DesignISCO 7317
Woodcarver
Woodcarvers manually shape wood into the desired shape using equipment like knives, gouges and chisels. Woodcarvers produce wooden products to serve as decoration, to be integrated into a composite product, as utensils or as toys.
Check yourself in a minute: woodcarver
Rate 5 of the 17 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
maintain edged hand tools
turn wood
join wood elements
manipulate wood
use wood carving knives
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (17)
woodworking processeswoodworking processesSteps in the processing of wood for the manufacturing of wooden articles and types of machines used for these processes such as drying, shaping, assembling and surface finishing.woodworking toolswoodworking toolsThe various tools used to process wood, such as planers, chisels and lathes.wood cutswood cutsDifferent ways of cutting wood, across the grain or parallel with it, and radial or tangential to the core. The behaviour of cuts of wood under different circumstances and the optimal cut for a given ...types of woodtypes of woodTypes of wood, such as birch, pine, poplar, mahogany, maple and tulipwood.maintain edged hand toolsmaintain edged hand toolsIdentify and repair defects in a hand tool handle or shaft. Ensure the tool is in safe working condition. Identify defective and dull cutting edges in tools and use appropriate equipment to sharpen th...turn woodturn woodTurn wood in chiefly two methods, spindle and faceplate turning. The key difference between these two is the orientation of the wood grain relative to the axis of the lathe.join wood elementsjoin wood elementsBind wooden materials together using a variety of techniques and materials. Determine the optimal technique to join the elements, like stapling, nail, gluing or screwing. Determine the correct work or...manipulate woodmanipulate woodManipulate the properties, shape and size of wood.use wood carving knivesuse wood carving knivesUse specialised and custom made knives, gouges, and chisels to carve out and cut objects from wooden or paper surfaces.carve materialscarve materialsCarve an object out of a materials such as wood, or give a specific shape to a material by carving it.sand woodsand woodUse sanding machines or hand tools to remove paint or other substances from the surface of the wood, or to smoothen and finish the wood.check quality of raw materialscheck quality of raw materialsCheck the quality of basic materials used for the production of semi-finished and finished goods by assessing some of its characteristics and, if needed, select samples to be analysed.clean wood surfaceclean wood surfaceUse a variety of techniques on a wood surface to ensure it is free of dust, sawdust, grease, stains, and other contaminants.apply wood finishesapply wood finishesUse a variety of techniques to finish wood. Paint, varnish and stain wood to improve its function, durability, or appearance.tend lathetend latheTend a lathe designed for cutting manufacturing processes on metal, wooden, plastic materials and others, monitor and operate it, according to regulations.recognise signs of wood rotrecognise signs of wood rotCheck whether a wood element shows signs of rot. Aurally inspect the wood by testing what sound it makes on impact. Check for visual signs of rot.operate wood sawing equipmentoperate wood sawing equipmentOperate various machinery and equipment to cut wood in different sizes and shapes.
Optional (27) — show
technical drawingstechnical drawingsDrawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.types of arrowstypes of arrowsArrows are selected for different purposes such as hunting a specific kind of animal or for target shooting. They can present various features and advantages depending on different factors such as the...manage suppliesmanage suppliesMonitor and control the flow of supplies that includes the purchase, storage and movement of the required quality of raw materials, and also work-in-progress inventory. Manage supply chain activities ...engrave patternsengrave patternsEngrave and print designs and patterns onto a variety of surfaces.apply restoration techniquesapply restoration techniquesSelect and apply appropriate restoration techniques in order to achieve the required restoration goals. This encompasses preventive measures, remedial measures, restoration processes and management pr...answer requests for quotationanswer requests for quotationMake up prices and documents for the products that customers may purchase.evaluate restoration proceduresevaluate restoration proceduresEvaluate the outcome of conservation and restoration procedures. Evaluate the degree of risk, success of treatment or activity and communicate the results.operate manual planeroperate manual planerOperate a non-automatic or semi-automatic, manual planer for cutting workpiece surfaces, making them levelled.advise customers on wood productsadvise customers on wood productsAdvise others on the applicability, suitability, and limitations of wood products and wood based materials.maintain equipmentmaintain equipmentRegularly inspect and perform all required activities to maintain the equipment in functional order prior or after its use.stain woodstain woodMix ingredients to create a stain and apply a layer to the furniture to give it a specific colour and finish.operate engraving equipmentoperate engraving equipmentOperate mechanical engraving tools and machines, set controls of cutting tools. Make adjustments if necessary.treat woodtreat woodApply different chemicals to wood in order to increase its natural resistance and prevent deterioration.estimate restoration costsestimate restoration costsEstimate the cost implications of restoring and replacing products or parts.dye wooddye woodMix the powder dye with water and/or liquid dye and any other necessary ingredients to create the desired colour and apply it to the wood.sell household goodssell household goodsSell household devices and goods such as microwaves, blenders and kitchen supplies in accordance to the client's personal preferences and needs.dry wooddry woodAdjust machine settings to adapt drying processes, drying times, and special treatments to the requirements of the requested wood to be dried.keep personal administrationkeep personal administrationFile and organise personal administration documents comprehensively.prepare workpieces for etchingprepare workpieces for etchingPrepare mechanical tools and work pieces for etching by polishing their surface and bevelling the work piece to remove sharp edges. Polishing is done using different sandpapers and sand films which ar...prepare workpieces for engravingprepare workpieces for engravingPrepare mechanical tools and workpieces for engraving by polishing their surface and bevelling the workpiece to remove sharp edges. Polishing is done using different sandpapers and sand films which ap...use painting equipmentuse painting equipmentUse brushes, rollers, spray guns and other painting equipment in accordance with the work.clean engraved areasclean engraved areasPolish and clean engraved etching areas considering the kind of material the area is made of.negotiate supplier arrangementsnegotiate supplier arrangementsReach an agreement with the supplier upon technical, quantity, quality, price, conditions, storage, packaging, send-back and other requirements related to the purchasing and delivering process.design objects to be crafteddesign objects to be craftedSketch, draw or design sketches and drawings from memory, live models, manufactured products or reference materials in the process of crafting and sculpting.sell furnituresell furnitureSell pieces of furniture in accordance to the client's personal preferences and needs.decorate furnituredecorate furnitureUse techniques such as gilding, silver-plating, framing or engraving to add specific decorations in the material of the furniture.store productsstore productsKeep products in a safe place in order to maintain their quality. Ensure the stock facilities meet hygiene standards, regulating temperature, heating and air conditioning of storage facilities.
Related Occupations
Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.
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Frequently asked questions
What does a woodcarver do?
Woodcarvers manually shape wood into the desired shape using equipment like knives, gouges and chisels. Woodcarvers produce wooden products to serve as decoration, to be integrated into a composite product, as utensils or as toys.
What skills does a woodcarver need?
A woodcarver needs 17 essential skills, including woodworking processes, woodworking tools, wood cuts, types of wood, maintain edged hand tools.
Will AI replace woodcarver jobs?
The AI disruption score for woodcarver is 21/100 (low risk). Skills most exposed to automation: keep personal administration, answer requests for quotation, sell household goods. Most resilient: use wood carving knives, use painting equipment, types of wood.
AI Replacement Risk
21/ 100
Low Risk
Low riskHigh risk
Quick Facts
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