Stone planer
Also known as: stone planing machine setter, stone planing machine operative, stone planing machine operator, stone planing machine tender, stone slab planer, planer of stones
About this occupation
Stone planers operate and maintain planing machines that are used for stone blocks and slabs finishing. They manipulate the stone and ensure that the required parameters are according to specifications.
Essential skills and knowledge
- types of stone for working
- operate precision measuring equipment
- dispose of cutting waste material
- measure materials
- maneuver stone blocks
- troubleshoot
- ensure equipment availability
- wear appropriate protective gear
- supply machine with appropriate tools
- prepare stone for smoothing
- measure flatness of a surface
- remove processed workpiece
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing (O*NET 51-9195.03). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Shape, trim, or touch up roughed-out designs with appropriate tools to finish carvings.
- Verify depths and dimensions of cuts or carvings to ensure adherence to specifications, blueprints, or models, using measuring instruments.
- Move fingers over surfaces of carvings to ensure smoothness of finish.
- Lay out designs or dimensions from sketches or blueprints on stone surfaces, freehand or by transferring them from tracing paper, using scribes or chalk and measuring instruments.
- Drill holes and cut or carve moldings and grooves in stone, according to diagrams and patterns.
- Remove or add stencils during blasting to create differing cut depths, intricate designs, or rough, pitted finishes.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Artistic, Conventional
Top skills: Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Monitoring
US median pay: US$46,170 a year (2025), 33,190 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsVery important (3.6)
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalImportant (3.2)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.1)
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementImportant (3.1)
- Technical DrawingO*NET: DesignImportant (3.1)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- 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.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Stonemasons
- Tile and Stone Setters
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
- Furniture Finishers
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
- Etchers and Engravers
- Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
- Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.