What’s the Difference Between …?

Is there any difference between a carpenter and a cabinet maker? Yes, there is, just as there is a difference between a blacksmith and a goldsmith. What follows is an explanation of the difference between a carpenter and a cabinet maker, and how this difference came about.

For most of history the most plentiful and versatile raw material has been wood. As societies became more advanced, the variety and complexity of what was produced increased, and the number of specialized woodworking trades grew. Carpentry dates back to the dawn of civilization. By the middle ages there were coopers, wheelwrights, boat builders, luthiers, wainwrights, and basket weavers, to name just a few. Cabinet making, as a distinct trade, came about in the 16^th century. Before there were cabinet makers, buildings contained few pieces of furniture. Tables, chairs, benches, chests, and beds were made by carpenters and joiners. Furniture for wealthy customers was embellished with carving and sometimes painted or, on occasion, gilded.

In the late Renaissance a new form, the cabinet, was the height of sophistication in both design and construction. Before long, almost all fine furniture was being made by cabinet makers. Since that time, the various woodworking trade names have remained more or less unchanged.

By looking at how a stately historic house came together, we can get a sense of the role played by different woodworking trades.

Carpenters built the framing, floors, and the roof structure. Carpenters might have also have made some of the utilitarian furniture, such as work tables and stools for the kitchen and out buildings. Carpenters were also, to some extent, structural engineers who were skilled in ensuring that the building could withstand all of the loads imposed by gravity and nature.

Joiners (often called finish carpenters today) built interior molding, door casings, paneling, mantelpieces, stair cases, and doors.  They also made the windows, shutters and exterior decorative elements.  They might have worked with turners (who did lathe work) to produce balusters, and with carvers for both interior and exterior adornments.  Joiners might also have built some of the plainer pieces of furniture.

Cabinet makers built the fine furniture. This could include book cases, armoires, writing desks, collector’s cabinets, gaming tables, a dining table, chairs, chests of drawers, and side tables. The owner’s wealth, status, and taste would determine how impressive the pieces were and how many were commissioned.

So, to summarize, first came carpenters; then there were carpenters and joiners.  Finally there were (and still are) carpenters, joiners, and cabinet makers.  “Cabinet maker” and “furniture maker” are synonyms, with one exception:  Since the early 20^th century, companies that manufacture built-ins such as kitchen, closet, and garage cabinets often refer to themselves as cabinet makers.