The kind of the Math , the the carpenters are using in their daily wood techniques , is a timeless question , which causes maybe fear to the new woodworkers , who want to start a woodworking hobby .

I know from my school years as you know also , that people “fear” mathematics in general , even if there is no reason for that . If you start from the beginning and try not to have knowledge “gaps” during the years , maths aren’t so hard , as you may imagine .

I also know , that when you are about to enter this astonishing hobby , the woodworking hobby/activity you may imagine that , because of maths woodworking is maybe hard to learn .

No, no, no . Woodworking isn’t hard to learn and everyone can be a very good woodworker .

If you can carry and act with the totally basic woodworking tool which is the hand saw and you can walk into forests for wood ( always keeping the safety measures ) , you are already a woodworker .

If you can have a hand saw , some nails – pins , a hammer and some wood glue which are the basic equipment , you can create your first woodworking project , in a glimpse .

So don’t be “afraid” for the kind of maths you’ll need to use , to be a carpenter .

The maths the carpenters are using mostly in their daily woodworking activities and jobs , are the basic for the totally amateurs or new to the woodworking hobby , and a little more advanced (but not too tough) for the professional carpenter , who has the woodworking as a job .

The basic mathematic knowledge is just fine for the hobbyist woodworker and a little more advanced for the totally professional carpenter would be the case i here , in order to be a good professional . Nothing more , nothing more scary .

Two kinds of carpenters , different levels of math knowledge , but both need the Basic Math .

As you can imagine , we can separate the people acting with the woodworking activity , into the :

1) Hobbyists – more amateurs – more “relaxed” woodworkers .

2) Totally professionals .

Both of them , need to know and use the basic math knowledge , but the professionals need to know and use alittle more advanced maths . If you are a professional woodworker , you have clients to satisfy and these clients , pay you , their “sweet” money .

Both , hobbyists and professionals , should know the basic mathematics knowledge and this maths are the maths , a 8 – 9 years old school kid knows .

If you know the maths , you learned in the first couple of your school years , you can create yourself very fine woodworking projects and see in action , that woodworking isn’t hard at all .

What Kind of Maths , an amateur – hobbyist Carpenter , should know ?

The basic maths you should know is the 4 mathematic operations , which are the columns of all the mathematics .

You should know how to :

a) Add numbers with addition .

b) Subtract numbers , with subtraction .

c) Multiply numbers , with multiplication .

d) Divide numbers , with division .

If you know and do fine with these 4 basic math operations , you won’t have any theme , for your creations as an amateur – hobbyist woodworker .

Amateur carpenter , should know how to add numbers , in order to organize well his wood board / pieces cuts and don’t waste wood .

For example , if you need 3 wood pieces of 1 meter , 1 meter and 0.90 meter , it’s better to use 3 different wood pieces with lengths close to the 1 meter , than to use a 2 boards of 2m meter lengths .

The 2×2 meter board will be needed maybe , for bigger plans . Why “waste” them , if you can do the job with the smaller ones ?

So , you should know well , to add and subtract numbers , in order to organize your wood cuts , the best way possible , with “economy” .

The same applies with the multiply and division , math operations . If you have 1 wood piece and you want to see how many smaller you can cut from it , the division operation is necessary . And of course the opposite , applies the same .

The 4 math Operations are the basic math and don’t Let the decimals , scare you .

I want to mention in here that most of the times , you’ll face numbers for math operations , having 1 or more decimals . These numbers may frighten you a little , but don’t be afraid .

If you cannot make your math operations in the paper and you don’t have a calculator near you , your smartphone , has one .

The 4 basic math operations , are the columns and the basic math for your woodworking projects as an amateur woodworker . Yes , if you know as an extra knowledge , about angle degrees and a little of trigonometry , it will help you more .

If you can also , measure and mark different kinds of angles using the goniometer , for your angle cuts and wood shaping , even better . The diabetes – divider is also very easy to use ( it’s a primary school element ) and it’s nice to have it , with your other woodworking tools .

Of course , the good knowledge of these 4 basic math operations , will help you the most , when you buy your supplies from the stores and choose what is cheap and what seems to be cheap .

It’s always useful to know , how you can count the total weight of your wood supplies , to compare the weights and its prices from several stores and all the measuring costs you’ll face , when you decide to buy wood from the stores .

If you know and be very “comfortable” with these 4 basic math operations , you’ll never face problems , no matter how many decimals or whatever else , you’ll deal with .

Extra tip for your measurements :

If you can have and supply one of these very helpful scientific calculators , your life will be more easy for sure . Many times you’ll need to convert numbers of differen measurement units and most of the times these numbers , will have decimals .

The scientific calculator can do the appropriate conversions , for you with the push of some buttons and with 100% , accuracy .

If you are also learn to use , the very helpful digital woodworking tool which checks the verticality and straightness , you’ll need to convert numbers very often .

