The History of Joinery

The history of joinery is a fascinating one. The art of joinery dates back to the earliest civilizations when men first used tools to join together pieces of wood, nails and other things of daily use. It was only natural for people to seek out ways to join things more securely, and the development of metalworking gave many tools for this very purpose. Metalworking became the forge of the time, and it was the eventual result of man’s discovery of fire. Metalworking eventually became a way of life for all of mankind.

The early civilizations only produced basic tools for the joinery process. The earliest types of joinery were probably for joining thin wood components such as necklaces and bracelets. Wood was most likely the primary material used because it was easily available and the natural product was good enough for most people. Early civilizations didn’t have the means to create the most sophisticated joinery until the second century AD. This was when the master carpenter, who could make all kinds of intricate carvings, came into existence.

From that point on, the history of joinery really changed. One notable change was the introduction of professional tools to the joinery business. These tools were much more powerful and relied less on the expertise of the joiner. With the use of prof. tools, the potential to join heavier pieces of wood was made possible. This development led to the development of machines that were able to join heavier woods with much ease, resulting in an increase in the creation and use of joinery tools.