Masonry tools

Setting the standard of quality - since 1862

Jung-Henkelmann has been synonymous with professional hand tools for construction and the
building trade for generations. Jung-Henkelmann by EURAFCO means the right trowel type for
every application, as each tool is designed for its specific requirements.

JUNG HENKELMANN - Hand tools for construction

This includes trowels with a soft grip or dual-coated beech hilt, trowels with a galvanised
ferrule, rustproof trowels, a variety of speciality trowels and trowels for laying the foundation
stone. Choose from several hundred professional mason’s tools.
1. Brick Bolster Chisel
When talking of masonry one thing that stands out is the constant interaction with building
blocks. Most of the time these blocks are not in the desired shape and size and they normally
require to be shaped.

That is where brick bolsters come in. They are stone cutting tools.
2. Crack Hammer (Masonry Tool Not For Carpentry)
Every mason needs a hammer in order to use a brick bolster chisel. These are two inseparable
tools. Due to the hard nature of bricks, a crack hammer is the most recommended type of a
hammer to have.

After carrying out several tests with different crack hammers, I found these three to be far
much better than others. They simply served the purpose.
3. Mason’s Line
The joy of every professional mason is to see their walls align perfectly in a horizontal manner.
This can be achieved by the use of a mason’s line. It is the perfect way of doing away with
crooked walls. With a mason’s line you can never go wrong. There are a variety of mason’s lines
available but the following served me better based on my experience.
4. Laser Level
Common in the hands of a mason is a laser level with a plumb spot. Traditionally known as a
plumb line.
When looking for that vertical alignment of your walls this is the tool you will need in your
hands. It’s an easy to use masonry tool. This tool enables you to achieve high levels of accuracy
and attain straight walls as a mason.
5. Brick Trowel
A standard trowel comprises of stainless steel fitted into either a wooden or plastic handle. Its
main use is that of lifting mortar and spreading it into joints and over surfaces during the
process of plastering.
I find it important to have a brick trowel that has a Comfortable non-slip rubberized handle.
6. Measuring Tape
A measuring tape is an essential masonry tool used to measure walls. Where they begin and
where they end. Additionally they are useful in measuring the size of any openings in the
construction process.
As a mason you cannot do without a good and reliable measuring tape. Pick from one of my
suggestions below and you won’t regret it.
7. Concrete Cement Mixer
You cannot talk of masonry without mentioning mortar mixing tools. In order to ease your work
and experience excellent results, it is advisable to use an electric mixer for your mortar.
This will not only save you time but it will dramatically increase your efficiency.
An electric cement mixer is that one tool you cannot ignore. It solves your hustles as a
construction worker
8. Saws For Masonry
They are mainly two types:
~Hand saws
~Power saws
Hand saws – masonry hand saws resemble ordinary saws very closely. However, their larger
teeth and longer blades make them unique.
What makes them key is the fact that they quicken the process of cutting bricks compared to
using a hammer alone. They are also more efficient.
When using hand saws, you cannot completely cut through a brick due to its shorter length
compared to that of a brick. For the remaining part you use a hammer.
Power saws – they are the most effective brick cutting tools. Normally they are made of a
diamond blade which is circular in nature. You can either hold the saw with your hand or mount
it on a table.
Power saws can either be battery powered or corded. However, corded ones tend to have more
power compared to battery powered saws. This is due to battery drainage after a certain given
duration.
Below are my recommended power/circular saws based on their tested performance.
9. Masonry Square
Masonry square is a construction tool normally used at corners of two walls to ensure that
bricks meet at 90o. It is made of either plastic, wood or metal.This tool is a generally used tool
in construction by both masons and carpenters. My preferred masonry square isSwanson Tool
Co SW1201K Value Pack 7 inch Speed Square.
I find this particular square to be of great value as it is easy to read and of good material.
10. Brush Tool For Masonry
A good soft brush is used to do away with excess mortar. Bon Tool Bon 11-212 13-Inch
Horsehair Bricklayers Brush is the tool that will do the magic for you construction masonry
brush
This brush is exceptionally light. You don’t feel its weight whenever it’s in your hand.
It is also very important to note that some of the brushes in the market are too soft for masonry
work. They don’t serve you well and therefore you ought to be more careful when choosing
your preferred brush.

