stolar

Stolar is a woodworker who specializes in carpentry, furniture making, and joinery. In several South Slavic languages, including Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian and Slovenian, stolar denotes a craftsman who builds, fits and repairs wooden fixtures and furniture. In Polish, the cognate term is stolarz, and similar terms exist in other Central and Eastern European languages. The role is often equivalent to what English speakers call a joiner or cabinetmaker, depending on the country.

Typical duties include designing or interpreting plans, cutting and shaping timber, assembling components, fitting furniture, doors, windows, stairs, and performing finishing work such as sanding, staining, and varnishing. Stolari may work in workshops or on-site settings, collaborating with carpenters, designers and builders. Specialties may include custom furniture, kitchen fitting, or historic restoration.

Training usually involves an apprenticeship or formal vocational education. A stolar learns measuring accuracy, wood selection, joinery techniques, pattern making, and safety practices, and becomes proficient with saws, planes, chisels, routers, clamps, and power tools. Knowledge of wood properties, finishes, and environmental considerations is common.

Employment context: stolari can be self-employed or employed by furniture makers, construction firms, or restoration workshops. The profession requires attention to detail and manual dexterity and often entails working with other trades to ensure precise fit and finish.