In this article, you will find a comprehensive list of in-person and online classes for learning woodworking. Enjoy and happy crafting!
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Table of Contents
- What Are the Best Online Classes for Learning Woodworking in 2022?
- What Are the Best Books for Learning Woodworking in 2022?
- What Are the Best Local Classes for Learning Woodworking in 2022?
For a more complete list of creative hobbies, and an idea of where our new direction might take us, please see our (somewhat) complete list of Creative Hobbies, Arts and Crafts for Adults: A Complete Guide.
Why an Article on the Best Woodworking Classes?
In my fairly extensive research and digging around I have realized that there is very little available on the web right now about finding craft classes and instruction, workshops or clubs for the various kinds of crafting. In fact, if you want to find the best in person or virtual woodworking classes in your areas, it might be quite a bit more difficult than you imagine.
So I thought it would be super helpful to to put together a list of the best available woodworking classes – including group and private lessons – for 16 cities and metro areas around the United States, and to include some of the best online classes and books as well. But first…
What Is Woodworking?
Woodworking is an ancient craft, often practiced to extraordinarily high artisanal levels, involving the cutting, fitting, assembly and finishing of wood pieces, to make furniture, cabinets, musical instruments, boxes and lots of other both artistic and useful objects.
Woodworking is, or can be, a fairly complex, multi-step process, using both manual hand tools and power tools and including both basic and advanced woodworking skills, like:
- Understanding and selecting wood
- Planing, sanding & other wood prep
- Cutting and shaping wood
- Mortise and tenon joints, dovetail joints
- Finishing
- Woodworking tools usage and maintenance – both hand tools and power tools
Each one of these areas and woodworking skills – and this is just a quick and incomplete list – is in itself a whole topic for learning, and even the most basic levels – again, whether you are using hand tools or power tools – require real skill, as well as focus and a heightened awareness of safety.
So taking a good woodworking class can be crucial, whether it be in person, like from a shop or the local community college, or maybe online woodworking classes or a good book about woodworking. When you learn the right way, with expert guidance, and you really cover the basics, the safety considerations, proper use of hand and power tools, the more advanced techniques and all of the tricks and tips of the trade, it makes all the difference.
What is the Best Way to Learn Woodworking?
I wanted to make sure that you could quickly and easily find the right instruction and instructors for learning how to make beautiful objects with wood, whether you are a beginner or an experienced woodworker, want an online class, a local class or private teacher, or even the best books on learning woodworking, so I put together this guide to answer some basic questions:
What’s the best way to learn woodworking?
How can I learn how to select and use hand and power tools?
How can I learn basic or advanced woodworking skills?
What are the best woodworking classes near me?
What are the best private woodworking classes in my area?
What are the best online woodworking classes?
What are the best books for learning basic woodworking techniques?
What are the best books for learning traditional woodworking?
For local woodworking classes, I will concentrate on 16 cities and their metropolitan areas, with two subsections for each city, and so you should be able to easily find places near you that offer woodworking classes, as well as the best private woodworking lessons and teachers. woodworking clubs and open wood shop time for the following cities:
Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis / Saint Paul, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle
Following the listings of best local woodworking classes I will mention a few of the very best online woodworking courses you can take, and then recommend a few of my favorite books for teaching yourself Woodworking.
What Are the Best Online Woodworking Classes in 2022?
Not everybody is able to go to physical classes, because of location, schedule, social distancing / enforced isolation, or other reasons.
Luckily there are a lot of other good options, and online learning is one of the best – especially if you can find a good teacher, good course content and well produced classes.
You will, however, need to have your own basic woodworking and safety equipment, which can be a relatively large expense, and with woodworking (even hand-making) you have to be extremely careful about safety considerations and focus when viewing online courses or videos.
So when people ask me specifically:
What is the best online class for learning woodworking?
Can I learn basic woodworking techniques online?
What is the best online school for arts and crafts?
How can I learn woodworking online?
Are there any really good online learning platforms?
…based on my experience and feedback from lots of other makers in the community I have the following recommendations:
Skillshare
Get Skillshare FREE for 1 month (Click "redeem" on top)
Find what fascinates you as you explore these woodworking classes.
You may already be familiar with Skillshare, since they are becoming one of the most popular, best known and most highly rated learning platforms online – and quite well known for arts and crafts classes.
You may not know, though, that Skillshare has some of the best classes for woodworking, including both the basics and more advanced tips and techniques, with over 40 classes just for Woodworking alone.
