The Complete Guide to Becoming a Carpenter

Pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024 (reviewed May 2026). Time and cost: licensing requirements, US sample. Estimate your pay →

What does a carpenter do?

What a carpenter does day-to-day

• Finish carpentry

  Carpentry that is visible when the project is done: trim, crown molding, baseboards, doors, cabinets. Requires precision and finish-quality work.
• Rough carpentry

  Structural and framing work that is later covered: walls, floors, roof framing. Rough carpenters build the skeleton of a building.
• Framing

  The structural skeleton of a building: walls, floors, roof. Framing carpenters lay out and build with lumber or engineered wood; work must meet building codes.
• Crown molding

  Decorative trim where the wall meets the ceiling. Crown molding adds visual finish to a room; installation is a common finish carpentry task.
• Journeyman carpenter

  A carpenter who has completed an apprenticeship (typically 3–4 years) and can work independently. Journeyman carpenters handle framing, trim, cabinetry, and general construction. Certification requirements vary by state and union.
• Composite decking

  An engineered alternative to wood decking made from a mix of wood fibers and plastic polymers. Composite boards resist rot, insects, and fading better than natural wood and require almost no maintenance (no staining or sealing). However, they cost 50–100% more upfront ($6–$12 per sq ft vs $3–$6 for pressure-treated wood). Popular brands include Trex, TimberTech, and Fiberon.
• Shiplap

  A type of wooden wall cladding where boards are rabbeted so they overlap and create a distinctive horizontal line pattern. Originally used for exteriors and barns, shiplap has become a popular interior accent wall treatment. Installation costs $4–$8 per square foot for materials and labor. Can be installed by a carpenter or an experienced handyman.
• Pocket door

  A door that slides into a compartment built inside the adjacent wall rather than swinging on hinges. Pocket doors save valuable floor space — they require zero swing clearance, making them ideal for small bathrooms, closets, pantries, and rooms where a swinging door would block traffic flow or bump into furniture. The door rides on a top-mounted track with rollers and has no bottom rail, gliding over the floor. Installation requires building a special pocket frame within the wall cavity — this frame replaces a section of standard stud framing and cannot contain electrical, plumbing, or load-bearing elements. Retrofitting a pocket door into an existing wall is significantly more complex and expensive ($800–$2,500) than installing one during new construction ($300–$800). Common issues include: the door jumping off its track (worn rollers or bent track), difficulty latching (misaligned strike plate), rattling inside the pocket (missing bumpers), and the wall flexing when the door is pushed (inadequate framing). Repairs typically require removing the door trim to access the track and hardware. A carpenter or handyman can handle most pocket door repairs.
• Egress window

  A window large enough to serve as an emergency exit, required by building code (IRC R310) in every room used for sleeping — including finished basements. Minimum size requirements: at least 5.7 square feet of clear opening area, with a minimum width of 20 inches and minimum height of 24 inches. The window sill must be no more than 44 inches above the finished floor. Basement egress windows also require a window well — an excavated area outside the foundation wall — that is at least 9 square feet with a minimum horizontal dimension of 36 inches. If the well is deeper than 44 inches, a permanently affixed ladder or steps are required. Egress windows are not optional — they are a life-safety requirement that fire departments rely on for rescue access. Adding an egress window to an existing basement typically costs $2,500–$5,000 (including cutting the foundation, installing the window well, and the window itself). A building permit is always required. This is a common requirement when finishing a basement into a bedroom, home office, or rental unit.
• Hardwood refinishing

  The process of sanding down the existing finish on solid hardwood floors to bare wood, then applying new stain (optional) and protective coats of polyurethane, oil, or wax. Refinishing restores the appearance of scratched, dull, or worn floors without the cost and disruption of full replacement. A typical hardwood floor can be refinished 3–5 times over its lifespan, depending on the thickness of the wear layer (at least 3/4" thick for multiple refinishes). The process involves three main phases: sanding (using progressively finer grits from 36 to 120), staining (if changing color), and finishing (2–3 coats of polyurethane with drying time between coats). Total project time is 3–5 days for an average room, with 24–48 hours of dry time before furniture can be returned. Cost: $3–$8 per square foot, compared to $8–$14 per square foot for new hardwood installation. Dustless sanding systems have reduced but not eliminated dust — plastic sheeting over doorways is still recommended. Engineered hardwood with a thin veneer (less than 2mm) usually cannot be sanded and refinished.

Career transitions into Carpenter

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