Carpentry Tips

When marking where you need to cut on a piece of wood don’t just use a simple line. Use an arrow that will point to the place where you need to cut.

When staining wood, always go with the grain. This will make for a much cleaner looking finished product.

Be weary of glue. If you have glued to pieces of wood together, make sure you wipe up all of the glue that oozed out. If you miss any glue it will affect the final painting or staining of the job.

The old cliché “measure twice, cut once” is just as important today as it was years ago when someone first said it.

Carpentry is a trade that you will always be learning. Get your hands on as many books and training videos as you possibly can. Each thing you learn will make you a better carpenter.

Practice first. If you are using a new technique or tool allow yourself the time to practice with some scrap wood first. This way, any mistakes you make will happen there and not on the final product.

When “swinging a hammer” its better for your arm if the majority of the movement comes from the wrist instead of the whole arm.

Have all the tools you need for a job ready to go with you, as well as a few you might not need. It is better to have too many tools then to get to the job site and realize you do not have something that you really needed.

Protect your eyes and ears with proper safety equipment. Safety goggles and ear plugs are a must when working.

Keeping your tools stored and cared for properly lessens the chance of an accident. A “dull” saw blade is actually more dangerous then a well sharpened one. Keep your blades sharp!

When hammering in a nail, start with a few light, controlled taps to get the nail set. Once the nail is about a third into the material, you can hammer with more force to drive it in. By tapping it in first, you reduce the chance of the nail flying out after a hammer blow and possibly causing bodily harm or just frustration as you have to bend down to pick up the nail and start over.