Cabinet makers make wooden furniture.
What does a cabinet maker do?
Cabinet makers make wooden furniture, from chairs to display cabinets. You may also repair and restore antique furniture. As a cabinet maker, your work would normally include:
- creating design drawings for furniture
- deciding on the quantity and type of wood needed and the construction methods required
- buying the wood from suppliers such as timber yards
- cutting, shaping and planing the wood, using hand, power and computer-controlled tools
- fixing the parts together
- adding other fixed or movable parts such as brackets, hinges, handles and locks
- finishing the assembled pieces of furniture, for example with veneers, lacquers or French polish
What do I need to do to become a cabinet maker?
Most people train to become cabinet makers through an apprenticeship. However, you could also do a vocational course in construction crafts, specialising in cabinet making.
Essential qualifications
- Apprenticeship, BTEC or NVQ in cabinet making