This is a very solid introduction to carpentry techniques. It provides an understanding of most aspects of carpentry that are important for developing practical skills as a handyman, landscaper, property manager, farmer or other such situations.

Learn about working with wood in landscaping, building construction, furniture making, fencing or any other application.

This course is not a substitute for the practical instruction one might obtain over a long apprenticeship, internship or other such experience; but it does provide a balanced and broad understanding of wood work; exploring the broad range of applications; and in doing so, complements and enhances the development of your knowledge about carpentry

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Scope and Nature of Carpentry
   • Understanding Wood
   • Resistance to Rot, Fire
   • Defects in Timber
   • Turning Trees into Timber
   • Ways of Cutting Logs
   • Shrinkage Effects
   • Seasoning Timber
   • Moisture content of Wood
   • Stress Grading
   • Types of Wood
   • Types of Composites
   • Buying Timber

2. Carpentry Tools, Equipment, Materials and Safety
   • Hand Tools -saws, hammers, chisels drills, planes,screwdrivers, other tools
   • Power Tools -nail guns, saws, electric drills, planer, sander, router
   • Materials -sandpaper, steel wool, nails, wood screws, glues, wood filler
   • Safety
   • Tool Maintenance
   • Sharpening techniqes
   • Sharpening tools -planes, chisels, saws
   • Cutting and Joining Timber
   • Storage -tool boxes
   • Hiring tools

3. Cutting and Joining Timber
   • Types of joints -edge, butt,angled, mitres, framing, dovetail, mortise and tenon, housing joints, halving joints, etc.
   • Nails
   • Screws
   • Staples, bolts, connectors, straps, corrugated fasteners, glues
   • Glue blocks, dowels,biscuts, splines
   • Cutting and shaping timber

4. Small Carpentry Projects
   • Hanging tools on a wall
   • The work bench
   • Making a work bench
   • Making a simple 2 door cupboard
   • Making a coffee table
   • Making a bookcase

5. Outside Construction
   • Choosing timber
   • Pests -termites
   • Timber preservatives
   • Keeping timber off the ground
   • Using timber in the garden
   • Recycled timbers
   • Outdoor furniture
   • Building a wood deck
   • Building a wood fence
   • Where to build in the garden
   • Constructing a wall with railway sleepers

6. Constructing Small Buildings
   • Types of foundations
   • Framing
   • Roofing
   • Building a wooden cabin
   • Building a wood gazebo
   • Building a cubby house

7. Understanding House Construction
   • Timber framed buildings
   • Timber floors
   • Doors and door frames
   • Door Construction
   • Door frames
   • Architraves and skirting
   • Windows and frames-sash, sliding sash, casement, pivot, slat
   • Roofs -single, double, trussed,etc

8. Handyman Repair Work
   • Fitting a lock
   • Repairing a sash window
   • Fitting aqnd hanging doors
   • Hanging a cupboard door
   • Form work for concrete foundations
   • Relaying floorboards
   • Resurfacing timber floors
   • Repairing a broken ledge and brace gate

9. Finishing Wood
   • Creating smooth surfaces -using a plane, sanding, etc.
   • Paints, stains and varnishes
   • Polyurethane
   • Shellac
   • French polishing
   • Stains
   • Paints -defects in painted surfaces, repaitning
   • Veneering
   • Preparing outdoor surfaces
   • Tips for outdoor finishes

10.  Planning and Setting Out a Project
    • Setting out
    • Making a setting out rod
    • Introduction to technical or trade drawing
    • Drawing instruments
    • Types of drawings -plans, sections, elevations, etc
    • setting out a technical drawing
    • Building regulations
    • Measuring up
    • Working out quantities
    • Preparing and surveying a site for construction

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

• Describe the scope and nature of carpentry; differentiate between different timber products, and discuss the appropriate use of each.
• Describe all significant carpentry tools and identify appropriate uses for each. Identify and manage risk in a carpentry workplace.
• Describe a range of different techniques for cutting wood in a variety of different situations.
• Describe and compare different techniques for joining wood.
• Undertake a small carpentry project.
• Explain construction of different things in an outdoor situation with wood; including fences, furniture and retaining walls
• Explain the construction of different types of small buildings which are constructed mainly with wood; including garden sheds, gazebos and cubbies.
• Explain a range of common carpentry tasks that a handyman may need to undertake in routine maintenance and repair work.
• Explain a range of different techniques for finishing wood.
• Determine an appropriate approach for planning a timber construction project.
• Explain how a site should be set out in preparation for a construction project.