Cabinetmaker

A cabinetmaker is a craftsman who fabricates and installs cabinetry and fine woodwork. Historically distinct from general carpentry, cabinetmaking emphasizes precise joinery, veneers, and finishes. The craft traces to early modern furniture making in Europe, later evolving with workshops and guilds.

Cabinetmakers build kitchen and bathroom cabinets, built-ins, bookcases, and custom furniture, often combining production precision with handwork. Projects may require millwork, casework, drawers, doors, and hardware integration, and may involve restoration or reproduction of period pieces.

Key skills include measuring, design interpretation, layout, cutting, assembling, fitting, and finishing. Common joints are mortise-and-tenon, dovetails, and doweled connections. Materials range from solid woods to plywood and veneers; surfaces are finished with oil, shellac, varnish, or polyurethane.

Tools span hand planes, chisels, saws, and marking gauges, plus power tools such as table saws, planers, jointers, routers, and sanders. Many shops also use CNC routers and CAD/CAM software for precision and production efficiency.

Training is typically by apprenticeship or vocational programs in woodworking or cabinetmaking. Some cabinetmakers pursue certificates or degrees; licensure is not universal. Career paths include small-shop custom work, kitchen manufacturers, or restoration studios.