Almost all construction projects employ carpenters, the largest group of building trade workers.
Carpenters perform a variety of jobs.
In home building, carpenters build the house framework, frame the roof and interior partitions, and install doors, windows, flooring, cabinets, wood paneling, and molding and trim. Other construction jobs done by carpenters include building forms for placing concrete, erecting, scaffolding, and building bridges, piers, trestles, tunnel supports, temporary shelters, and cofferdams. The duties of carpenters vary by type of employer. A carpenter employed by a special trade contractor, for example, may specialize in setting forms for concrete construction, while one who is employed by a general building contractor may perform many tasks, such as framing walls and partitions, putting in doors and windows, and installing paneling. Although each carpentry task is somewhat different, most tasks involve the following steps.