# Becoming a Carpenter



## Ben_G (Feb 1, 2011)

Hi folks,
My name is Ben. I am 25 years old and I have absolutely no trade experience. All my life I have wanted to learn how to build things—especially things from wood. However, none of my family members are handy and they always discouraged me from entering the trades. Now, I am in my junior year of college in San Francisco and I hate it. I do not look forward to graduating next year and becoming another miserable desk-jockey. I want to become a carpenter. 
 I want to receive the best training possible, but I am not sure where to look. I want to learn everything from framing to finish. I have a particular interest in historic preservation and woodworking. Ideally, I would like to learn from a seasoned and knowledgeable contractor who takes pride in his work and is eager to teach someone who is eager to learn. 
I am considering applying for an apprenticeship through San Francisco’s Local 22, but they have a long waitlist of applicants and I don’t foresee the economy getting better anytime soon. I would greatly appreciate any advice on how to pursue my training—especially from SF locals. 
Oh yeah, please let know if I am being totally unrealistic in my hopes.
Thank you,
Ben


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## BC Carpenter (Dec 28, 2010)

try an entry level trades training course, if your area has anything like that

if you can't come across an employer that suits your needs, maybe look for volunteering with habitat for humanity or something similiar, to get some experience building houses or whatever they are doing.


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## Remodelor (Nov 5, 2010)

You can take some coursework, but honestly, you'll learn more applicable skills in your first month of working for a real carpenter than you would in a year of classes, and instead of paying a school, you start making money. Also, I'd advise against joining a union. Most union guys tend to pick up bad working habits and a sense of entitlement that will only hamstring them when the union can't find them more work, which is pretty much 4-6 months out of a given year.

If you want to learn it all, expect to work for a few different people over the years. There is a lot of gray area between the different types of carpenters, but they typically fall into the following categories. Framing is about plan reading, speed and efficiency. Trim carpentry is mostly the assembly of prefabricated products such as doors, windows, trim and cabinets in a home. Shop carpentry focuses more on the actual shaping of the wood such as trim shaping, cabinet building, furniture making and the processing of rough lumber into finish grade material. While there's nothing stopping someone from doing it all, very few people do all of that stuff well, and those who do rarely learn it from one source.

So basically, you can start cold-calling various framers, trim carpenters and carpentry shops to see if they could use an entry level guy who's willing to learn. Start with Googling businesses in your area and get some interviews.

Also, check your local Craigslist, see if any companies are hiring and post your resume there. From your post, you come across as a passionate and reasonably intelligent person, something that is (sadly) in short supply in the trades these days. That makes you a pretty hot commodity actually, and good tradesmen are often looking for good assistants. Expect to start at about $10 an hour if you don't have any experience, but if you invest your pay wisely and get yourself some tools, you'll soon be making more.


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## nailkiller1 (Jan 15, 2009)

I would finish college first you are so close
when you graduate and still want to pursue the dirty work

Go to your local lumberyard and material suppliers
Ask them who are the most respected contractor/carpenters


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## kswoodbutcher (Dec 4, 2010)

I agree with Nailkiller, finish your schooling your so close, and you will have that to fall back on. If you have time now you might start this kind of work part time with your schooling, get a feel for it. Hands on is the best way to learn a trade. Good luck young man, we need more good tradesmen out here.


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## cork-guy (May 1, 2010)

I would agree with some of the other posters that you should avoid the union and try to get involved with a carpentry company. Maybe they'll start you off on labor (demo, clean-up, etc) until you learn your strips. Then, you can start to learn hands on the skills needed to be a carpenter. I'd assume many companies would enjoy hiring someone with little to no experience so they could train them "their way" to have them do things "how they want them done". Nothing worse than bring someone on board with bad habits from a previous company. Best of luck!


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

Going to a trade school in not a bad idea. Even going through the union apprenticeship isn't a bad idea. A lot of times you can go back to the technical school you are sent to for book work and get a degree in construction management in a few quarters. 

Depending on the area joining a union may not be a good thing. Get in a busy metro area were union contractors do a lot of work. Even if you only work 6-9 months of the year. You will make more money in that time than working full time for residential subcontractor outfit. :laughing:

You will also learn more technical stuff that subs never have the time to teach because they don't know it themselves. After about ten years or so of spinning your wheels working for subs you will find out there is a lot you don't know. This will also be the time that your body will hit a brick wall. And you will find that the boss doesn't want you around for your brain. You will have also topped out wage wise at around 50k which will be the same wage you had for the last 5 years. 