Maths will help you to measure wood correctly .

Except the good knowledge you should have with the 4 math operations , another very basic skill you should have , develop and be very cautious with it , is the correct and accurate measuring of your wood .

Accuracy , accuracy , accuracy is the “name of the game” in here and if you don’t measure right your wooden surfaces , your wood projects will have serious issues .

Be very careful while you are measuring your wood and before you cut it , always double-check the cutting lengths .

If you cut wrong , then it’ll be too late . Only GOD can restore your wrong cutted wood in its primary form , so be very careful and always use good metric tools and a nice quality’s carpenter’s pencil .

Your carpenter’s pencil should be always very nice sharpened , in order to have a pointed edge and you can mark “surgically” .

Some Metric Problems and their Solutions .

Some serious enough metric problems , you’ll probably find in your way to create your wood plans , is the different metric systems , every continent has , around the globe .

I’m sure that you know that we have different units of measurement accordingly the place you live in our beautiful earth . We have meters , feet , inches , cm , mm , et,c and if you put in there the decimals “issue” , you may get scared .

But again , don’t be scared . I should tell you that i had in my beginning the same kind of “themes” , but i solved them during time .

All the metric , ( retractacle , folding )tapes have above them , the types of measurement units , you’ll need for your calculations . All the metric tapes have on both of their sides , the lengths in inches , feet , cm e.tc .

If you cannot buy and have a scientific calculator , which has whatever measurement unit , you can imagine , buy a metric tape with 5 bucks and your “job , is done .

Be a little cautious when you read the decimals , above the metric tape and you won’t miss a tiny inch , feet or whatever else .

Extra tip for your cuttings – measuring .

Be very cautious and give your biggest attention , while you are measuring your wood boards – pieces , in order to make a wooden box , a wood chair , or anything and you want to join them .

Always Measure the thickness and count it , to the Total length .

Always measure the thickness of the wood boards and count this thickness length to the total length of your woodworking project . If you don’t count it , your total length will be bigger and maybe awry , than you have expected .

If you want this wood plan of yours to fit exactly to a shelf or whatever and you don’t count the thickness of your several pieces , your project will be longer and won’t fit inside the place you want to put it .

This is a very common mistake the new woodworkers do and i have done it so many times , in my early days .

The same applies for the circled wood pieces . Measure them with your caliper , very carefully and add their dimensions to your total design . Always count and have in your mind , the parameter of the thickness of your wood pieces .

See some nice calipers i’ve picked for you to buy and maesure accurate thickness in , HERE .

You should also know as a woodworker , that even if you are an amateur carpenter , you are also an engineer .

While you are measuring , counting , cutting and visualizing your wood plan to make , you think and act as an engineer . You imagine your construction and you use the engineer DNA , all humans have from the day one , on this earth .

You think that the “first” humans beings , made their primitive houses using knowledge from universities ? Kind of difficult(!) , some million years ago .

The engineer – mechanic instict is in our DNA “sculptured” very hard and all engineers have the maths and calculations in their DNA codes .

What kind of maths the Professional carpenter , should know .

In here the situation is kind of more complex , of more advanced , but in no way something you need to scare of . Yes , the professional carpenter , need to know more maths from the amateur , but you should never be scared from it .

I’ve seen and met professional carpenters , who knew very few maths from school and they evoluted to a very high woodworker’s level , slowly , slowly learned by experimenting and making mistakes .

So the professional carpenters should know the same basic maths , as the amateur ones , but they need to know of course more . Of course the basic maths , are the columns for the more advanced ones , that’s why a woodworker should be very “comfortable” with them .

The professional carpenter , should visualize in the 3 – D Level .

After the basic maths , the most difficult “job’ for the professionals , is the ability they should have to visualize and imagine their wood projects , in the 3 dimensions . The professional carpenter , should train his brain to visualize his plan from A to Z , in the 3 – D space .

The professionals will create wooden doors , wooden stairs , wooden windows , wooden frames of all kinds , wood floors in awry maybe grounds , wooden shelfs , professional libraries and church’s furniture , elite wooden tables and many more wood plans .

The professional carpenter will be called also , to place these plans inside of houses , above walls in several spots and in any possible area you can imagine . These wood plans , must be 100% and in absolute grade vertically and horizontally correct .

That’s why your engineer DNA and your math calculations should “work” in the 3 – D level .

The professionals should think and create perfect plans , thinking in the 3 – D dimensions , not only the 2 ones . He should think , visualize and design wood products in the 3 – D level , or else the product will be awry .

The pro woodworker also should be called also to measure distances in triangles and many times he’ll need to find 1 of the 3 sides of the triangle .

The Pythagorean theorem is a “must in here . If you know the 2 sides of a right triangle( β²+ γ²= α² ) , you can find the other one , the hypotenuse .

