Index
Intro
Carpenters construct, erect, install, maintain and repair structures and components of structures made of wood, wood substitutes, lightweight steel and other materials. They are employed by construction companies, carpentry contractors, and maintenance departments of factories, plants and other establishments, or they may be self-employed.
The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.
Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Main Duties
Carpenters perform some or all of the following duties:
- Read and interpret blueprints, drawings and sketches to determine specifications and calculate requirements
- Prepare layouts in conformance to building codes, using measuring tools
- Measure, cut, shape, assemble and join materials made of wood, wood substitutes, lightweight steel and other materials
- Build foundations, install floor beams, lay subflooring and erect walls and roof systems
- Fit and install trim items, such as doors, stairs, moulding and hardware
- Maintain, repair and renovate residences and wooden structures in mills, mines, hospitals, industrial plants and other establishments
- Supervise apprentices and other construction workers
- May prepare cost estimates for clients.
Employment Requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a three- to four-year apprenticeship program
or
A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in carpentry is usually required to be eligible for trade certification. - Trade certification for carpenters is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the territories.
- Trade certification for framers is available, but voluntary, in Saskatchewan.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified carpenters upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
All Titles
- access floor specialist carpenter
- apprentice boat carpenter
- apprentice carpenter
- apprentice carpenter-joiner
- boat carpenter
- boat joiner
- boatbuilder, wood
- boatbuilding apprentice
- bridge carpenter
- builder, wooden boats
- building addition carpenter
- building carpenter
- carpenter
- carpenter lead hand
- carpenter rough
- carpenter, bridges
- carpenter, building additions
- carpenter, concrete forms
- carpenter, floor systems
- carpenter, framing
- carpenter, houses
- carpenter, interior finish
- carpenter, interior systems
- carpenter, log homes
- carpenter, maintenance
- carpenter, manufactured houses
- carpenter, mill
- carpenter, mine
- carpenter, plant
- carpenter, prefabricated structures
- carpenter, railway rolling stock
- carpenter, renovation
- carpenter, restoration
- carpenter, shipbuilding
- carpenter, studio
- carpenter-joiner
- carpentry repairman/womancarpentry repairman, carpentry repairwoman
- concrete forms carpenter
- construction carpenter
- dock carpenter
- finish carpenter
- floor systems carpenter
- form builder – carpentry
- form carpenter
- framer-carpenter
- framing carpenter
- house carpenter
- interior finish carpenter
- interior finish joiner
- interior systems carpenter
- interior trimmer carpenter
- joiner, railway rolling stock
- journeyman/woman carpenterjourneyman carpenter, journeywoman carpenter
- log home builder
- log home carpenter
- log home carpenter-builder
- maintenance carpenter
- maintenance carpenter-joiner
- maintenance joiner
- metal framer – carpentry
- mill carpenter
- mine carpenter
- plant carpenter
- prefabricated house carpenter
- renovation carpenter
- restoration carpenter
- rough carpenter
- ship joiner
- shipbuilding carpenter
- shipbuilding joiner
- shipwright, wood
- sign carpenter
- stage carpenter
- stair builder-carpenter
- stairway carpenter
- steel framer – carpentry
- steel stud framer – carpentry
- studio carpenter
- wood frame carpenter
- wood frame house carpenter
- wood shipwright
- wooden boatbuilder
Exclusions
- Cabinetmakers (7272)
- Supervisors of carpenters (See 7204 Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades)
- Woodworking machine operators (9437)