If you want to be a carpenter plan on learning to be a carpenter. Not a framer, sider, form carp, finish carp, ect ect. A carpenter should know how to go from site layout to footings and all the way to finish. Though surveying/layout will require more schooling and time with a theodolite or total station . Than learning forming,framing, drywall, exterior finishes, interior finish including flooring, trim, casework. :thumbsup:


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## CJ21 (Aug 11, 2007)

I would remend finishing school first. I got a 2 year degree in building construction but no job.


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## blackbear (Feb 29, 2008)

I started out at a young age learning to build houses from foundation to kitchen cabinets. Everything was stick framed, never touched a truss. Seems like those days are long gone with more and more people subbing stuff out. If you can find someone that still does this it will probably be your best bet. 

There is a ton to learn and I dont think it is possible to become a master at everything. It is possible to have a proficient knowledge of most stuff. My advice is to pick one thing and master it. It will bring you more money and people will start to demand your specialty.

Another way to learn Quick is to buy a POS house. Since April 2010 I have taught myself to be an electrician and a plumber as well. :shifty:

Clock is ticking, get to work :thumbsup:


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## WNYcarpenter (Mar 2, 2007)

Finish school for sure! You always have that to fall back if at some point you get frustrated with the trades.

My advise is to get a job with a roofing contractor in the summer...

They're generally busy that time of year and are looking for extra seasonal help. At least in this area, there's a lot of work to get done between June and September so they need the temporary help. I say this because it will be easier to find employment IMO.

Look up a company now and stop in to tell them you'll be available when you've finished for the year. They're most likely lining up work now and starting to think about manpower.

You'll learn some of the important basics of general carpentry.

Whatever you choose, good luck!


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

blackbear said:


> My advice is to pick one thing and master it. It will bring you more money and people will start to demand your specialty.



That is a boom time fallacy perpetuated by sleazeball paper general contractors. One can be good at one aspect of carpentry but at the end of the day be still be a apprentice carpenter.


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## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

If you can speak Spanish it would be a great asset in our area. 

Your timing is tough. But there is still quite a bit of work in San Francisco and Marin. There are plenty of good remodel contractors in both areas. In my opinion you would like the pace and environment across the Golden Gate in Marin. 

If you have wheels and care to cruise the hills of Marin on a weekday, stop at every house with a crapper in front and tell the boss your story. They won't bite. Most will be kind, screw the rest, you don't want to work for them anyway. I bet you could hit at least a dozen in a day. 

Drive up Sir Francis Drake into Kentfield , Ross, San Anselmo and Mill Valley. Hit the view homes in Tibouron and Belvadere. You could spend a week with those alone and there are alot of things happening in there if you look close enough. Wave at me if you see me.

Good Luck


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## BC Carpenter (Dec 28, 2010)

yeah working on someone's POS place you can learn a lot. I've learned probably just about as much fixing my POS place (it's not a POS anymore) and helping out family with their projects, as on a jobsite, where a lot of time it's repetitive and you only learn a few things and do them over and over.


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## blackbear (Feb 29, 2008)

JustaFramer said:


> That is a boom time fallacy perpetuated by sleazeball paper general contractors. One can be good at one aspect of carpentry but at the end of the day be still be a apprentice carpenter.


Agreed, I think its important to be well rounded in all aspects. That should be the first step. In my particular area no one does it all anymore, so it would be very hard for a rook to find someone like that.  I was fortunate to learn the old way, as with most of the older crowd, before I started focusing on just one area.


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

blackbear said:


> Agreed, I think its important to be well rounded in all aspects. That should be the first step. In my particular area no one does it all anymore, so it would be very hard for a rook to find someone like that. I was fortunate to learn the old way, as with most of the older crowd, before I started focusing on just one area.


It is quite rare. Well it used to be around here. More and more employment ads want carpenters that form to finish. Must be a shortage of licensed sub's. GC's are forced into in-housing more work.


