Mason Mark McCullough tells us all about how he became a cast member of This Old House and Ask This Old House, as well as how he became a mason in the first place. Mark tells us that Tom Silva recommended him to the show, and after a few small parts, Mark was featured in an episode of Ask This Old House. The rest is history.
Mark McCullough is a Massachusetts-based mason with years of experience. Thanks to general contractor Tom Silva, Mark joined the cast of This Old House about 15 years ago. Starting with mainly small parts and appearances, the team of Ask This Old House asked him to handle a feature on the show. Since that segment, he’s been a regular.
Mark got his start in masonry as a teenager. One of his first jobs was unloading watermelon and produce in Chelsea, Massachusetts. After his mother learned of a shooting near his job, his mother made him quit that night. She also landed him his first job in masonry, calling a family friend who worked in the trade to tell him Mark would be on site the following morning.
Much of Mark’s expertise, knowledge, and experience came from years of mentoring with a mason named Dominick. At 63 years old, Dominick took Mark under his wing and taught him everything he could for the next 20 years. Mark attributes his masonry, bricklaying, stone laying, and physical and mental health to working with Dominick.
The one thing that Mark feels separates his trade from the other is the artwork. Mark feels that each project is unique, whether he’s using stone, marble, granite, or brick. It’s the challenge of learning how to lay a brick or stone and then replicating it time after time that gives Mark the gratification in his work. It’s this love of the trade that keeps him coming back to work every day.
Mark’s segments on Ask This Old House always showcase his talents, experience, and ability to teach others different aspects of the trade. He’s an integral part of the team and a true authority on all things masonry.
