Masonry is a skill that cannot be outsourced and we encourage everyone interested to apply. It’s a wonderful profession where you can be your own boss and what you create will last hundreds of years.
The Maine School of Masonry offers a chance for anyone to become a skilled craftsman in 9 months, additional courses in historic restoration and preservation will add to the student’s solid 1,200 hour certificate program foundation.
Becoming a quality mason is more than ensuring a plumb line is exact when leveling out a brick or stone walls, although every student has to learn these basics. It’s a craft that requires sensitivity to the materials and that only comes from good training and experience.
Like any other art, the mason has to have an instinctive feel for the craft. The school’s instructors bring out a student’s talents as they build different projects in the workshop or on location building in the community.
Any graduate will have the skills to start their own masonry business if they want to, or they can easily get a high earning job in the business. Job placement is available for graduating students.
Mason Apprentice Certificate Program—
The one-year Mason Apprentice Certificate program is designed for the student to develop professional skills and knowledge in the brick, block and stone masonry fields.
The student will develop those skills through laboratory projects, classroom instruction and by putting their new masonry techniques to the test in the community by helping local building/renovation projects.
Classes run daily 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Topics covered during the year include, but are not limited to the following:
- Construction safety, tools and equipment, brick manufacturing – including a tour of a brick factory – , mortar, bonds, 4” & 8” brick wall construction, estimating, cleaning, piers, arches, chimneys, fireplaces, 4′, 8” 12”, block wall construction, block manufacturing, glass blocks, retaining walls, paving, dry and wet lay, and veneers.
The photos in this slide show exhibit many of the different classes and field trips.
Students must complete 1,200 hours of instruction, including completion of numerous assigned projects during the entire course to graduate.
The certificate course runs from September to the end of May each year.
| Mason Apprentice Certificate Tuition: | Please contact for tuition cost | |
| Books: | $225.00 | |
| Tools: | $500.00 | |
Optional Housing: Please contact for housing cost
Please download the APPLICATION FORM. Then fill it out and mail it to: Maine School of Masonry, 637 Rangeley Road, Avon, Maine 04966.
Restoration and Preservation curriculum —
Restoring historic buildings is a specialized skill that demands high paying wages.
All across the country historic buildings are in need of renovation. While the materials for historic renovations are readily available there is a shortage of trained quality craftspeople to do the needed repairs and restoration work.
The renovation and preservation curriculum take students through materials and processes of proven methods to conserve, repair and preserve stone and brick buildings, statuary and monuments.
In partnership with the owners of historic landmarks and with the state’s approval, Mitch and his students have begun work on restoration and preservation projects at the Kennebec Arsenal, Fort Knox, The Old Wiscasset Jail, Steven’s Commons, and Rangeley’s Historical Society.
Renovation at Steven’s Commons in Hallowell—
Built in the late 1870s as a boarding school for girls on an eastern facing hill above Hallowell’s downtown, the Maine Industrial School for Girls was established by State officials as a place where so-called, “wayward girls,” between the ages of 7 and 18, who were considered “a danger to themselves or a threat to society, could be safely housed and given a moral, social and academic education.”
The Administration Building at what came to be called Stevens School, was designed by Maine architect William R. Miller and constructed between 1905-06. This two-and-a-half story, hip roofed foursquare building is one of Miller’s more restrained designs, but his love for detail is evident, especially in the striking colonnaded two-story front porch.
Following closure of the Stevens School in the mid-1970s, the buildings were repurposed for state offices. The state put the complex up for sale in 2003 and began moving offices off campus, but the site remained unsold until 2016, when it was purchased by Mastway Development, LLC. Most of the long vacant buildings, considered an eyesore by the community, suffered from neglect and considerable deferred maintenance. MSM students began restoration work at the Commons in the fall of 2018, the work is ongoing at the site.
Renovation at Kennebec Arsenal-
Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and designated a National Historic Landmark — one of only 43 in Maine — in 2000, the Kennebec Arsenal remains one of the best and earliest surviving examples of 19th-century munitions depots in the United States.
