Woodworkers

Summary

Woodworkers build or carve products using wood.

Quick Facts: Woodworkers
2010 Median Pay	$28,010 per year $13.47 per hour
Entry-Level Education	High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	See How to Become One
Number of Jobs, 2010	217,200
Job Outlook, 2010-20	18% (About as fast as average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	39,300

What Woodworkers Do

Woodworkers build a variety of products, such as cabinets and furniture, using wood.

Work Environment

Although working conditions vary, most woodworkers often encounter a lot of noise and dust. These occupations usually have high rates of injuries and illnesses.

How to Become a Woodworker

Although some entry-level jobs can be learned in less than 1 year, becoming a fully trained woodworker requires many skills and generally takes at least 3 years of on-the-job training. Skill with computers and computer-controlled machinery is increasingly important.

Pay

The median hourly wage of woodworkers was $13.47 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of woodworkers is projected to grow 18 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Those who have advanced skills, including in mathematics and computers, should have the best job opportunities in manufacturing industries.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of woodworkers with similar occupations.

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Contacts for More Information

Learn more about woodworkers by contacting these additional resources.

What Woodworkers Do

Woodworkers measure finished products for imperfections.

Woodworkers build a variety of products, such as cabinets and furniture, using wood.

Duties

Woodworkers typically do the following:

• Read detailed schematics and blueprints
• Prepare and set up equipment
• Lift wood pieces onto machines, either by hand or with hoists
• Operate wood-making and cutting machines
• Listen for unusual sounds or detect excessive vibration
• Ensure that products meet specifications, making adjustments as necessary
• Use hand tools to trim pieces or assemble products
• Remove and replace dull saw blades

Despite the abundance of plastics, metals, and other materials, wood products continue to be an important part of our daily lives. Woodworkers make wood products, using lumber and synthetic wood materials. Many of these products are mass produced, including most furniture, kitchen cabinets, and musical instruments. Other products are custom made with specialized tools in small shops.

Although the term “woodworker” may evoke the image of a craftsman who builds ornate furniture using hand tools, the modern woodworking trade is highly technical and relies on advanced equipment and highly skilled operators. Workers use automated machinery, such as computerized numerical control (CNC) machines, to do much of the work.

Even specialized artisans generally use a variety of power tools in their work. Much of the work is done in a high-production assembly line facility, but there is also some work that is customized and does not lend itself to being made in an assembly line. Woodworkers are employed in every part of the secondary wood products industry, from sawmill to finished product, and their activities vary.

Woodworkers set up, operate, and tend all types of woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, and wood-nailing machines. Operators set up the equipment, cut and shape wooden parts, and verify dimensions, using a template, caliper, and rule. After wood parts are made, woodworkers add fasteners and adhesives and connect the pieces to form a complete unit. They then sand, stain, and, if necessary, coat the wood product with a sealer, such as a lacquer or varnish.

Many of these tasks are handled by different workers with specialized training.

The following are types of woodworkers:

Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters cut, shape, assemble, and make parts for wood products. They often design and create sets of cabinets that are customized for particular spaces. In some cases, their duties begin with designing a set of cabinets to specifications and end with installing them.

Furniture finishers shape, finish, and refinish damaged and worn furniture. They often work with antiques and must judge how to best preserve and repair them. They also do the staining and sealing at the end of the process of making wooden products.

Wood sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders specialize in operating specific pieces of woodworking machinery. They often operate computerized numerical control (CNC) machines.

Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing, operate woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, routers, sanders, and planers.

Work Environment

Woodworkers are exposed to hazards and must wear safety equipment.

Woodworkers held about 217,200 jobs in 2010, a majority of which worked in manufacturing industries.

Employment in the detailed occupations that make up woodworkers was distributed as follows:

Working conditions vary, depending on specific job duties. Often, workers have to handle heavy, bulky materials, and they encounter a lot of noise and dust. Workers must often wear earplugs, gloves, and goggles to protect themselves. Most work full time during regular business hours.

Injuries

Woodworkers are exposed to several hazards in their work environments. When making wood products or finishing wood surfaces, woodworkers may come into contact with potentially harmful dust, chemicals, or fumes. However, advances in ventilation systems and other safety precautions minimize harmful effects. Other woodworkers work in noisy areas. Often, workers must wear earplugs, gloves, and goggles.

