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Trees and woodlands provide a valuable resource for a large number of skilled crafts. Unfortunately, due to the industrial revolution and a move away from the countryside for most people, a lot of these hand crafts have either been lost or have become fringe products.

Today, there is a move back to the traditional and some individuals and organisations are working towards keeping these crafts and skills alive through demonstrations and training. The long term need to have the materials to provide these items has increased the awareness of having sustainable resources and old woodland management techniques are being continued or revived in order to provide this long term resource.

Here are described a number of crafts, whose produce relies on the resources found in and around woodlands and trees. This demand is one of the many forces that is now ensuring the long term management of woodlands and for the increase in continuous tree cover.

Furniture making
Wood turning and carving
Wattle and daub
Hurdle making/fencing
Paper making
Charcoal Making
Sources of Information

Furniture Making
For centuries, craftspeople have utilised the varying and wondrous qualities of wood to produce furniture. From the most basic of benches to the most detailed and elaborately carved candle–chandeliers, wood provides a versatile medium to make our lives more comfortable.

Nowadays, most furniture is mass produced and therefore many pieces may be identical. Fortunately, there are still a large number of craftspeople who make unique and individual pieces of furniture for local and national markets.

There are many types of timber that are suitable for furniture making, all with different grains, colours, malleability and life spans. Traditionally, the native tree species were used, as the woodlands would only contain these trees. However, today we have access to the timber of exotic trees around the world and this variety continues to allow our crafts people the materials to supply our rustic or refined furniture demands.

Ash, beech, oak, pine are common native tree species used to make furniture in this country.

Properly treated timber can also be used for a variety of items that are left outdoors and some will endure the weather for many years. They can be used to make items such as benches, fences, gates, pergolas, planters, bridges, buildings, walkways and paths.


Angela Cole, professional green
wood worker, weaving a plant climber
from coppice produce

A craft that is now becoming popular, particularly at shows and exhibitions, involves the production of furniture or other carvings by using a chainsaw. While in the beginning, these items can be quite 'rustic', with practice and determination some intricate and exciting carvings are being produced.

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Wood Turning and Carving
Wood was originally 'turned' on a manual 'pole lathe' and a number of practical items were made. A block of wood is placed on a spindle and powered to spin with a foot pedal. As the wood rotates, hand-held turning chisels carve out the surface of the blocks. These original lathes, with the aid of their craftspeople, produced tool handles, bowls and chair legs, amongst many other things.

Today, mechanical lathes are available, although invariably there are a small number of individuals and groups who still hold on to the traditional craft and utilise pole lathes.

Ornamental wood turning is now quite popular and has been recognised since the early 15th century. Items produced for show and for use include bowls, candle stick holders and chair legs.

The most common tree species used for turning are sycamore, beech, birch, yew, ash and elm, although more exotic species are now quite popular including tulip, laburnum and even eucalyptus.



Wood carving has been carried out for centuries and carvers range from hobbyists, to amateurs, to seasoned professionals. There are many different types of carving techniques used with a wide range of tools available.

The wood selected for carving varies from carver to carver, region to region and country to country. The choice also depends on what item is actually going to be carved. Some species of tree produce carving wood that is soft, very easily worked and may have a short life span, while others are tight grained, heavier, harder to work and long lived. Wood is also selected on the type of grain, what finish is required to the carved article, how durable the carving is required to be and how experienced the carver is.

The range of tools used depends upon the individual and the stage at which the carving wood is acquired. If taken straight from the source (the tree) the tools will include axes, chainsaws, manual saws, gouges, drills, chisels, knives, files, rasps and sandpaper. The finish of the carving can be manipulated by a number of items, such as varnish, oils, paints or by leaving the wood in its natural state. For beginners, there are a wide range of clubs and associations that can help you start out your future in carving.

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Wattle and Daub
This ancient craft has been utilised the world over in the construction of dwellings. The foundations traditionally have been cleared earth, with poles or posts placed in the ground vertically. Wattle (interlaced woven rods) are then woven between the poles to make the walls, which support the daub (mud plaster).

This is considered one of the oldest methods of constructing earth buildings and is an effective and very efficient technique, which allows you to utilise the materials in your natural environment with minimal impact. These dwellings are still home to people today in countries around the world.

Modern versions are also being experimented with, using these old materials combined with modern technology to produce homes with minimal expense, durability and easily controlled internal temperatures.

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Hurdle Making/Fencing



Fencing is probably one of the greatest uses of wood from coppice, after firewood. There are a number of different types of fence construction (chestnut paling, post and rail, etc.), and all require different preparation techniques.

