Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers

Career Overview

Smooth and finish surfaces of poured concrete, such as floors, walks, sidewalks, roads, or curbs using a variety of hand and power tools. Align forms for sidewalks, curbs, or gutters; patch voids; and use saws to cut expansion joints.

Also Known As

Cement Finisher
Cement Mason
Concrete Finisher
Finisher

Alternate Job Titles

Cement Finisher
Cement Gun Operator
Cement Mason
Cement Mason Concrete Finisher
Cement Patcher
Cementer
Column Precaster
Concrete Construction Laborer
Concrete Cutter
Concrete Cutting Operator
Concrete Fence Builder
Concrete Finisher
Concrete Floater
Concrete Floor Installer
Concrete Form Setter

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

Check the forms that hold the concrete to see that they are properly constructed.
Set the forms that hold concrete to the desired pitch and depth, and align them.
Spread, level, and smooth concrete, using rake, shovel, hand or power trowel, hand or power screed, and float.
Monitor how the wind, heat, or cold affect the curing of the concrete throughout the entire process.
Mold expansion joints and edges, using edging tools, jointers, and straightedge.
Signal truck driver to position truck to facilitate pouring concrete, and move chute to direct concrete on forms.
Direct the casting of the concrete and supervise laborers who use shovels or special tools to spread it.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

English Language
Building and Construction

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

Manual Dexterity
Trunk Strength
Near Vision
Multilimb Coordination
Control Precision
Arm-Hand Steadiness
Extent Flexibility
Deductive Reasoning
Visualization
Information Ordering

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

Dependability
Attention to Detail
Cautiousness
Stress Tolerance
Perseverance

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

Relationships
Support
Independence
Working Conditions
Recognition

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Less than a High School Diploma

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Technology You'll Use

Tools & Equipment

Abrasive blades
Abrasive rubbing stones
Aluminum floats
Bar benders
Bar cutters
Barrel mounted sprayers
Bit spades
Braces
Brick hammers
Brick jointers
Brick splitters
Brick tongs
Brick trowels
Bump cutters
Cement trowels

Work Environment

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
Spend Time Standing
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
Exposed to Contaminants
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$38,290
Median	$54,660
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$87,620

Workers Employed Nationally: 205,230