Wood, a noble and warm material, offers endless possibilities to enhance and design your interiors and exteriors. This article guides you through the different aspects of carpentry in Switzerland.
Part of the guide
Carpentry & joinery
Interior carpentry, parquet and window renovation.
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Carpentry covers a wide range of services, which can be grouped into three main categories:
It mainly concerns the fitting out and decoration of the interior of your home.
Wooden kitchens, wardrobes, dressing rooms, bookcases, cupboards, bathroom columns, etc. The advantage of custom-made work is being able to optimise space and create furniture perfectly suited to your needs and your style.
This floor covering is among the most common renovation jobs for carpenters in Switzerland. Wooden floors bring a touch of elegance and warmth to your interior. Different types of laying exist (herringbone, English, Hungarian point, etc.) and the choice of wood species influences the atmosphere of the room.
It is a central element of the house. Creating wooden staircases, whether straight, turning or helical, can be a real aesthetic and decorative asset.
Interior wooden doors delimit spaces while preserving the harmony of your decor. You can call on a carpenter to build a solid wood front door, a piece of wood that will give a lot of character to your home.
Carpentry makes it possible to convert unused attics by creating additional living spaces, such as bedrooms, offices or playrooms.
It concerns wooden elements exposed to the weather. The resistance and durability of the wood species used are therefore paramount. Here are a few examples:
Some services require particular expertise. The restoration of antique furniture, for example, demands specific skills and a great mastery of traditional techniques to bring these history-laden pieces back to life. The creation of wooden objects, such as sculptures or toys, also calls on particular expertise.
The fitting out of shops, with the creation of custom-made display stands, shelves and counters, requires an understanding of the specific needs of this type of space. Finally, the manufacture of musical instruments, such as violins or guitars, is a specialised field among carpenters that requires great precision and a thorough knowledge of the acoustic properties of wood.
Framing and carpentry are two distinct yet complementary wood trades.
Framing mainly concerns the structure and framework of a construction. The framer works with large-section wooden pieces to create the frame of a house, a bridge or other load-bearing structures, including beams, joists and trusses. They handle the stability and solidity of the whole.
Note: some companies specialise only in framing and do not do carpentry, and vice versa, while some do both.
The distinction between a carpenter and a cabinetmaker lies mainly in the nature of the work and the type of wood used.
The carpenter generally works on larger and more structural wooden pieces, such as doors, windows, staircases or simpler furniture. They use solid wood or panels.
The cabinetmaker, on the other hand, specialises in the manufacture of high-quality, often ornate and complex furniture, using precious woods, veneers and more sophisticated assembly techniques such as marquetry or inlay. We can say that the cabinetmaker is an art craftsman specialising in furniture, while the carpenter has a wider field of action.
The choice of wood species is crucial to the success of your work. Oak, robust, durable and attractive, is a classic choice for furniture, parquet and staircases. Appreciated for its resistance and ease of working, beech is ideal for making furniture and toys. More economical and light, spruce is often used for frames and interior fittings.
For outdoor work such as terraces and cladding, larch, resistant to the weather, is an excellent choice. Finally, exotic woods such as teak or ipe offer great resistance and a unique aesthetic, but their use must be reasoned in order to preserve tropical forests. Remember that each species has its own characteristics, so it is important to find out before making your choice.
The return to natural is a strong trend, with a preference for natural finishes and local wood species. Minimalism is also taking hold, favouring clean lines and simple designs. At the same time, the integration of technology is booming, with the arrival of home automation in carpentry, particularly with automated opening and closing systems. Finally, sustainable development is a major concern, with growing demand for the use of certified wood from sustainably managed forests.
It is difficult to give exact prices for this kind of work, because costs vary depending on many factors: the wood species chosen, the complexity of the project, the region and the craftsman's hourly rate. However, here are some estimates to give you an idea:
It is important to request detailed quotes from several craftsmen to compare offers and choose the solution best suited to your budget and needs.
Choosing a competent carpenter is essential for the success of your work. Here are a few tips to guide you:
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