Built between 1828-1838, the complex of eight Greek and Gothic Revival granite buildings occupies a commanding location on the east bank of the Kennebec River. Most of the major structures were built out of granite. MSM Students completed the work at the arsenal in 2018
Restoration work at Fort Knox along the Penobscot River in Prospect—
Maine’s largest historic fort, features stunning military architecture and master granite craftsmanship and is the state’s first granite fort. Constructed between 1844 and 1864 this is an unaltered example of a large mid-19th century granite coastal fortification. It is also New England’s finest unmodified specimen of military architecture of the period.
Maine’s largest historic fort, features stunning military architecture and master granite craftsmanship and is the state’s first granite fort. Constructed between 1844 and 1864 this is an unaltered example of a large mid-19th century granite coastal fortification. It is also New England’s finest unmodified specimen of military architecture of the period. MSM students began working at the fort in 2016 , students will continue working at the Fort for years to come.
The Stone and Brick Restoration and Preservation curriculum is taught in the spring. The students travel to historic sites around the State of Maine to experience hands on restoration work.
Stone Restoration and Preservation—
This curriculum teaches appropriate approaches and techniques for preserving and repairing historic stone structures. It will take the student through learning the materials and processes of proven methods to conserve, repair, and preserve stone buildings, statuary, and monuments.
As a result of successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Understand the scope of a Masonry Conservationist and Restorer
- Work with tools and lab equipment safely and properly
- Demonstrate knowledge of proper stone laying techniques by constructing stone projects
- To conduct inspections for a conservation report
- Set up workshop, labs, and tools for a restoration project
- Identify stone types and origin
- Test lime and mortar
- Demonstrate proper technique for jointing and pointing
- Repair various mortars and stones
- Understand proper procedure for cleaning stone structures and observe guidelines for the use of consolidants and coatings
Brick Restoration and Preservation—
This Curriculum is similar to Stone Restoration, but unique to the properties of brick restoration which are varied and characteristically different. It takes a trained mason to be able to discern the differences in brick.
The curriculum teaches appropriate approaches and techniques for preserving and repairing historic brick structures. The training will take the student through learning the materials and processes of proven methods to conserve, repair, and preserve stone buildings, statuary, and monuments.
As a result of successful completion of this curriculum the student will be able to:
- Understand the scope of a Masonry Conservationist and Restorer
- Work with tools and lab equipment safely and properly
- Demonstrate knowledge of proper brick laying techniques by constructing brick projects
- To conduct inspections for a conservation report
- Set up workshop, labs, and tools for a restoration project
- Identify bricks and their properties
- Test lime and mortars
- Demonstrate proper technique for jointing and pointing
- Repair various mortars and brick
- Understand proper procedure for cleaning brick structures and observe guidelines for the use of consolidants and coatings
The content of this curriculum will be presented in classroom, laboratory, shop, and field situations. Students are expected to participate in all assignments.
Fieldwork, laboratory, and shop projects will be assigned throughout the course with an emphasis on hands-on fieldwork learning.
Please download the APPLICATION FORM. Then fill it out and mail it to: Maine School of Masonry, 637 Rangeley Road, Avon, Maine 04966.
Scholarships—
Scholarships are available students
For more information call (207) 639-2392 or email masonryschool@tds.net.
Admissions —
Students must be 18 years of age or older. Every student must have comprehensive reading, writing and math abilities and a strong desire to put themselves into the ancient craft of masonry.
We make sure to keep our class sizes at a minimal so that the individualized attention and care can be given to every student equally. The certificate program is caped at 12 students per year.
Students are expected to adhere to the policies of the Maine School of Masonry.
Living on campus —
Up to six students enrolled in the full-time certificate program may live on-campus in our bunkhouses for a fee.
Local school instruction—
We conduct a four day Introduction to Masonry class to area schools.
Being able to offer new generations a future in an age-old profession is a passion with Mitch, the school’s founder, who travels to schools throughout the state.
“We give a four-day course on masonry. There is always a demand for skilled masons, anywhere in the world. Once someone is exposed to the profession it can open doors to the future.”
Contact us for more information on availability and pricing at 207-639-2392 or by email masonryschool@tds.net. Read the report about this partnership with Carrabec High School in the local paper, the Kennebec Journal, HERE.
Apply—
We encourage everyone interested to apply: APPLICATION FORM.
Maine School of Masonry 