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## MitchellInstall (Dec 13, 2010)

I was lucky enough to get an apprenticeship with a cabinet company back in the boom days. They were desperate for good installers, so they provided their best installers with an apprentice, who worked with them for one year learning the trade. The installers got free labor, and after a year, the cabinet company got a trained installer.

Cabinet companies are always looking for assemblers and grunt work guys. Check Craigslist every day. Be prepared to work for pretty low wages for a while.

I will say that if I had it to do over, I would have finished college first. You'll always have that degree.


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## KEPC (Jan 13, 2010)

Greetings Ben

I can relate to you 100%. I was in the last couple of semesters when I felt that I was just going through the motions. Did not really feel like being a desk jockey either, but I stuck it out because it would have been a disservice to my father. My father is an engineer so he always emphasized an education.

Like you, my family was skeptical for obvious reasons--lack of experience, liability, low wages, unstable work, etc.

Joining the union was out of the question for me. I was 24 or so when I finished college and I felt I was too old to start an apprenticeship with a bunch of 18 year olds. 

I bought rental properties and fixed them up. I learned a lot fixing them up and with time i become a lot more efficient. I tried to learn as much as I could in all facets of construction---flooring, drywall, rough carpentry, finish carpentry, masonry, concrete, decks, doors, etc.... After I got a good grasp on them, I tried to specialize In what I really liked---rough carpentry and masonry. 

In retrospect, I should have just signed an agreement with one of the local unions as a union contractor and that would have allowed me to go into the apprenticeship. 

But do finish your studies, if anything change your degree that is related the trades or construction. I am currently enrolled in school and getting another degree in construction and civil engineering technology. It is an accelerated dual bachelor and masters degree in civil engineering

I wish I would have gotten that degree instead of my business degree


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## BC Carpenter (Dec 28, 2010)

i'd agree that finishing school will do nothing but good for you, as well do an apprenticeship if you can find a sponsor.

Regardless of whether you do an apprenticeship or learn on the job, don't be afraid to do a bit of dirty work, you probably will be expected to do a fair bit of labouring when you first start out, as long as you get a chance to learn stuff or move onto the tools within a reasonable time, stick with it if it's a good company and an opportunity is there. 

Even if you get hired on as a labourer somewhere, if they see you are intelligent, hardworking, and have a desire to learn, there is a good chance you'll be put on the tools bit by bit. If you aren't at all, then go somewhere else. That's how I started in construction.


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## Ben_G (Feb 1, 2011)

Thanks for all of the thoughtful responses, guys. I will definitely finish school. It never hurts to have a degree and if I don’t my family will kill me. I am going to look into getting a summer job with a company that does the type of work I am interested in. Hopefully all goes well. 
Also, I would be grateful if you guys could recommend essential tools, materials, and books that I could practice with in the mean time. 
Once again, thank you.


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## BC Carpenter (Dec 28, 2010)

try doing things like building sawhorses, planter boxes, a doghouse, whatever will suit your needs and get you introduced to the work. Just get a skillsaw, speed square, level, maybe a drill, a hammer could always come in useful......start a project, see what you'll need, go and out buy it

for books, there are a lot out there, try your local vocational school, buy one of the textbooks


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## Sasquatch (Mar 26, 2008)

This could help maybe I don't know. But im not recruiting but go either airfoce or navy. You will get the basics of what you are learning including finishing. Also you will get paid. Where i am from there is no work or there is little for some. So i went reserve because they wouldn't take me active unless i went special ops. It wasn't going to happen so I had to go reserve. Just a suggestion though plus with degree you have an immediate promotion. Just check your options first.


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## carpsteve (Mar 19, 2011)

Finish school.Do what you like and what makes you happy. Money or security sounds great unless your not happy. You are young and can do anything you put your mind to, Believe me the options are not as open once you have a family, mortgage, ect. Good luck


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## mgb (Oct 31, 2008)

finish your schooling.

I never wanted to be a desk jockey either. I agree with BC Carpenter, start working with your hands and building things. Its something I have done as soon as I became a teenager.

You'd most likely have to work your way up, starting out helping framers/labouring. Which isn't a bad thing, It'll show quickly if this is something you really want to do for a living.


