Woodworking is an in-depth skill that can take 5-6 months to properly master, particularly when learning by yourself without expert support. However, taking a guided course and practicing regularly (including an hour or two a day on the weekends) can speed up your learning time. Furthermore, experience with other crafting techniques, like sculpting, may also help you learn.
As a result, mastering woodworking may come at different speeds for everyone. In fact, some people may take more than a year to feel comfortable enough to handle this skill. So, don’t give up if you can’t make perfect wooden projects in just a few weeks or months of training! Instead, read the following information to learn more about how to master this process more effectively.
What is Woodworking?
Did you know that people have been woodworking for over 10,000 years? In fact, there’s evidence that ancient Egyptians had already mastered many of the skills that carpenters take for granted today. This makes woodworking one of the most established crafting techniques in the world, with methods that have been fine-tuned and improved immeasurably over the eons.Â
But what exactly does this skill include? Woodworkers or carpenters measure, cut, sand, and shape wood using various techniques. Theoretically, you could chop down a full-grown tree, process it properly, cut the wood into boards, and create furniture, picture frames, bookshelves, and even art yourself. The fact that trees can be regrown makes woodworking an environmentally safe skill that can cut down on non-renewable materials such as plastic.Â
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Benefits of Learning Woodworking?
Here’s a fact that not everybody knows: working with your hands (such as creating furniture out of wood) can improve your coordination, increase your strength, and even enhance your emotional health. That’s because people like to create things and stretch their imaginations in this way. Woodworking gives you the ability to do just that and receive many benefits.Â
Even better, learning woodworking may expand your friendship circle. How? Woodworking is often a very social experience such as how farmers get together to raise a barn in a single day. Thankfully, many woodworking social groups are available across the nation, which gives you plenty of opportunities to meet new people and become a better carpenter.Â
Learning woodworking can also be financially rewarding as a full-time career or side hustle. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average woodworker can make around $48,000 a year or just over $23 an hour. That said, your earning potential may be higher depending on where you live and how seriously you take your woodworking.
Average Time It Takes to Learn Woodworking
Mastering woodworking isn’t something that most people can do overnight. It’s a complex and in-depth skill that requires months of learning. On average, it should take most people about 5-6 months of regular practice to feel comfortable practicing woodworking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that it might take years to become a fully accomplished woodworker.Â
That said, learning a new skill can be a lifetime process for many people. For example, even professional carpenters need regular practice to work effectively. They may even get outside training to improve their skills further such as learning new and more advanced techniques. In reality, your time may vary depending on your expectations and what you want to do with it.Â
For example, if you’re interested in a full-time carpentry career, it might take 1-2 years to feel comfortable with your job. That said, if you simply want to make simple projects like small tables and frames, you can probably learn all you need to know in a few months. Note: some claim it takes 10,000 hours of practice to master a skill. This idea is not a rule but a simple guideline to keep in mind when learning woodworking.Â
Other Factors
There are many unique factors that can affect how quickly you master woodworking. Some may be within your control, while others are issues you can’t do much to manage. As a result, it’s important to pay attention to the following ideas to gauge your progress. So, if you still don’t feel comfortable with woodworking after a year, you may simply need a little more time and practice.
Previous Experience
Have you worked with wood or other materials in the past? Any experience with hands-on crafting may speed up your learning process. Why? Many of the same skills (such as measuring, designing, and crafting projects) are similar between these different practices. As a result, experience with art or crafting is a definite plus that may improve your technique.
Skill with Hands
Some people are simply more coordinated and skilled with their hands than others. They may pick up on things quickly that other people must practice multiple times to master. That doesn’t mean you can’t become a great woodworker! Instead, you might just need to work harder at it to improve, including practicing simple techniques several times until you’re comfortable.
Personal Learning Speed
Are you someone who learns quickly and can continually move on from previously learned information? Or do you need time to absorb new ideas and practice them before moving onto a new task? Your personal learning speed will dictate how quickly you master woodworking. So, don’t get frustrated if a friend masters it faster! Take your time to fully comprehend each lesson.
What You Want to Achieve
Previously, we briefly touched on the importance of knowing what you want to achieve with your woodworking. Simply put, professional woodworkers may need years of training and apprenticeship before they’re fully competent. Weekend warriors or those who want to do simpler projects may only need a few months of training to feel comfortable.
What to Know Before Learning Woodworking:Â
Before you sign up for a woodworking class or buy any materials, it’s important to understand a few basic facts. The points below highlight things that you should consider before learning any skill. After all, mastering woodworking is a significant time investment! Gauging the three points below will help you understand whether woodworking is a smart thing for you to learn:
- Level of Difficulty: Woodworking difficulty can vary depending on what you want to learn, but it’s best classed as an intermediate skill. That’s because you need to spend time learning basic techniques to use for more advanced techniques such as crafting more extensive projects. That said, we think just about anybody can master this skill given enough time and energy.
- Prerequisites: It’s important to progress through your training logically, including learning basic skills like measuring, cutting, and sanding first. Prior experience with tools is useful, though you’ll gain that as you practice. That said, there are no minimum requirements for learning this skill: many skilled carpenters learn on-the-job and have no more than a high school degree.
- Cost: The price of your learning experience may vary depending on what you want to achieve. That said, it will typically cost between $300 and $5,000 in expenses. Why this wide range? Well, you’ll need to buy materials like wood, saws, pencils, saw horses, and drills to get started. This investment isn’t too bad if you master woodworking and practice it after finishing your training.
Can I Learn Woodworking for Free / on My Own?
Yes, it’s possible to learn woodworking on your own by buying guides, watching free videos, or simply experimenting with wood and tools and seeing what happens. However, we strongly recommend that you take guided courses with a skilled carpenter to avoid making common mistakes. CourseHorse provides many in-depth classes that discuss important carpentry skills. These courses include online programs that teach you basic woodworking techniques, as well as in-person options in cities like New York and Los Angeles. Though they’ll cost more than watching YouTube videos, they provide live professors, guided lesson plans, and may even cover your material expenses. Those benefits make woodworking courses a smart investment.
Key Takeaways
- Woodworking is an important skill that provides many unique benefitsÂ
- Learning woodworking requires time, patients, and a significant personal investmentÂ
- Mastering this skill can help you make more money in a new careerÂ
- Average learning times may vary depending on your previous experienceÂ
- Hands-on woodworking projects can improve your emotional healthÂ
- Free woodworking courses are available but limited in what they offer you
- You can contact CourseHorse to identify online, in-person, or private group courses