Woodworkers have rates of injuries and illnesses that are higher than the national average. In particular, sawing machine operators experience a work-related injury and illness rate that is much higher than the average for all occupations.                                                

Most injuries for these workers, however, involve sprains, back soreness, carpal tunnel syndrome, hernia, and connective tissue diseases and disorders. These injuries or illnesses come from excessive awkward bending, reaching, twisting, and overexertion or repetition.

How to Become a Woodworker

After high school, most woodworkers are trained on the job, learning from more experienced workers.

Although some entry-level jobs can be learned in less than 1 year, becoming a fully trained woodworker requires many skills and generally takes at least 3 years of on-the-job training. Skill with computers and computer-controlled machinery is increasingly important.

Education and Training

Many employers seek applicants who have a high school diploma or the equivalent, because of the growing sophistication of machinery and the constant need for retraining. People seeking woodworking jobs can enhance their employment and advancement prospects by completing high school and getting training in computer applications and math.

Some woodworkers obtain their skills by taking courses at technical schools or community colleges. Others attend universities that offer training in wood technology, furniture manufacturing, wood engineering, and production management. These programs prepare students for jobs in production, supervision, engineering, and management and are increasingly important as woodworking technology advances.

Education is helpful, but woodworkers are primarily trained on the job, where they learn skills from experienced workers. Beginning workers are given basic tasks, such as putting a piece of wood through a machine and catching the wood at the end of the process.

As they gain experience, new woodworkers do more complex tasks with less supervision. In about 1 year, they can learn basic machine operations and job tasks. Becoming a skilled woodworker often takes 3 or more years. Skilled workers can read blueprints, set up machines, and plan work sequences.

Important Qualities

Detail oriented. Woodworkers must pay attention to details to be certain that the products meet specifications and to keep themselves safe.

Dexterity. Woodworkers must make precise cuts with a variety of saws, so they need a steady hand and good hand-eye coordination.

Math skills. Knowledge of basic math and computer skills are important, particularly for those who work in manufacturing, where technology continues to advance. Woodworkers need to understand geometry to visualize how the wood pieces will fit together to make a 3-dimensional object, such as a cabinet or piece of furniture.

Mechanical skills. Modern technology systems require woodworkers be able to use programmable devices, computers, and robots on the factory floor.

Physical strength. Woodworkers must be strong enough to lift bulky and heavy sheets of wood, such as plywood.

Stamina. The ability to endure long periods of standing and repetitious movements is crucial for woodworkers, as they often stand for extended periods when manufacturing parts and products.

Technical skills. Woodworkers must be able to understand blueprints and technical manuals for a range of products and machines.

Troubleshooting skills. To avoid unnecessary and costly waste, woodworkers must recognize mistakes during the manufacturing or finishing process.

Pay

The median hourly wage of woodworkers was $13.47 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $8.94, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $20.56.

Median hourly wages for woodworker occupations in May 2010 were the following:

• $14.48 for cabinetmakers and bench carpenter
• $13.37 for furniture finishers
• $12.75 for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing
• $12.59 for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
• $11.79 for all other woodworkers

Job Outlook

Employment of woodworkers is projected to grow 18 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

Employment growth will stem from growing demand for domestic wood products. In addition, increases in population, personal income, and business spending and the continuing need for repair and renovation of residential and commercial properties will likely require more woodworkers.

Employment growth should be good for woodworkers who specialize in items used in renovation, such as moldings, cabinets, stairs, and windows. Firms that focus on custom woodwork should be able to compete against imports without the need to outsource jobs to other countries.

Increasing use of automated systems is expected to require more workers to operate and maintain the newer equipment in manufacturing establishments.  

Job Prospects

Those with advanced skills, including advanced math and the ability to read blueprints, should have the best job opportunities in manufacturing industries. Woodworkers who know how to create and carry out custom designs on a computer will likely be in strong demand. Some job openings will result from the need to replace those who retire or leave the occupation for other reasons.

However, employment in all woodworking specialties is highly sensitive to economic cycles. During economic downturns, workers are subject to layoffs or reductions in hours.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about woodworkers, visit

Architectural Woodwork Institute

The Association for Manufacturing Technology

Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International

National Tooling and Machining Association

WoodLINKS

Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America                                                          

Woodworking Machinery Industry Association