Carpentry is defined as the trades of carpentry, joinery and related skills involved in making things out of wood. Carpentry is defined as the construction of frames and panels or, alternatively, as the carpenter’s work of making and installing fixtures and fittings in buildings. Carpentry is the skill of making objects from wood, and includes joinery (cabinets and furniture), wood carving, joinery, carpentry and wood turning. There is significant evidence of advanced woodworking in Ancient Egypt.
Woodwork appears in many ancient Egyptian drawings and a considerable amount of ancient Egyptian furniture (such as stools, chairs, tables, beds and chests) has been preserved. The tombs represent a large collection of these artefacts and the inner coffins found in the tombs were also made of wood. The metal used by the Egyptians for woodworking tools was originally copper, and eventually after 2000 BC bronze, as ironworking was unknown until much later. The most commonly used wood-working tools were axes, adzes, chisels, draw-saws and bow drills.
Mortise and tenon joints are attested from the earliest Predynastic period. These joints were reinforced with pegs, dowels and leather or rope ties. Animal glue was not used until the New Kingdom period. The ancient Egyptians invented the art of veneering and used varnishes for finishing, although the composition of these varnishes is unknown.
Although a variety of indigenous acacias were used, as well as the wood of local sycamores and tamarisks, deforestation of the Nile Valley necessitated the importation of wood, particularly cedar, but also Aleppo pine, boxwood and oak, from the Second Dynasty onwards. With the advances of modern technology and the demands of industry, carpentry as a field has changed. The development of computer numerical control (CNC) machines, for example, has made it possible to mass-produce and reproduce products more quickly, with less waste and often with more complex designs than ever before. CNC wood routers can carve intricate and highly detailed shapes out of flat material to create signage or art.
Rechargeable power tools speed up the creation of many projects and require much less body strength than in the past, for example, when drilling multiple holes. However, woodworking is still a craft to which many aspire. Crafts such as furniture and handicrafts are still in demand, but with the pace and cost of production, the cost to consumers is much higher. Each area of woodworking requires a different variation of tools.
Both power and hand tools are used for woodworking. Many modern woodworkers choose to use power tools in their trade for the added ease and to save time. However, many choose to continue to use only hand tools for various reasons, such as the added experience and character to the work, while some choose to use only hand tools simply for their own enjoyment. A carpenter can use many of the same tools as a joiner, and many carpenters do carpentry work.
In many cases, this is what got them interested in carpentry. However, a carpenter is more about shaping, cutting and installing the building material they work with. Many carpenters are highly skilled in different areas of insulation. They may move from one area to another as the need arises, but most develop a specific skill for which they are hired.
Sometimes it’s joinery, sometimes it’s shelving, sometimes it’s drywall. Whatever it is, a good carpenter can make the difference between a mediocre job and an excellent one. Carpenters make a wide variety of products, such as cabinets and furniture, using wood, veneers and laminates. They often combine and incorporate different materials into the wood.
Carpentry is an art that is defined as “a visual art that is considered to be created primarily for aesthetic and intellectual purposes”. We see beautiful works of art in woodworking all the time and can therefore be considered fine art. Carpenters make various products, such as cabinets and furniture, using wood, veneers and laminates. The medieval period, also known as the Middle Ages, took place during the thousand years between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance, from about 400 AD.
As wood was the most common building material in the Middle Ages, carpenters flourished. They were also considered one of the most skilled craftsmen. Carpentry is any type of woodwork or building product that is produced in a mill. This can include anything from doors, mouldings, trim, flooring, wall paneling, crown moulding, etc.
However, carpentry does not include flooring, ceilings or siding. The real difference between millwork and casework is that millwork is custom millwork. It includes all kinds of custom wood pieces, such as cabinets, shelving, even lift liners, because this work has to be customized for the specific space. To be considered carpentry work, the final product must be integrated into the space.
Otherwise, it would be considered furniture. When budgeting for carpentry work, a general rule of thumb is that the total cost of the carpentry items will be two to three times the cost of the materials needed. Carpenters must make precise cuts with a variety of hand and power tools, so they need a steady hand and good hand-eye coordination. Ancient Near Eastern carpenters built large ships from wood that grew on the Anatolian plateau (the Asian part of Turkey) along the Levantine coast (the Mediterranean coastal lands of present-day Turkey, Syria and Lebanon).
The carpenters worked on a multitude of different projects, from a child’s toy to beautiful woodwork. The wood craftsmen of the Middle Ages were also adept at creating wooden figures and statues, some of which still stand today. Some furniture, such as the Windsor chair, is worked in green, shaping the wood while it contains its natural moisture before drying. Woodworkers are exposed to hazards such as dust, chemicals or noxious fumes, and often must wear a respirator or mask.
Some demand for carpenters is expected in the repair and renovation of residential and commercial properties. The Phoenicians were very skilled in woodworking, such as furniture making and inlaying ivory carvings, but over the years, the Israelites improved their woodworking skills. Ancient Egyptian carpenters used a variety of tools, including axes, adzes, chisels, draw saws and bow drills. Many carpenters start by building basic furniture, such as a standard chair or stool, but once you get used to the hobby, you can focus more on the unique style.
If you’ve been in the woodworking industry for a while, then you know how important it is to have a comfortable, supportive workbench at the right height. There are many things that can fall into the realm of fine art, from drawing to creating sculptures, but you are here because you want to know if woodworking can be considered an art or not. Woodworking is the act of creating things using wood, the definition is that simple, and because of that, woodworking has a wide scope in what it can be. Near Eastern woodworkers used lathes, as well as wedges, mallets, chisels, hammers, drills, plumb bobs, compasses and other basic tools.