Carpenter. Cabinet Maker. Joiner. Shopfitter. What's The Difference?
Introduction
So, it’s time. You want some new joinery. You are now ready to get a new kitchen, have the office fitted out properly or maybe even your multi-residential development has progressed to the point where you need to get the joinery elements finalised. It’s time to think about where the joinery will go and the function it will serve. It’s time to think about the look and feel of the joinery. It’s time to find someone you can trust to bring what’s in your head or on paper to life. But where do you start?
No matter the trade, qualified carpenters, cabinet makers, joiners and shopfitters have all undertaken training over several years (the average is four) to equip themselves with the requisite skillsets of their chosen field. Whilst these trades all work with wood (or timber as it’s referred to in the trade), there are differences in what each of them does with timber and the final product they produce. In short however, it comes down to the accuracy and refinement of the final product produced by the various trades that set them apart.
Carpenters
Carpenters work on “macro” components of woodwork, that is to say, they focus on large elements of construction projects. Think house framing, cladding or even hanging doors, fixing architraves and skirting; these works are all undertaken by a carpenter.
Carpenters will also work with external elements of a building such as the cladding, building decks and pergolas. What is most different between carpenters and the other trades on this list however is that they build their products from the raw materials on site, in situ whereas the others will have as much of the project as possible made in a factory, which will then be delivered to site for installation.
Cabinet Makers
Carpenters work on “macro” components of woodwork, that is to say, they focus on large elements of construction projects. Think house framing, cladding or even hanging doors, fixing architraves and skirting; these works are all undertaken by a carpenter.
Carpenters will also work with external elements of a building such as the cladding, building decks and pergolas. What is most different between carpenters and the other trades on this list however is that they build their products from the raw materials on site, in situ whereas the others will have as much of the project as possible made in a factory, which will then be delivered to site for installation.
These days in Australia cabinet makers have a wide variety of materials to choose from but principally use melamine-covered chipboard and medium-density fibre (MDF) board that is either wrapped in embossed paper or painted to create their products. Cabinet makers also use laminated board products for benchtops and desks.
Cabinet makers believe in building as much of the project as possible off-site as the variables are much easier to control, making for a smoother process and better quality cabinets. To make their products cabinet makers will use technologies such as computer-aided design (CAD) software to draw and render the kitchen in 3D and computer. Many cabinetmakers use the latest in computer numerical control (CNC) machines to cut their board, providing fast, accurate, precise and replicable pieces, which is critical for an efficient process and quality finish.
Joiners & Shopfitters
Both joiners and shopfitters can be considered sub-sets of cabinet making, in that they by and large are creating the same products and using the same materials. What sets them apart however is “how” the projects are built and “where” they are used.
Joiners
A good joiner will consider themselves a true artisan and take immense pride in the quality of finish that they produce. This is because joiners use an absoluteminimum of mechanical fixings to create their pieces. Nails, screws and bolts can usually be seen in the finished product and have to be covered up. These fixings are avoided in the craft of joinery and are instead substituted with very precise measurements, tightly interlocking joints such as mortise and tenon and dovetails and good old PVA glue. Amazingly, a joinery piece when constructed correctly will actually be stronger than its cabinet maker-built counterpart.
If you are looking for high-quality, bespoke pieces for your project where truly beautiful methods of construction are employed then you should absolutely engage the services of a joiner.
Shopfitters
minimum of mechanical fixings to create their pieces. Nails, screws and bolts can usually be seen in the finished product and have to be covered up. These fixings are avoided in the craft of joinery and are instead substituted with very precise measurements, tightly interlocking joints such as mortise and tenon and dovetails and good old PVA glue. Amazingly, a joinery piece when constructed correctly will actually be stronger than its cabinet maker-built counterpart.
If you are looking for high-quality, bespoke pieces for your project where truly beautiful methods of construction are employed then you should absolutely engage the services of a joiner.
Conclusion
The timber elements of builds require different skills to ensure the right finish is achieved, and it is critical to think carefully about whom you engage and more broadly who can do it the cheapest. A body of work and references should always be provided and it is always a good idea to meet with the tradesperson “on their own turf” to inspect any showrooms and/or factories as these will usually give you the truest indication of their cleanliness and quality of finish. You can read more about choosing the right trade in our article, “6 Tips To Selecting A Cabinet Maker”.
The good news is that no matter the build, if you are
working with the internal elements of any project Arete Joinery has the right team to get the job done for you. Our team not only consists of cabinet makers but also qualified carpenters, joiners and shopfitters. We are the proverbial one-stop shop- for multi-residential cabinet making, commercial joinery fit-outs and single-dwelling projects Arete Joinery has the knowledge and experience to get the job done for you. Contact us today to see how we can help with your upcoming build.
Builders and developers are well advised seek the support of a specialist cabinet maker / joiner when they are engaged by clients looking to achieve a high end finish or looking for a level of joinery to set themselves apart from the competition in their own projects.