Carpentry

~ Carpentry is one of the oldest skilled trades and is still widely required in modern
construction. It involves the cutting, shaping, and installation of wood (timber) for buildings and
other structures.

What is a carpenter?

~ A carpenter is a position in modern construction work that involves shaping, cutting, and
installing wood for buildings or smaller structures. Carpenters create, fix and install either smaller parts
of structures such as cabinets or home additions, or build them outright. They handle both indoor and
outdoor work using an assortment of tools, making the job versatile as well as physically active.

What does a carpenter do?

~ Carpenters prepare timber components for construction, installing them on roofs, walls,
floors, or other timber-framed structures. They construct skirting boards, doors, architraves, and other
household additions. Carpenters may perform work that involves preparing shuttering, and stairs, and
installing doors or window frames.

Carpentry skills and practices

~ Carpenters employ many skills and practices throughout their work, such as the following:

 Working with customers and clients

~ Because carpenters work with many kinds of clients and customers, some of the skills they use
involve the following:

 Interpreting blueprints from customers

 Translating drawings over to workable and buildable projects

 Designing items or components of items

 Realizing how to perform certain tasks for a project efficiently

 Giving advice regarding what kind of timber may be best for a certain project

 Building and crafting projects

~ A majority of a carpenter's work involves building and repairing wooden projects. Some skills
they use involve the following:

 Shaping and cutting timber with power tools

 Joining timber and fixing it using nails, screws, adhesives, or staples

  Remaining accurate to measurement specifications by using rulers, plumb bops, framing
squares, or other tools

 Installing wooden fixtures such as cabinets or shelving units

 Maintenance of differing wooden fixtures or repairs

 Using a variety of tools and equipment

Carpenters, no matter the specialization, use a variety of hand tools and power tools. Examples
of these include:

Hand Tools

To perform their duties with accuracy and work efficiently, carpenters use a variety of hand
tools, including:

 Claw hammers

 Tape measures

 Measuring squares

 Chisels

 Mallets

 Handsaws

 Backsaws

Power Tools

For both precise and powerful work, carpenters need to be able to safely operate some of the
following power tools:

 Power drills

 Jigsaws

 Circular saws

 Routers

 Sanders
  Biscuit joiners

Organization and storage tools

To stay organized on the job, carpenters use some of the following organization and storage tools:

• Workbenches

• Pegboards

• Tool belts

• Scrap bins

Other accessories

To both maintain projects and make carpentry work more efficient, carpenters can use many other
accessories, such as:

• Carpenter's pencils

• Extension cords

• Miter boxes

• Bench hooks

• Woodworking vises

• Dust collection systems

Different Types of Carpentry

Rough carpenter: Framing, formwork, roofing and other structural work.

Joister: Lays floor joists onto which a floor surface is fixed.

Trim carpenter: Specialises in mouldings and trims, such as mantles, skirting boards), and other
ornamental work.

Cabinet maker: Make cabinets as well as other furniture such as dressers, wardrobes, and so on.

Ship’s carpenter: Specialise in ship and boat building.

Framer: Specialise in the framework of buildings.

Roofer: Specialise in the rafters, beams and trusses of roof construction.

What are some careers similar to carpentry?

If you're interested in a career in the construction field or in a job that requires physical labor, there are a
lot of options besides carpentry. You might be interested in exploring one of these jobs:

• Electrician

• Cement mason

• Drywall installer

• Fence builder

• Plumber

• Bricklayer

• Heating and cooling system mechanic