MASON TOOLS

The various tools used by a mason for his work can be grouped as follows.

1) Common Tools

2) Mortar Making Tools

3) Levelling  Tools

4) Finishing Tools

5) Cutting Tools
1. COMMON TOOLS

In this category, all types of tools commonly used for setting the masonry work such as

1.1  Trowels: Trowels are basic and traditional instruments developed in a variety of

shapes and sizes to suit their function. Some common types of Trowels include

a) Brick trowel: Brick trowels is usually about 18 cm with a steel blade and wood
handle. Brick trowels are used to collect the motor and spread it to the next brick course
level. It is a traditional tool, made in a variety of shapes and sizes. The motor sleeping
blade from the skillet is flat on one side. The curved edge is hardened to cut bricks. The
handle is angled to balance the instrument while keeping Mason's hand away from the
motor.

b) Small size brick trowel: IIt is a trowel but small, it is about 12.5 cm long and is
mainly used to fill joints between bricks.

c) Margin trowel: Margin trowel is like pointing, but has a flat rectangular blade. It is
used by plasterers to apply and smooth material in areas where a larger trowel would be
inconvenient.

d) Gauging trowel: The gauging trowel having blade length 15cm to 20cm is used by
plasterers in the same way as a margin trowel. It is preferred by some masons for
general application, such as mixing small quantities of quick setting plaster.

e) Angle trowel:  Angle Trowel has a flat blade with edges facing 100mm x 62mm wide
and at right angles of 25mm height. plasterers use this to soften the surface of the
material when working in a corner.
1.2  Floats

a) Wooden float:-  The 50 cm long and 10 cm wide wooden strip with a handle used to
place the mortar in line on bricks, sometimes also at the time of the plaster. It is also
available in smaller sizes, such as 25cm x 10cm. The main purpose of using floats is to fill
voids, level ridges, and smooth surfaces in trowel preparation.

b) Metal float: The metal float is a flat rectangular steel sheet, typically 25cm x 10cm,
with a handle positioned in the centre of the back face. Its general purpose is to apply
and finish the material, applying a pure cement finish to the plaster.

1.3

a) Plumb Bob: Plumb bob is a basic tool for a bricklayer to build any bricklaying job in
the vertical plane. It is available in normally mild steel with a coating that weighs
approximately 30-40 gms. The plumb bob is a pointy weight attached to a line length
that is contained in the bob itself and clamped in a slot in the lid.

b) Right Angled Scales: It is used to set the right angle corner. This is the MS. The
square is 30cm x 60cm long with hands representing an inch or so of Cms. It is used to
lay the corner of the bricks in the rectangle.

c) Line Dori:  This is a basic tool for any Mason to do the job. Usually a line dori of 3
mm dia. Wax coating is used. Nowadays the nylon line tori is very used, it can be from
1mm to 2mm dia.

d) Aluminium Hollow box section: Screen board is used to balance the surface during
plastering and site preparation. It can be wooden slabs of 50mm x 65mm length 1.2m to
1.5m. An aluminium hollow box section of 65mm x 30mm and 1.5m long is also used.
This can be called a straight edge.
e) Measuring Tape: A steel tape marked in meters and feet and divided into cm and
inches. Usually used by a meson to measure the length and width of the masonry. It is
available in 2m, 3m, 5m, 15m and 30m.

