Joiner

For other uses, see Joiner (disambiguation).

Illustration of an 1880s joiner's shop in Germany

A joiner is an artisan who builds things by joining pieces of wood, particularly lighter and more ornamental work than that done by a carpenter, including furniture and the "fittings" of a house, ship, etc. Joiners may work in a workshop, because the formation of various joints is made easier by the use of non-portable, powered machinery, or on job site. A joiner usually produces items such as interior and exterior doors, windows, stairs, tables, bookshelves, cabinets, furniture, etc. In shipbuilding a marine joiner may work with materials other than wood such as linoleum, fiberglass, hardware, and gaskets.

The terms joinery and joiner are obsolete in the USA, although the main trade union for carpenters still calls itself the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

In the UK, an apprentice of wood occupations could choose to study bench joinery or site carpentry and joinery. Bench joinery is the preparation, setting out, and manufacture of joinery components while site carpentry and joinery focus on the installation of the joinery components, and on the setting out and fabrication of timber elements used in construction.

Wood working professions

The Institute of Carpenters recognises the following professionals working in wood:

• Carpenters
• Furniture and Cabinet Makers
• Boat builders (Woodworking Skills)
• Joiners
• Shopfitter
• Structural Post and Beam Carpenters (Timber framing)
• Heavy Wheelwrights
• Wood Carvers
• Wood Turners

See also

• Jointer, a woodworking tool used to flatten boards so that they may be attached or joined

External links

• Institute of Carpenters
• British Woodworking Federation – a not-for-profit woodworking body advice on joinery in the UK