Woodworking

Woodworking, process of making objects from wood. Such objects can be of any size and may be utilitarian (houses, furniture) or purely decorative. Many wooden objects are produced at home, and woodworking is often pursued as a hobby. By the Middle Ages the status of woodworking as a profession was formalized in organizations known as craft guilds. The use of tools to work in wood dates to about 8000 B.C. The wide variety of materials and hand tools now in use includes measuring tools (rules, squares, gauges), cutting tools (saws, chisels, planes), tools for fastening (screws, glues, hammers), and finishing tools (sandpaper, paint). Modern woodworkers such as carpenters and cabinetmakers also use power drills, saws, and other electricity-driven tools. According to the requirements of a woodworking project, wood is chosen for its hardness, pliability, durability, appearance (grain, color), and availability.

See also: Carpentry.