What skills does a bricklayer need?

A bricklayer needs 19 essential skills including sort waste, lay bricks, work ergonomically, snap chalk line, split bricks. Core competencies include .

Will AI replace bricklayer jobs?

The AI disruption score for bricklayer is 23/100 (low risk). Some tasks may be automated but the role will evolve rather than disappear entirely.

Built EnvironmentBuilding and related trades workers, excluding electriciansISCO 7112

bricklayer

Bricklayers assemble brick walls and structures by skilfully laying the bricks in an established pattern, using a binding agent like cement to bond the bricks together. They then fill the joints with mortar or other suitable materials.

About bricklayer

As a bricklayer, you will construct brick walls and structures by skillfully laying bricks in established patterns, using mortar or cement to bond them together. Your work is essential to building construction, requiring precision, physical strength, and attention to safety. You prepare work areas, mix grout materials, interpret plans, and ensure every course of bricks is level and true. You also finish mortar joints to create weatherproof, aesthetically pleasing surfaces. Beyond routine bricklaying, you handle specialized tasks like splitting bricks, installing construction profiles, and managing construction waste. Your role demands both technical skill and physical capability, often working at heights or in challenging weather conditions.

Key Work Functions

Core areas of responsibility for a bricklayer.

Work site preparation and planning

Interpret 2D and 3D construction plans to understand brick layout specifications
Secure working area and follow health and safety procedures in construction
Inspect construction supplies and sort waste from work area
Transport construction supplies to work location and organize materials

Brick laying and masonry

Lay bricks in established patterns using mortar as binding agent
Mix construction grouts to proper consistency for bricklaying
Snap chalk lines for alignment and check straightness of brick courses
Split bricks when needed to fit design specifications

Quality and finishing work

Check straightness and alignment of all brick work using measurement instruments
Finish mortar joints with proper technique for weatherproofing and aesthetics
Use measurement instruments to verify dimensions and tolerances
Install construction profiles and ensure structural integrity

Safety and professionalism

Use safety equipment in construction including harnesses and fall protection
Follow safety procedures when working at heights on scaffolding
Work ergonomically to prevent injury from repetitive motion and heavy lifting
Discharge cement waste properly and maintain clean work area

European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (19)

sort wastesort wasteManually or automatically sort waste by separating it into its different elements.lay brickslay bricksLay bricks in the specified pattern and apply a layer of mortar to create walls. Make sure every course of bricks is level and flush.work ergonomicallywork ergonomicallyApply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.snap chalk linesnap chalk lineStretch a line covered in fine, non-staining chalk between two points and snap it against a surface to produce a straight line.split brickssplit bricksUse the appropriate tools to trim, split and shape bricks for use in walls. Use a mason's hammer for occasional shaping, and a hammer and chisel for larger quantities or when the split has to be espec...transport construction suppliestransport construction suppliesBring construction materials, tools and equipment to the construction site and store them properly taking various aspects into account such as the workers' safety and protection from deterioration.inspect construction suppliesinspect construction suppliesCheck construction supplies for damage, moisture, loss or other problems before using the material.secure working areasecure working areaSecure the operation site fixing boundaries, restricting access, placing signs and taking other measures in order to guarantee public and staff safety.follow health and safety procedures in constructionfollow health and safety procedures in constructionApply the relevant health and safety procedures in construction in order to prevent accidents, pollution and other risks.install construction profilesinstall construction profilesInstall a variety of metal or plastic profiles used to attach materials to each other or to structural elements. Cut them to size if called for.interpret 3D plansinterpret 3D plansInterpret and understand plans and drawings in manufacturing processes which include representations in three dimensions.check straightness of brickcheck straightness of brickUse tools such as the level or the mason's line to check if the wall is straight and flush, and take action it isn't.use measurement instrumentsuse measurement instrumentsUse different measurement instruments depending on the property to be measured. Utilise various instruments to measure length, area, volume, speed, energy, force, and others.mix construction groutsmix construction groutsMix construction materials with water and other materials based on the appropriate recipe. Mix thoroughly to prevent lumps. Avoid contamination, which will adversely affect the properties of the mixtu...use safety equipment in constructionuse safety equipment in constructionUse elements of protective clothing such as steel-tipped shoes, and gear such as protective goggles, in order to minimise risk of accidents in construction and to mitigate any injury if an accident do...finish mortar jointsfinish mortar jointsUse a trowel to apply extra mortar to joints to smoothen and finish them after the mortar has partially hardened. Make sure that the joints are full to prevent dampness and other outside influences fr...discharge cementdischarge cementDischarge the cement from the mixer into cans.interpret 2D plansinterpret 2D plansInterpret and understand plans and drawings in manufacturing processes which include representations in two dimensions.follow safety procedures when working at heightsfollow safety procedures when working at heightsTake necessary precautions and follow a set of measures that assess, prevent and tackle risks when working at a high distance from the ground. Prevent endangering people working under these structures...