Since Neolithic times, wattle (interlaced woven wooden rods) has been used to construct fencing, buildings and for tracks. 'Hurdles' have been constructed for centuries and their original use was for penning in animals and as walling material. The hurdles were easily manoeuvred as they were lightweight, but were durable and strong.

The hurdles are constructed using woven hazel or willow rods, which are generally cut from stools. It is a skilled job that requires practice and only minimal hand tools (usually, just a bill hook, axe and mallet, as well as a draw knife for stripping the trees of their bark).

This ancient craft is still in practice today, and traditional craftspeople utilise these old skills to produce garden screens and fencing. They may last up to 10 years (even if untreated), depending upon the quality and the location and they continue to have an attractive, natural look that is lacking in modern, mass produced materials.

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Charcoal Making



Charcoal use is thought to date back as far as 30,000 BC. Uses since this time have ranged from cave paintings to a multitude of fuel sources, including heating dwellings and for smelting.

A sustainable way of producing charcoal is from wood taken from coppice stools, a practice which dates back around 6,000 years. Typically, ash, hazel, oak and lime trees were sources of wood used in charcoal production and from this, ancient coppice stools of these species are still in existence today.

For the best results, collected timber is left to dry for around half a year to a year, although quality charcoal can be produced from green wood. When dry, it is split lengthways and into shorter sections. This is then stacked into a kiln (a technique which requires some skill and practice for optimum charcoal) and heated. The kilns are constructed and prepared to allow for a reduction in air circulation, which stops the wood from burning away completely.

It can take several days for the production process to be complete and a lot of hard work, although this industry is on the return in the UK. Charcoal is imported from all over the world, although there are a number of benefits from using home grown produce. It is generally easier to light, heats quicker, comes from sustainable sources and therefore promotes continuous forest cover, encourages biodiversity in our woodlands which attracts more flora and fauna, it creates local jobs and reduces the overall price as world-wide transportation costs are not included.

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Paper Making
Without paper, civilisation as we know it would simply not exist. Some of the most important, economic, social and cultural developments of the past five centuries have been stimulated or helped along by the development of paper.

Paper is taken for granted today to such an extent that it is almost impossible to imagine a world without it. It comes in many forms, from lined writing paper to handmade textured paper to recycled paper, which reflects modern environmental concerns.

Today paper is made from trees by pulping wood. Almost any tree can be used to make pulp, although some species are particularly suitable. The first tree species to be used were pine and spruce from Europe and North America. However, trees from all over the world are now used, including the fast growing eucalyptus, which takes only seven to ten years to become ready for pulping.

There are two main stages in the production of paper. These are the pulping of wood and the processing of the pulp into the paper product. There are two methods of pulping that are used; mechanical and chemical. Mechanical pulping is the use of stone or metal to grind down the debarked timber into fibres, while chemical pulping involves the chemical breakdown wood chip into fibre.

The processing of the wood pulp involves passing the pulp over a flat sieve to form a layer of pulp and then pressing and drying the layer. Additives (natural or otherwise) may be added during the process to produce different textures and colours of paper.

Recycling is now a very large industry, which has been mainly fuelled by pressures from the public in general. The need to have sustainable resources and minimise the impacts we are having on our environment are very much realised in this day and age.

Paper Making at Home
Paper making at home can be quite easy and can really be classed as recycling. Basically, take newspaper or equally soft, low quality paper and tear it into strips. This can then be soaked until the paper is breaking up. Vigorously stir the mixture to reduce it further to pulp (or put it in a blender).

A screen is then needed to fit into a wide basin or large cooking pan. The screen needs to be constructed with stretched screening material over a frame, such as a picture frame.

Stir up your mixture again and while the paper particles are suspended, dip the screen into the water. Horizontally, raise the screen to the top of the mixture until a thin layer of pulp is laying on the screen. The layer of pulp should be fairly smooth and with no gaps.

In a quick motion, flip the screen onto a piece of newspaper so that the pulp is laying flat. This should be left to dry for at least a day, otherwise the fragile material may tear.

Different colours and textures can be achieved by adding natural ingredients into the mix, such as orange peel, grasses, daisies and other wildflowers. You may also flip the pulp onto waxed paper to make the bottom smooth or onto cloths or rough textiles to give the paper a woven texture.

To quicken the drying process, place another cloth or towel over the paper and iron it at a low to medium setting.

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Sources of Information

"Wood Carving", Microsoft ®, Encarta ® Online Encyclopaedia 2000
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

"Pole Lathe Turning"
http://members.tripod.co.uk/handforged/polelathe.html