Learn About the Carpenter & Framer Job Description, Salary, and Requirements.
Carpenter & Framer Job Description & Definition
What Does a Carpenter or Framer Do?
In this profile, we’ll break down the Carpenter & Framer job description, salary, requirements, and more. A carpenter is a person skilled in cutting, measuring, and building structures with wood. This can include framing houses, creating frames for concrete, residential remodeling, and more. It’s an important to note that we’re drawing a distinction between carpentry and woodworking. Whereas carpentry is focused on building homes and structures with wood, woodworking is focused on building specific wood pieces – such as tables, cabinets, etc. That said, many carpenters are woodworkers, and many woodworkers are skilled in carpentry.
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A carpenter is responsible for cutting, shaping, and installing wood materials. (1) They build everything from decks, to additions on homes, concrete framework, stone framework, and more. A framer is someone who “build walls out of studs, sills, and headers; build floors from joists and beams; and frame roofs using ridge poles and rafters. Timber framers are framers who work in the traditional style of timber framing with wooden joinery.”(2)
Learn carpentry basics online.
Duties
- Measuring and accurately cutting building materials.
- Designing and assembling structures.
- Building structures from wood and supporting materials.
- Building frames for houses, walls, and other structures.
Skills Required
- Basic math skills.
- Ability to read and follow plans/blueprints.
- Measuring and planning.
- Knowledge of building code.
- Ability to lift/carry heavy pieces of material or structures.
- Use of saws and other power tools.
- Use of various hand tools.
Education Needed
There are no specific educational requirements for this position. However, employers may require you to have a high school diploma or G.E.D. As with all construction trades, an ability to read and perform basic math are important to help you progress and safely perform your job.
Qualifications
So what are the qualifications to become a carpenter or framer? Well, as with all trades positions – it first depends on whether you’re joining the union, or working for a private company. If you’re joining the union, there are specific apprenticeships you’ll have to go through to become a union carpenter. If you’re wanting to work for a private company, there are no formal qualifications you’ll need. Some employers may require a high school diploma or GED, but beyond that – there is no official formal qualifications needed, just good carpentry skills.
Carpenter & Framer Salary
How Much Does a Carpenter & Framer Make?
$25,000
$44,000
$76,000
Carpenter & Framer Career Paths
Where Can You Go From Here?
To become a carpenter, you have a few options. You could attend a local vo-tech school or trades institute, and start a formal education process. Another path is to start working as a laborer for either a commercial or residential building company, and learning all you can. Many smaller residential building/design companies will be willing to teach you on the job, and let you grow in skill and start taking more responsibility.
Once you’ve become a carpenter, you can choose to stay in that position as a subcontractor (being hired by other companies in the area), or working for a commercial construction company. You can also advance to the role of carpentry foreman, become a superintendent, or start your own contracting business.
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Similar Professions
If you’re interested in this, you might like:
Foreman, framer, woodworker, general contractor.
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Sources:
- (1) Wikipedia, Carpentry,
on the Internet at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpentry (visited July 20, 2017). - (2) Wikipedia, Framer,
on the Internet at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Framer (visited July 20, 2017). - (3) Payscale, Carpentry Salary, on the Internet at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Framer (visited July 20, 2017).
- Payscale, Estimator Salary, on the Internet at http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Carpenter/Hourly_Rate (visited July 20, 2017).