory material over brickwork to protect against deterioration. | 58% |