2. MORTAR MAKING TOOLS:

a) Measuring Box: It can be a wood or steel box of 1 ft x 1 ft x 1.25 ft, equivalent to

the size of a bag of cement. When pouring raw materials into luggage (say 1: 4),
one bag of cement will be mixed with 4 pharma sand.

b) Mixing Tray: Lightweight steel plate is usually used for mixing the motor. It is 2.0
m long and 1.0 m wide with the handlebars.

c) Sand screen: Usually a wire mesh of 0.9 m x 1.2 m is used as a screen for sand in
a wooden frame or angular frame. For masonry work, the screen is 0.6 mm
dia.Wires and 10 x10 wires per inch square.

For plastering work a screen having 0.3mm dia of wire with 24 x24 wires per inch
square.

d) Pan: 40cm Dia’s Iron Pan is used to transport the motor. The same can be used
for the rate of mixing. If there is 1: 4 mortar mix, mix 1 pan cement with 4 pot
sand

e) Shovel: It is the most common tool for mixing the mortar and for filling the pans.

f) Bucket: Generally an iron bucket of up to 10 lit. Capacity is used for mixing the
water in the mortar.

g) Drum: A 200 lit capacity M.S. drum is used to store the water. Nowadays PVC
containers are also available.
 h) Garden Shovel: A group of 8 to 10 wires of 6 mm MS bars of 500 mm length and
these wires are bent at 90-degree edges (shown in fig.) Are a very effective tool
for spreading concrete with the required thickness in a given area.

3. LEVELLING TOOLS

These tools are used for setting the levels at the time of work.

a) Spirit level: This is the most important tool with the help of which the degree of
movement of the bubble can be determined between any two surfaces. Typically this
tool is used for tiling work to check the size of tiles.

It is usually 30 cm long. The important part of any level is the vial. It is a curved or barrel
glass or plastic tube which may contain alcohol, oil or chloroform. There is a bubble of
air in the liquid which floats to the highest point of the curve, where two lines are
marked in the vial. When the position is "true", the bubble will rest between the two
lines.

b) Level Tube: A thin 6mm diameter clear PVC tube about 8-10m. long and is used to
check levels when filled with water. The basic principle is that the water will occupy the
same level, it is used to do the work at the level.

4. FINISHING TOOLS

These tools are used for finishing work such as Sponge

a) Sponge: A 12.5 cm x 10 cm square of the sponge is used to finish plaster surfaces as

sand-coated plaster. By applying two or three rounds of this sponge, a fine sand texture
will appear on the surface.
b) M.S. Corners: Small pieces of MS sheet of approximately 12.5 cm in length and used
for the perfect finishing of the corners of the wall and the plaster edges of doors and
windows.

c) Cove Corner: The corner of the cove is like a metal float, but the rectangular blade
bends in a curved width. It is used to smooth the internal curve of decorative plaster
trim that is sometimes found between ceilings and walls.

d) Finishing Trowel: This trowel, also called a floating trowel, consists of a wide, flat
surface with a handle on one side. Can be used as a tray to transport large amounts of
mortar or plaster and for a final pass to smooth mortar or plaster

h) Brushes: At least two types of brushes 25mm wide and 75mm wide must be with a
mason to clean surfaces and finish the job.

5. CUTTING TOOLS

These are tools used for minor cutting or chipping work

a) Chisel and Hammer: There are several types of hammer and chisel available on the
market, but the bricklayer must have at least two types of hammer weighing 1 pound
and 4 pounds for dismantling jobs and 10cm chisels for small jobs and 20cm for major
dismantling jobs .

b) Pointed hammer: It is like a hammer, but it has both ends with pointed edges and is
used to cut the concrete surfaces of beams and columns or slabs before plastering, for a
better bond. Some have a pointy point for deep hacking.

c) Tile cutter: The simplest tile cutter is a square-sectioned steel shaft of 20cm length
with a pointed tungsten carbide tip. It is used to score a line on the glazed surface of a
ceramic tile prior to snapping it off.
d) Portable Circular saw: The portable circular saw is an invaluable power tool. It is
mainly a woodworking tool, but with special tile cutting blades, it can be used to cut
ceramics and other types of tiles.