*We are participants in Tennessee’s Drug Free Workplace Initiative. All applicants will be subject to a drug screen prior to employment.

Cement Mason Job Description

Concrete finishers smooth finished surfaces of poured concrete to specific textures. These professionals typically work as independent contractors or as part of a construction crew in a collaborative, team environment and report directly to their project managers or foremen.

Concrete finishers work in all environments and weather conditions during all shifts, including weekends and holidays, and they must be prepared to perform emergency on-call work. They must also travel to job sites to perform their specialized work.

Cement Mason Duties and Responsibilities 

Read Construction Plans

Concrete finishers read schematics, drawings, and construction plans, and they interpret them to determine how to complete jobs.

Finish Concrete Surfaces

These specialized workers finish top surfaces of concrete using tools and water to create the desired texture. This task includes inspecting finished concrete and removing imperfections.

Position Concrete Trucks

The concrete finisher on a job site directs the concrete truck, showing the driver where to park so that concrete can be poured precisely where it’s needed.

Move Concrete Discharge Chute

They also assist in moving the discharge chute on a concrete truck to control where concrete is being poured.

Set and Spread Poured Concrete

Concrete finishers place forms to control where concrete is being poured and help spread the concrete as it’s being poured to ensure the finished result will be level.

Patch Holes

Concrete finishers inspected finished concrete, patch holes, and fix imperfections after concrete has finished setting.

Repair Old Concrete

They also make repairs to old concrete by filling cracks, replacing damaged areas, and refinishing surfaces.

Clean and Maintain Tools

Concrete finishers clean and maintain all their tools, replacing tools and tool parts as needed.

Cement Mason Skills and Qualifications 

Concrete finishers work indoors and outdoors to finish commercial projects such as concrete slabs, walls, sidewalks, curbs & gutters, etc.

Communication Skills – Because construction sites are collaborative environments where many dangers are present, concrete finishers have excellent verbal communication skills

Physical Strength – Concrete finishers need physical strength to work in extreme weather conditions, equipment, stand for long periods of time, and work with their hands using multiple types of tools

Detail-Oriented – Concrete finishers are highly detail-oriented in that they precisely match concrete colors, note imperfections in concrete, and manage their tools

Design Comprehension – Concrete finishers know how to read and interpret many kinds of construction plans and drawings

Mechanical Aptitude – Because they work with many different tools and machinery, concrete finishers have good hand-eye dexterity and a high degree of mechanical aptitude

Tools of the Trade

Concrete finishers should own these tools before starting work:

Hand Tools – (trowels, chisels, hammers, floats)

Finishing Tools – (abrasive stones, brooms)

Edging Tools – (edgers, straight edges)

Cement Mason Education and Training

At minimum, concrete finishers need a high school diploma or GED to pursue this career.

Any trade certification is a plus.

Some training and certifications will be provided to employees depending on their role in the company.

Previous Experience Needed