The Carpenter is responsible for constructing and maintaining residences and buildings. This includes building items such as furniture and stairs, making repairs to the internal and external structure and ensuring buildings are safe. Diagnosing problems quickly and accurately requires critical and analytical thinking ability.

The Carpenter would normally attaint the required knowledge, skills and attitudes through completion of a Journeyman Carpentry Program combined with related experience.

The Carpenter must work outside in all different weather conditions including extreme cold and extreme heat. The Carpenter may be exposed to unpleasant sights and smells. He/she may at times be exposed to dangerous and or toxic substances and must take necessary precautions to protect eyes, nose and skin from irritation and infection. 

The Carpenter has a physically strenuous and demanding job. He/she will be lifting, pulling and managing heavy equipment and objects. Assemble and fasten materials to make framework or props, using hand tools and wood screws, nails, dowel pins, or glue. Measure and mark cutting lines on materials, using ruler, pencil, chalk, and marking gauge. Build or repair cabinets, doors, frameworks, floors, and other wooden fixtures used in buildings, using woodworking machines, carpenter's hand tools, and power tools.

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Industry Changes

The government has recently set targets for greater energy efficiency to combat climate change. With further training, you may be able to install and maintain renewable energy technologies like solar powered heating systems.

Over the next ten years, the employment outlook is considered to be excellent. The lack of trained and qualified carpenters and the expected increased retirement rate in these trades over the next decade highlight the opportunities within the industry for good potential jobs.

Employment of carpenters is expected to increase. Turnover in this field is high, so many openings occur each year. Demand should also be high for those who stay informed about new developments in this field.

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Safety

Safe working practices and accident prevention are the primary importance to the health and safety of all person(s) at any or all work place environments. All person(s) including employee, employer and government, share this responsibility in order to keep everyone free of any dangers or accidents that may cause an individual(s) serious bodily harm or death.

The Occupational Health and Safety Acts and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Regulations, should be consistently reviewed and enforced in every work place environment. Educating and understanding these regulations is everyone’s responsibility in order to keep a safe work place environment.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) has contributed to a safer work place environment. Health and safety has become a high priority in the workplace due to increased awareness of dangers and the identifications of hazardous materials.

Practicing health and safety is a tremendous contribution to a safe and accident free work place environment.

 

Job Tasks

• Building

• Drilling

• Drywall

• Erecting

• Flooring

• Framing

• Lay building foundations

• Maintain doors, windows, furniture and other items

• Maintain building interiors and exteriors

• Mix and pour cement

• Monitor and replace weather stripping

• Perform minor electrical repairs

• Porches and grounds

• Prepare for framing for cement

• Roofing

• Scaffolding

• Siding

• Stairs

• Trim work

• …and much more

 

Tools

• Adjustable wrench

• Ball peen hammer

• Chalk

• Crow bar

• Drills

• Glue

• Grinders

• Hack saw

• Hammer

• Levels

• Measuring tape

• Mini pipe cutters

• Multi meter

• Needle nose pliers

• Pencil

• Plumb bobs

• Reciprocating saw

• Rulers

• Screw driver set

• Shapers

• Socket set

• Tin snips

• Tool belt

• Vice grips

• Wood saws

• Wrenches

• Wire strippers

• …and much more

 

Skills

• Critical Thinking

• Decision Making

• Analytical Thinking

• Numerical

• Oral Communication

• Problem Solving

• Reading Blueprints and schematics

• Writing

• Computer Knowledge

 

General Wages

• Average -   $20.50

• Minimum -  $14.00

• Maximum - $32.50​

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Sample Q&A

 

1. What must be carefully checked and watched for when form watching below a suspended slab pour?

a. stringers are wedged tight in the U-heads.

b. scaffolding/shoring and all uprights are tight and loaded evenly

c. joists are not cracked below the weight of the stringers.

d. formply seams running in the direction of the joists are no more than four feet long.

Ans. B

 

2. When should the bottoms of the cross bridging be fastened in a dimension lumber floor system, cross bridging is one way of dealing with joist restraint?

a. Before the sub-trades come in so they can not knock them out as easily.

b. Just prior to dry walling so floor has had time to straighten and settle.

c. Immediately while building floor so the floor is complete before sheathing

d. Once floor sheathing is complete because now joists have been nailed straight

Ans. B

 

3. Where an I joist bears on an interior load bearing partition, how should web stiffeners be installed?

a. Tightly between top and bottom chord.

b. Tight to the top chord with a ¼" gap at the bottom chord.

c. With a ¼" gap at both chords.

d. With a ¼" gap at the top chord and tight to the bottom chord.

Ans. D

 

4. How should exterior plywood wall sheeting be installed?

a. Long dimension at right angle to studs.

b. Long dimension parallel to studs.

c. Either direction is acceptable.

d. Right angle to studs on bearing walls parallel to studs on gable end walls

Ans. A

 

5. Before installing vertical solid wood wainscoting, what should be the first procedure?

a. Pre-mount the solid wood wainscoting on a piece of plywood and glue to wall in sections.

b. Strap wall first then apply vertical members.

c. Strap the wall horizontally and shim to achieve a flat plane before installing vertical members.

d. Apply vertical members directly to wall with PL 400 and face nail at every stud.

Ans. C

 

6. How is truss roof sheeting installed?

a. Remove all temporary bracing and sheet roof.

b. Install ridge blocking and permanent bracing then remove temporary bracing as it gets in the way of the roof sheeting.

c. Install ridge blocking, all permanent bracing and remove temporary bracing.

d. Install ridge blocking, sheet roof and remove temporary bracing as it gets in the way of the sheeting then install the permanent bracing.

Ans. B

 

7. When a floor is not level how is an exterior door installed?

a. Cut a continuous shim full width of the door to level and plumb frame, caulk shim to floor and threshold to shim then insulate.

b. Shim the low side of the jamb to level and plumb frame and fill gap with expanding foam insulation.

c. Shim threshold at ¼ points to insure the frame is plumb, caulk gap and insulate where possible.

d. Insure that the frame is square and install it out of plumb so that the threshold maintains full contact with the floor.

Ans. A