Domestika
Learn by doing from expert professionals on Domestika!
Not as big or as well known as the giants, like Skillshare or Udemy, Domestica still has a comparable level of excellence overall, with really fantastic teachers who are very clear and easy to understand and maintain a perfect flow and pace.
The courses are beautifully produced and often quite beautiful visually as well, and there is a great feeling of creative community and common experience.
Udemy
Another giant of online learning, Udemy doesn’t have an enormous selection of woodworking classes, but they are all very good quality – well shot and well presented, and taught by people who really know their stuff.
The Woodworkers Guild of America
The Woodworkers Guild of America has an extensive and quite complete selection of woodworking classes online, with great production values, friendly and helpful teachers and really optimized and intelligent course content. They even have some free content, but the real gold is in their premium presentations.
You can see a complete listing of the WWGOA course offerings here – Woodworkers Guild of America
Woodworking for Mere Mortals
With strong emphasis on both hand-building and power tools, and an even stronger emphasis on safety, Steve Ramsey’s courses are great for people of all skill levels, including absolute beginners. He is a fun and entertaining teacher with tons of passion and a clear and helpful manner of presenting things, and his online school is a great place to find new woodworking projects and new inspiration as well.
This is a highly recommended online learning platform for woodworking. You can browse his course offerings by following this link – Woodworking for Mere Mortals
YouTube
It must be said that YouTube has some pretty amazing free content, and the woodworking tutorials – both basic class videos and more advanced content – are, or at least can be, pretty awesome. Another great thing about YouTube is the search engine, which when you’re searching for something as basic and popular as, say, “learning Woodworking” comes up with brilliant results right at the top of the page.
But if that all isn’t easy enough for you, just click on this link and you’ll see what I mean!
YouTube “Learning Woodworking”
You can also check out one of my favorite presenters, Rob Cosman!
What Are the Best Books for Learning Woodworking in 2022?
- The Complete Book of Woodworking
- Woodworking 2022
- Great Book of Woodworking Tips
Step-by-Step Guide to Essential Woodworking Skills, Techniques, Tools and Tips (Landauer) Over 40 Easy-to-Follow Projects and Plans, 200+ Photos, and Carpentry Basics
The Complete Guide for Beginners and Experts to Techniques and Secrets in Creating Amazing DIY Projects
Over 650 Ingenious Workshop Tips, Techniques, and Secrets from the Experts at American Woodworker (Fox Chapel Publishing) Shop-Tested and Photo-Illustrated
And I’ll close out this comprehensive online guide to the best resources for learning Woodworking on the market today with a short list of some of my favorite books on the subject.
I had originally planned to list beginners and advanced books on woodworking separately, but as I reviewed my own personal picks I realized that I greatly prefer books that offer both – ones that start at a basic, total beginner level, assuming no experience or knowledge, but also include advanced techniques, and often a lot of other resources, ideas and inspirations for people of all levels.
So while the first few books are really geared more at newbies, focusing on basic techniques, selecting and using the best hand tools and power tools, comin up with your own projects and ideas, and focusing on safety, you will find that, even if you have no prior experience, any of these books will be a great choice and a wonderful resource.
What Are the Best Local Classes for Learning Woodworking in 2022?
Anybody can use one of the countless online specialty search services for finding places that offer woodworking classes – whether introductory courses or fine furniture making workshops – as well as private sessions, woodworking clubs to join and more. In fact services like groupon or yelp do usually offer good, fairly complete and up to date listings of class offerings in the area – and you might even find a private lesson or teacher, or open shop time time. So you might want to check out some of the leading ones, like:
Usually these search services are really easy to use, by simply typing in what you’re looking for – “cabinet making classes” or “woodworking basic skills” – and the area, city or state – “Monowi, Nebraska” or “New York, New York”- and then it’s just enter, wait and wade through the somewhat random listings.
Or, better yet, you can instead simply scroll down and find your area in the list below and try one of these recommendations. You can contact them to get any questions answered, find out when you can begin classes, or for information about their introductory course offerings, special workshops, future projects and more.
