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, stairs, 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 for 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, levels, 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
Types of carpentry work
Carpenters can specialize in one or two types or subtype of carpentry where they continue to hone their skills. Some of the types of carpentry work include:
1. Rough carpentry
Rough carpenters specialize in planning, building and maintaining structures of buildings rather than home-use additions like cabinets or shelving units. They can construct framing, roofing and wooden structures involved in either house repair or initial building. Rough carpentry often does not require a polished finish, but requires knowledge of structural integrity and cost efficiency. Structural carpentry remains one of the most common kinds of carpentry, because rough carpentry involves quickly assembling the required parts of a building such as posts, beams and rafters.
2. Joister
Joisters construct floor joists, where they fix floor surfaces. Similar to rough carpentry, this category of carpentry requires less detailed work in favor of structural integrity and durability. However, because joister carpenters are involved in wooden flooring finishes, they require the use of more detailed processes to result in a more polished product.
3. Trim carpentry
Trim carpenters specialize in building trims and moldings of a room. They also are a specialized type of carpenter that may have a specific preference in materials and uses of materials. This includes mantles, cornices, skirting boards, architraves and other similar structures. There are different categories of trim carpentry, such as:
Green carpentry
Green carpentry involves using environmentally friendly practices in carpentry duties. This can include using alternative kinds of wood, construction practices based on conservation efforts or even the installation of gardens or other environmentally friendly additions.
Scenic carpentry
Scenic carpentry is a specialization in carpentry involving scenic buildings, such as those used in sets for television, films or plays. These carpentry professionals can ensure that they build structurally sound buildings for diverse purposes and largely emphasize appearance according to a client’s wishes.
4. Cabinet carpentry
Cabinet makers specialize in carpentry that focuses on building cabinets for kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms and other areas of a building. Cabinet makers can also focus on building other furniture that involves woodworking, such as patio furniture and indoor furniture sets.
5. Ship carpentry
Ship carpenters primarily focus on shipbuilding. They can ensure that ships meet all client demands, both structurally and in appearance. Shipbuilders may construct replicas of previously built ships, while others focus on building modern-day ship portions for cruise liners, freight ships or smaller boats.
6. Framer
Framers exclusively build framing for housing or other buildings. The difference between a framer and a rough carpenter is that a framer specializes in only framework and is often individually hired for lone projects or on a contract.
7. Roofer
Roofers specialize in planning, building and maintaining the rafters, trusses and beams involved in a building’s roof construction. They can ensure that roofs, inside and out, are structurally sound to maintain a durability factor required by clients. Roofers specialize in roof related carpentry only, unlike rough carpenters, who may work on both framing and roofing simultaneously.
FLOORING
A flooring contractor is a company or individual who installs, repairs and maintains floor surfaces in homes and commercial buildings. These contractors may be a single individual or a large corporation with hundreds of employees. Each flooring contractor may specialize in a specific type of floor-covering material, or offer services aimed at a wide variety of materials. Others may focus on a similar group of materials, such as vinyl and linoleum, or hardwood, laminate and other wood products.
Floor coverings many different types of materials, including hardwood, laminate, carpet, tile, stone and resilient products like vinyl or linoleum. Homeowners and building managers may hire a flooring contractor to prepare the subfloor to receive these floor coverings, or to refinish and repair existing floor surfaces. A flooring contractor may also be hired to restore a historic flooring material, particularly hardwood or certain types of tile and stone. One of the most common projects for these contractors is floor installation, which can save homeowners the trouble of trying to install floor coverings themselves.
Types of flooring works
- Hardwood Floor Contracting
- Commercial Flooring Contracting
- Wood Flooring Contracting
- Residential Flooring Contracting
- Local Flooring Contracting
- Floor Covering Contracting
