Many trades build and maintain our homes, keeping them maintained and building them new. Plumbers deal with plumbing, leaks, toilets and sinks. Electricians deal with all things wiring and circuitry. Concreters lay concrete foundations and driveways, and plasterers deal with patching, installing and repairing plaster walls, skirting and cornices. But what exactly is Joinery? You’ve probably heard this term before, but are you slightly mystified as to what it means? Lucky for you, during this informative article, we’ll explain Australian Joinery, and help you to understand the craft of cabinetry and more. So, continue reading to learn more about this topic.
What Exactly is Joinery?
Joinery is the term given to the detailed functional elements within a building, such as a house, office or warehouse, that are often fixed to the structure itself. This can include things such as solid wooden cupboards, cabinets or benches. In its most basic form, Joinery is the process by which two or more sections of timber or other wooden material are connected. Joinery can be both simple as well as complex, and Joinery features can serve as both a functional and decorative aspect in the home.
What is a Joiner’s Job?
While a carpenter will often install timber products on site, such as building house frames, trusses and more, a joiner will instead typically get to work making the timber products, including things such as cabinet doors, timber frames and other custom-made furniture items. They will typically build these off-site, such as in a garage or workshop. While there is a significant overlap of work and tasks between a carpenter and a joiner, they are instead different specialties in the same craft, which is working with timber and wood.
What Types of Furniture Can a Joiner Make?
A joiner can make many pieces of furniture and cabinetry. Some of the most common items a joiner may make include desks, timber framed windows and doors, bookshelves, wardrobes, coffee tables, and other mounted wall units, depending on the homeowner’s individual needs and preferences. The biggest advantage of using a joiner to make a piece of furniture, timber window or door is that they can create items that are unique in their style and are tailored to your exact specifications.
What are Some Common Joints?
There are various different joints used when working with different types of timber – for example, butt joints, dado joints, tongue and groove joints, and dovetail joints, to name a few. The type of joint used in each case, is usually dependent upon the specific type of furniture or fitting that is being made and its specific use. For instance, dining tables will commonly use butt joints for the right angles that are featured in this piece of furniture. These different joints can all be attached and fortified using things such as adhesive glue, nails or screws. This depends on the application.
Why Timber?
Timber’s appeal for furniture and construction is timeless, classic, and unique, as no two pieces of timber are identical. Unlike other building materials, timber will never go out of style, and its various grains, colours, and unique character can give your home a unique, personalised, bespoke aesthetic.
Why Work With a Joiner?
You might be wondering why you’d work with a joiner instead of just buying furniture from a shop or having pre-made cabinets installed in your kitchen or other space.
The reason is that by working with a joiner, you can commission and design a piece of furniture to accommodate a particular space in your home. For instance, you might want a unique dining table to match or contrast with the rest of the design elements in your dining room. You may also have a unique vision for your kitchen cabinets or have specific storage requirements that need a custom-made set of cabinets installed. This is where a joiner’s unique skillset will shine, as they can work with you to create a tailored solution that is specific to your requirements.
You may also want a custom door made or have other timber elements within your home that need to be unique and fit for purpose. A joiner can design, create and install these, keeping in mind the style and vibe that you want to create in your home. As you can see, you can achieve more with Joinery than if you just bought something outright from a furniture or hardware store. The possibilities are limitless!
A Joinery Conclusion
This helpful article has covered all aspects of Joinery. We’ve discussed what the trade is, how it works, and what type of timber pieces a joiner can make. Furthermore, we’ve discussed some common joints and why you might consider working with a joiner to create custom-made timber pieces for your home, such as tables, cabinets, or doors.