Usually the wood roofs of the houses are rectangle triangles , connected together , so if you know the 2 side you can easily find out the hypotenuse . So to know some of trigonometry , in here will help you the most .

Another very serious math knowledge , a professional carpenter should know is to count the cubic volume of some of the trigonometry shapes . It’s very crucial to know how to measure the cubic volumes of triangles , squares , circles , cylinders , et.c .

Because you’ll need to know how much space , your wood plan – plans will “capture” in the wall , area , inside house specific spot and count the distances and free spaces , correctly .

You cannot create a 50 cubic meters wooden ladder and want to place it in a 40 cubic meters place . Except the correct space for your wood projects in a 3 – D space , knowing cubic volume calculations , will help you ordering exact wood supplies from the stores .

When you are a professional woodworker and you should create , wooworking projects for your clients , you should always concider in your mind the measuring differences from the contraction – expansion , of the wood .

Wood is an “alive” material and it’s affected more than other materials , from the contraction and expansion , factors .

The atmosphere’s moisture , the possible fluids of any kind and more factors can affect seriously , the cubic volume of the wood , in all of its dimensions .

In here again , the carpenter , should be visualize in all the space dimensions , in 3 – D . In here again , the engineer DNA of the woodworker should be “on alert” and visualize how much space his wood project , will need now and the most important in the future .

The carpenter should be able to predict , the shape and cubic volume of his woodworking project , in the future and in all situations and leave the appropriate “comfort gaps” . This is very important , as you can imagine .

If you make a door for a house near the sea with the moisture absorption for the wood in the highest levels , you should leave more space from its edges . You don’t want the door to inflate , block the area and make its movement , very hard .

In the web and google , has a very useful tool for the wooden architects – designers and all the designers , in general . It’s a free drawing program you can use and design your wood plans , virtual and you can see the exact dimensions of your project .

Except the web there are digital tools you can use to find the exact verticality and horizontally places to put your creations , very easily . They use photocells and they are very , very accurate in their measures .

The professional carpenter shouls also have enough “comfort” and skills to use the computers and the other appliances , which use mathematics for calculations and wood designs .

Do you need to be extremely Good at maths , to be a carpenter ?

If you are , or you want to be a professional woodworker , you need to use more advanced mathematics , but of course , not something extreme . You don’t need to be scared at all and you should proceed and choose the woodworking as the job of your life , because woodworking is a good job .

If you want to be a professional carpenter , you need to have in your “wood brain” more advanced math knowledge , than the amateur – hobbyist woodworker , but you don’t have to be a mathematician , or even close to a mathematician’s knowledge “database” .

If you want to be a good professional carpenter yes , you should know more math than the amateur one and you should know enough math , for the specific wood projects , you’ll create .

If you want to be a good professional carpenter , you should know good “targeted” maths , to do correctly the specific and professional jobs , your clients , will give you .

You don’t need to know “extreme” mathematics and “compete” mathematicians and school teachers . You need to know good maths , to do the job , with 100% professionalism .

If you are an amateur and a hobbyist carpenter , you should also be good at maths , but you don’t need to know the maths , the professionals , know .

If you are an amateur woodworker , you don’t have the necessity to be 100% presicionist with your wood projects , as the totally professional must be , because he sells his woodworking projects .

If you are a hobbyist carpenter , it isn’t so bad(!) to make small mistakes with your measuring , or your drilling , or your rubbing , et.c .

It isn’t so bad , to make some mistakes with your level tools and the verticality of your creations .

If you are a hobbyist carpenter , you can “forgive” yourself , concerning your amateur mistakes and errors and you can always go back and fix them .

If you are a professional carpenter , once you’ve made mistake , your customer’s wallet won’t open(!) , to pay your mistake .

If you are a professional woodworker , once your wood project , goes out your carpentry shop and it isn’t as it should , your fame and future will have “issues” .

The amateur – hobbyist carpenters should be good at maths , but not in the level the professionals , must be .

Why do carpenters , Require knowing some maths ?

If you want to be good , at your woodworking projects and creations and make these projects , correct , beautiful , not awry , timeless and be proud of your creations , you should know some mathematics .

If you want to get paid well from your clients , being a professional carpender and create a great reputation in the market , you must create excellent wood plans . You must give your best self of yours to your wood creations – furniture and make the wooden “planet” and yourself , proud .

If you want also to be extremely creative , than the others and make astonishing wooden projects , you should “think outside the box ” . The mathematics , “train” your brain and “sharpen” your creativity , for sure .

If you are good ( or try to be ) good at mathematics , you’ll see that with the passage of time , you’ll become more creative as a human being in general and of course as a carpenter . Mathematics are a first class “gym” for your brain .

You shouldn’t be afraid of this , because the mathematics you should know , are the basic if you are an amateur – hobbyist woodworker , and some mathematics knowledge more, if you are a professional .

Keep woodworking , keep learn your maths , keep creating your awesome woodworking projects , keep gaining happiness .