This paper compares different experimental methods for measuring water permeability in 17 different porous building rocks. Both commercial apparatus and specially made designed permeameters are used for characterising intrinsic permeability and hydraulic conductivity, k, of rocks in the range of 10 super(-12) to 10 super(-4) m/s (~ 10 super(-19)-10 super(-11) m super(2) or ~ 10 super(-4)-10 super(4) mD). We use both falling head and constant head permeameter methods including the triaxial and modified triaxial tests and a classical constant head permeameter. Results showed that for very low and low permeability samples (k<10 super(-6) m/s), triaxial conditions were found the most accurate procedures and they provided similar or slightly lower permeability values than constant and falling head methods. The latter techniques were highly recommended for permeable and high permeable porous building materials. Water permeability values were also linked to effective porosity and interpreted in terms of interparticle and vugs porosity. Finally, some modifications in the apparatus and procedures were carried out in order to assess water permeability in soft materials, which involve the use of non-saturated samples.Original Abstract: Se comparan diferentes metodos experimentales para la medida de la permeabilidad al agua en rocas porosas usadas como material de construccion. Se usaron diferentes permeabilimetros, (comerciales y desarrollados especificamente) empleando los metodos triaxial, triaxial modificado, carga constante y carga variable. Se caracterizo la permeabilidad intrinseca y conductividad hidraulica, k, con valores que varian desde 10 super(-12) a 10 super(-4) m/s (~ 10 super(-19)-10 super(-11) m super(2) or ~10 super(-4)-10 super(4) mD). Para muestras poco y muy poco permeables el ensayo con celula triaxial fue el mas reproducible. Los ensayos de carga constante son muy recomendables para rocas porosas de construccion permeables y muy permeables. Ademas, se definen los parametros experimentales mas apropiados para caracterizar la permeabilidad de rocas de construccion. La permeabilidad al agua se relaciona con la porosidad efectiva y se interpreta en terminos de porosidad tipo interparticula y vugs. Finalmente, se modificaron los equipos y procedimientos para poder estimar la permeabilidad en materiales blandos.