A carpenter is one of the most necessary and most used of all building trades due to their specialized knowledge and the techniques that they use when working with wood.  Here is what you need to know about carpentry.

Definition of Carpentry: Carpentry can be defined as the art of working with timber in order to construct and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects.

Types of Carpentry

While the term carpenter is used to refer to anyone that works with wood, there are actually different types of carpentry.  The two main types of carpentry include:

• Rough Carpentry – this is all carpentry work that doesn’t require a neat finish as it will be covered up by walls or other items. Structural carpentry is the most common type of rough carpentry and these carpenters are very skilled in quickly erecting the structural components of a building, such as beams, posts, and rafters.  Rough carpenters commonly work in roofing and framing.

• Finish Carpentry – finish carpentry refers to all carpentry work that will be visible once a building has been completed, and as such, finish carpenters work to a high level of detail.  The type of work that finish carpenters do includes decking, flooring, building staircases, installing windows and doors, erecting pergolas or other structures, install trim and molding, and so on.

However, there are also other types of carpentry that you can find, and these include:

• Formwork Carpentry – this type of carpentry focuses on erecting and dismantling the formwork that is needed for the pouring of concrete.  The formwork is the “frame” that holds the concrete in place while it cures.

• Cabinetmaking – this is a specialized branch of carpentry that focuses on building cabinetry for kitchens, bathrooms, laundries, offices and so forth.  Furniture making is also a component.

• Trim Carpentry – a trim carpenter is one that specializes in installing the trims and moldings into a room such as mantles, skirting boards, cornices, architraves, ornamental trim and so forth.

• Green Carpentry – a green carpenter is a carpenter that is skilled and trained in the same way as a standard carpenter but they have a particular interest and skill set in using environmentally sustainable methods and materials in their projects.

• Scenic Carpentry – these carpenters specialize in the erecting and dismantling of scenery and sets that are used in films, television, and plays.

• Ship’s Carpentry – a ship’s carpenter is one that specializes in ship building, maintenance and repair techniques.  They are needed on steel ships as well as wooden ships.