Wood, Furniture and Musical Instruments

Woodwork

• noun: the activity or skill of making things from wood.

Crafting with wood requires different methods of working, and produces different end results. 

Wood working is an ancient craft. It has been, and continues to be, used in construction, in design, and in the arts. Buildings, boats, furniture, decorations, utensils, musical instruments – the list of products is long, and as diverse as the woods used.

Hardwoods (such as birch, elm, oak and maple) and softwoods (cedar, pine, spruce) have different strengths and densities, producing distinct results. The properties of each wood and tree – from the grain and figure of the wood, to tree burrs, colours within, and wood fibres – mean that every crafted wood item is unique.

Some wood makers work on their own, others in collectives or for larger companies. Traditional and contemporary techniques such as woodturning (on a lathe), carving, whittling, piercing, and sawing are used, as are finishing methods such as sanding, weathering, and varnishing.

Craft Scotland represent some three hundred craft makers who work with wood - from boat builders and musical instrument makers to furniture and decor designers and jewellers.

Craft Scotland Wood and Furniture Maker Profiles

Featured Wood and Furniture Film