What Does it Take to Be a Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter?

Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter Definition Cut, shape, and assemble wooden articles or set up and operate a variety of woodworking machines, such as power saws, jointers, and mortisers to surface, cut, or shape lumber or to fabricate parts for wood products.

Daily Life Of a Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter

• Cut timber to the right size and shape and trim parts of joints to ensure a snug fit, using hand tools, such as planes, chisels, or wood files.
• Apply Masonite, formica, or vinyl surfacing materials.
• Perform final touch-ups with sandpaper or steel wool.
• Design furniture, using computer-aided drawing programs.
• Draw up detailed specifications and discuss projects with customers.
• Set up or operate machines, including power saws, jointers, mortisers, tenoners, molders, or shapers, to cut, mold, or shape woodstock or wood substitutes.

What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter?

When polled, Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Operations Analysis: Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

Types of Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter Jobs

• Furniture Builder
• Wood Machinist
• Wood Mechanist
• Boat Oar Maker
• Harp Maker

What Kind of Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter Job Opportunities Are There?

There were about 109,300 jobs for Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters in 2016 (in the United States).

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 2.3% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 2,500 new jobs for Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 11,500 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters are Texas, Florida, and Utah.

Watch out if you plan on working in Kansas, Vermont, or New Hampshire. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

How Much Does a Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter Make?

The typical yearly salary for Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters is somewhere between $22,830 and $54,140. The median salary is $34,740.

How much do Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters make in different U.S. states?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
Hawaii	$54,100
Alaska	$46,270
Connecticut	$46,210
Massachusetts	$46,200
Rhode Island	$45,380
Delaware	$45,300
New Hampshire	$45,300
Maryland	$45,180
New Jersey	$44,270
New York	$44,040
Washington	$41,400
Wyoming	$41,140
Minnesota	$40,990
Illinois	$40,320
Vermont	$39,730
Maine	$39,690
Nebraska	$39,620
Pennsylvania	$39,560
Michigan	$38,770
Arizona	$38,370
North Dakota	$37,870
Nevada	$37,580
Montana	$37,540
California	$37,520
Florida	$37,420
Colorado	$36,840
Virginia	$36,370
Oregon	$35,990
Iowa	$35,770
Ohio	$35,580
Idaho	$35,520
Utah	$35,410
Georgia	$35,220
South Carolina	$35,120
Missouri	$34,960
Indiana	$33,990
Wisconsin	$33,410
Oklahoma	$32,630
West Virginia	$32,630
New Mexico	$32,210
Louisiana	$32,130
Kansas	$31,970
Texas	$31,850
South Dakota	$31,700
Tennessee	$31,280
Kentucky	$31,130
North Carolina	$30,520
Arkansas	$29,650
Alabama	$29,610
Mississippi	$26,610

What Tools do Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters:

• Computer aided design CAD software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Autodesk AutoCAD
• Microsoft Windows
• Data entry software
• Microsoft Excel

How do I Become a Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter?

What kind of Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter requirements are there?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters?

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons