Joiners build, repair and re-style wooden furniture, cabinets, fixtures and other products. There are many similarities with the carpentry trade, and both involve primarily working with wood. Joinery, however, tends to be more specialized. A Joiner is a nationally designated trade under the Inter-provincial Red Seal program. (Find out about Red Seal in the Trades Lingo section.)



What do these workers do?
(Source: BC Work Futures)

Select and mill wood. Cabinetmakers learn to identify and appreciate fine pieces of wood. They mill baulks or squares of lumber into the boards they will use to build their current project.

Design and make drawings for pieces. Custom cabinetmakers draw their designs and calculate lumber requirements and cost estimates. Clients usually approve the drawings before work begins.

Read blueprints and build to plan. Production woodworkers and cabinetmakers use blueprints as the template for their work. The finished product must match the design on the blueprints.

Safely operate and adjust power tools. Cabinetmakers must know how to adjust shop tools, such as band saws and table saws. These must be used with respect. Experienced woodworkers say that when apprentices loses their fear of the table saw, that's also when they're most likely to lose their fingers to it. Safety procedures and techniques must be followed at all times.

Finish furniture and surfaces. Cabinetmakers must be familiar with a variety of finishing techniques and know which best suits the wood they have used. Production shops will likely use sprayed lacquer, which is applied in a booth by someone wearing a protective suit. Custom shops often use hand-rubbed finishes that are safer to use but slower to apply.

Cut and apply laminate finishes. Because manufactured wood is cheaper and dimensionally quite stable, it is commonly used in commercial cabinetry. Compared to board lumber, particle board and MDF (medium-density fibre board) are quite ugly, so plastic laminates are glued to their surfaces to make them more attractive. The cabinetmaker must be familiar with the types of laminate, application procedures and aesthetic qualities.

Produce architectural mouldings. This work is a combination of production and custom woodwork. Specialized shops make custom architectural mouldings and veneers. Fine woods will produce veneers that can be used consistently throughout a residence or business. Mouldings are made-to-order in the design specified by the architect.

Assemble furniture. Glue and clamps are used to assemble furniture, and cabinetmakers must know which glue to use for each job. Cabinetmakers also use mechanical fastenings, such as nails and screws. In fine cabinetry, these are skillfully hidden from view.

Read the full Cabinet Maker Profile (48kb pdf).

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