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## SAW.co (Jan 2, 2011)

STAY IN SCHOOL:clap:
I grew up wanting to be a carpenter never went to college I went straight to work. Hell I had three summers experience before I was 18. 
Oh I'm a good carpenter, but I did not know anything about business. 
To make a long story short I really should have stayed in school at least long enough to take a little business & accounting.
MAY THE LUCK OF THE IRISH BE WITH YA:thumbsup:


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## jpframing1 (Mar 6, 2011)

Just go to a book keeper every 3 months. you'll be ok


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

Your family discouraged you from being a carpenter? I would tell my family to shove it if they did that. That's not right, telling someone what to do with their career, family or not. 

I started out in a carpentry program at a community college. They taught basic shop class and had the students build an entire house. Have you searched your area for trade schools?


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

jpframing1 said:


> dont need to take a class to become a framing carpenter. I think that class is shi-. You will start off as labor anyway cause you really anit built anything. Waste of money for that class. Becoming a real framing carpenter take a couple of yrs. And never be afraid to do some framing u cant do. Tell your boss you want do it and for him to exsplain to u how do it .and always be welling to learn. Be that guy, ill do it.


I took a class, I didn't start out as a laborer. Why do you say "class is shi-", did you take a class and have a bad experience? I got a lot out of my class.


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## Bweikel (Feb 20, 2011)

KennMacMoragh said:


> I took a class, I didn't start out as a laborer. Why do you say "class is shi-", did you take a class and have a bad experience? I got a lot out of my class.


Some people ate not just opened minded and have different opinions. Some people just came up the old school way and may not believe or understand any different way of coming up.


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## jpframing1 (Mar 6, 2011)

No never took a class just for constrution work jus think collage is a waste of time. Just dont need collage for construction. And still can make a better living that someone that went to collage thats it no hard feelings


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## Bweikel (Feb 20, 2011)

jpframing1 said:


> No never took a class just for constrution work jus think collage is a waste of time. Just dont need collage for construction. And still can make a better living that someone that went to collage thats it no hard feelings


Me neither I didn't even finish high school. Went straight to work but everybody has there own way of doing things and there own opinion


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## jpframing1 (Mar 6, 2011)

agree very true


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## the rock (Feb 27, 2011)

Im sure your a nice guy but your 25 and have no kraft skills at all? You have been out of HS for 7 years.I remember stealing my old mans tools and building forts in the woods when I was 9 yrs old.Are you sure this is what you want?


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## William James (Mar 5, 2010)

the rock said:


> Im sure your a nice guy but your 25 and have no kraft skills at all? You have been out of HS for 7 years.I remember stealing my old mans tools and building forts in the woods when I was 9 yrs old.Are you sure this is what you want?


I don't disagree with you totally. It is an uphill climb. Some things to take into consideration is experience, age. Whose to say this guy isn't MacGuyver. Maybe he can pull a penny out of your arse and make a copper pipe. :whistling

Seriously, I started in the trades at 24. It's definitely an uphill climb (especially once you get married and have kids), but if you have a thirst for knowledge and a great work ethic then you'll do fine. Like others have said, get a general knowledge/experience from multiple sources. Be smart, learn what to do. But more importantly learn what not to do.

You'll be alright. Just work harder, smarter, and learn more than the next guy. Some people learn a little then stop, because they think they know it all. Keep going!
If you're lazy though, see above...


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Buy a tool belt with a speed square, hammer, nail pullers, chisel, nail sets, tape measure, chalk line, and a key hole saw. That should get you started, later invest in a skill saw, sawzall, air compresser and nail guns. The more tools you have ( and know how how to use) the more your worth. 

Get your tool belt, put on some work boots, pack a lunch and drive around to jobsites. Look for a crew with decent looking tools, and a well kept jobsite, and tell the boss your ready to start at the bottom. He'll probably tell you to drop the tool belt and hump material and or grab a shovel. I would start out with framing if possible. Good luck, JAW


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Buy a tool belt with a speed square, hammer, nail pullers, chisel, nail sets, tape measure, chalk line, and a key hole saw. That should get you started, later invest in a skill saw, sawzall, air compresser and nail guns. The more tools you have ( and know how how to use) the more your worth. 

Get your tool belt, put on some work boots, pack a lunch and drive around to jobsites. Look for a crew with decent looking tools, and a well kept jobsite, and tell the boss your ready to start at the bottom. He'll probably tell you to drop the tool belt and hump material and or grab a shovel. I would start out with framing if possible. Good luck, JAW


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