What is a Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter?

Occupation Description 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.

What Do Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters Do On a Daily Basis?

• Trim, sand, or scrape surfaces or joints to prepare articles for finishing.
• Attach parts or subassemblies together to form completed units, using glue, dowels, nails, screws, or clamps.
• Match materials for color, grain, or texture, giving attention to knots or other features of the wood.
• Reinforce joints with nails or other fasteners to prepare articles for finishing.
• Draw up detailed specifications and discuss projects with customers.
• Program computers to operate machinery.

What Every Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter Should Know

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

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.

Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Types of Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter Jobs

• Harpsichord Maker
• Woodworking Bench Carpenter
• Pipe Organ Builder
• Wood Cabinetmaker
• Experimental Box Tester

Are There Job Opportunities for Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters?

In the United States, there were 109,300 jobs for Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 2.3% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 2,500 new jobs for Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter by 2026. The BLS estimates 11,500 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter are Utah, Nevada, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, New Mexico, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for a Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter

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

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters who work in Hawaii, Rhode Island, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.

How much do Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters make in each U.S. state?

What Tools & Technology 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:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Outlook
• Data entry software
• Microsoft Windows
• Autodesk AutoCAD
• Computer aided design CAD software
• Computerized maintenance management system CMMS

How do I Become a Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter?

What kind of Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter requirements are there?

What work experience do I need to become a Cabinetmaker or Bench Carpenter?

References:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• College Factual
• O*NET Online

Image Credit: Airman 1st Class Sadie Colbert via Public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.