Optional (29)

apply restoration techniquesapply restoration techniquesSelect and apply appropriate restoration techniques in order to achieve the required restoration goals. This encompasses preventive measures, remedial measures, restoration processes and management pr...use squaring poleuse squaring poleUse a squaring pole, a telescopic measurement pole that allows for checking the length of the diagonals of an inset area of a structure. If the diagonals are of equal length, the inset is straight.reinforce concretereinforce concreteReinforce concrete by inserting reinforcing steel members.apply finish to concreteapply finish to concreteFinish concrete using a variety of techniques like polishing and acid staining.operate masonry power sawoperate masonry power sawUse a masonry power saw to cut bricks to the right size and shape. Operate a table saw or hand-held saw.monitor stock levelmonitor stock levelEvaluate how much stock is used and determine what should be ordered.pour concretepour concretePour concrete into a form from a mixer truck chute, hopper or hose. Pour the correct amount to balance efficiency with the risk of the concrete not setting completely.work in a construction teamwork in a construction teamWork as part of a team in a construction project. Communicate efficiently, sharing information with team members and reporting to supervisors. Follow instructions and adapt to changes in a flexible ma...maintain equipmentmaintain equipmentRegularly inspect and perform all required activities to maintain the equipment in functional order prior or after its use.maintain work area cleanlinessmaintain work area cleanlinessKeep the working area and equipment clean and orderly.inspect supplied concreteinspect supplied concreteCheck the quantity and quality of delivered concrete. Make sure that the concrete will withstand any expected pressures.mix concretemix concreteUse compact concrete mixers or various ad-hoc containers such as wheelbarrows to mix concrete. Prepare the correct quantities of cement, water, aggregate and optional added ingredients, and mix the in...calculate needs for construction suppliescalculate needs for construction suppliesTake measurements on site and estimate the amount of materials required for the construction or restoration project.document survey operationsdocument survey operationsComplete and file all required administrative, operational and technical documents related to a survey operation.remove concrete formsremove concrete formsRemove concrete forms after the concrete has cured fully. Recuperate materials if possible, cleaning it and taking the right steps to store it for later reuse.install insulation materialinstall insulation materialPlace insulation material, often shaped into rolls, in order to insulate a structure from thermical or acoustic influences and to prevent fire. Attach the material using face staples, inset staples, o...estimate restoration costsestimate restoration costsEstimate the cost implications of restoring and replacing products or parts.install falseworkinstall falseworkRead technical documentation and drawings, and assemble the pipes and beams to build the temporary structure that will support arched or spanning structures during construction.build scaffoldingbuild scaffoldingAssemble temporary scaffolding structures for construction, maintenance or event-related purposes. Set vertical standards on the base plate of the scaffolding structure. Ensure the scaffolding structu...keep personal administrationkeep personal administrationFile and organise personal administration documents comprehensively.order construction suppliesorder construction suppliesOrder required materials for the construction project, taking care to purchase the most suitable material for a good price.process incoming construction suppliesprocess incoming construction suppliesReceive incoming construction supplies, handle the transaction and enter the supplies into any internal administration system.place concrete formsplace concrete formsSet up forms out of wood, plywood, various plastics, or other suitable materials to form concrete into supportive columns or walls. Place sheathing delineating the shape of the planned structure and u...operate surveying instrumentsoperate surveying instrumentsOperate and adjust measuring instruments such as theodolites and prisms, and other electronic distance-measuring tools.screed concretescreed concreteSmooth the surface of freshly poured concrete using a screed.keep records of work progresskeep records of work progressMaintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.set up temporary construction site infrastructureset up temporary construction site infrastructureSet up a variety of temporary infrastructure used on building sites. Put up fences and signs. Set up any construction trailers and make sure that these are connected to electricity lines and water sup...rig loadsrig loadsSafely attach loads to different types of hooks and attachments, taking into account the weight of the load, the power available to move it, static and dynamic tolerances of all instruments and materi...apply proofing membranesapply proofing membranesApply specialised membranes to prevent penetration of a structure by dampness or water. Securely seal any perforation to preserve the damp-proof or waterproof properties of the membrane. Make sure any...