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in Atlanta
Highland Woodworking
1045 North Highland Avenue NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30306
customerservice@highlandwoodworking.com
Woodworking Classes & Seminars
The New School
655 Memorial Drive
Atlanta, GA 30312
404-500-9753
The New School Atlanta – Woodworking Classes
Woodcraft of Atlanta
8560 Holcomb Bridge Rd
Alpharetta,GA 30022
Woodcraft of Atlanta – Classes
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in Atlanta
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware
6690 Roswell Road, Suite 450
Sandy Springs, GA 30328-4908
(404) 460-1000
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in Austin
ASMBLY Makerspace
9701 Dessau Rd #304
Austin TX 78754
Austin School of Furniture
1600 W Stassney Lane
Austin, TX 78745
361-857-9228
Austin School of Furniture Classes
Woodcraft of Austin
10901 IH 35 North
Austin, TX 78753
(512) 407-8787
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in Austin
Austin School of Furniture
1600 W Stassney Lane
Austin, TX 78745
361-857-9228
Austin School of Furniture Classes
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in Boston
North Bennet Street School
150 North Street
Boston, MA 02109
617.227.0155
Woodworking & Carpentry Classes
Snowfarm
5 Clary Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
413.268.3101
Woodworking Classes | Snow Farm
The Eliot School of Fine and Applied Arts
24 Eliot Street
Boston MA 02116
617-524-3313
The Eliot School Woodworking Classes
Woodcraft of Wooburn
185 New Boston Street
Woburn,MA 01801
781- 935-6414
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in Boston
Welkinwood
Heather Dawson
100 Franklin Street
Allston, MA 02134
413-335-5757
Welkingwwood Private Instuction
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in Chicago
Chicago Industrial Arts & Design Center
6433 N. Ravenswood Ave
Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 961-8498
Chicago School of Woodworking
5680 N. Northwest Hwy
Chicago, IL 60646
773-275-1170
Chicago School of Woodworking Classes
WoodSmyth’s Chicago
5750 W. Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60639
773-477-6482
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in Chicago
Chicago Industrial Arts & Design Center
6433 N. Ravenswood Ave
Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 961-8498
CIADC Woodworking Private Classes
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in Cincinnati
ArtsConnect
9158 Winton Road, Building A
Cincinnati, Ohio 45231
513-522-2108
Woodshop Classes and Workshops | Springfield Township Arts Foundation
Marc Adams School of Woodworking
5504 E 500 North
Franklin, IN 46131
317-535-4013
2022 Workshops – Marc Adams School of Woodworking
The Manufactory
12055 Mosteller Rd.
Cincinnati, OH 45241
513-771-3605
Woodcraft of Cincinnati
11711 Princeton Pike Suite 271
Tri-County Towne Center
Cincinnati,OH 45246
513-407-8371
cincinnati-retail@woodcraft.com
Woodcraft of Cincinnati – Classes
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in Cincinnati
Conover Workshops
18115 Madison Road
Middlefield, OH 44062-9237
Woodworking Classes 2022: Conover Workshops
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in Dallas
Dallas Makerspace
1825 Monetary Lane #104
Carrollton, TX 75006
Full Circle School of Woodworking
809 Imogene Ct
Azle, TX 76020
817-444-1122
Register for Classes – Full Circle School of Woodworking
Heritage School of Woodworking
608 Dry Creek Rd.
Waco, Texas 76705
254-754-9620
info@sustainlife.org
Heritage School of Woodworking | Classes
Woodcraft of Dallas
601 W. Plano Parkway Suite 145
Plano,TX 75075
972-422-2732
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in Dallas
The Cedars Union
1219 S. Ervay Street
Dallas, Texas 75215
Private Lessons – Cedars Union
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in Denver
I Made It Workshop
617 22nd St
Denver, CO 80205
844-473-7467
Woodworking of Denver
6770 S Peoria Street
Centennial, CO 80112
(303) 290-0007
Woodworks Studio
2555 S Santa Fe Dr unit f-2
Denver, CO 80223
303-902-8856
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in Denver
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware
2553 S Colorado Blvd – Suite 108
Denver, CO 80222
(303) 782-0588
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in Detroit
L.L. Johnson Lumber
563 N Cochran Ave
Charlotte MI 48813
800-292-5937
Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute
1375 N. Main St, Building #41
Adrian MI 49221
517-759-3070
The Michigan Folk School
7734 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
734-436-8973
woodworking – The Michigan Folk School
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in Detroit
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware
26160 Ingersol Drive
Novi, MI 48375
248-543-5110
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in Kansas City
Hammerspace Community Workshop
5200 E 45TH ST
Kansas City, MO 64130
913-686-6562
Classes & Events | Hammerspace Workshop
Kansas City Woodworkers Guild
3189 Mercier Street
Kansas City MO 64111
Classes – Kansas City Woodworkers Guild
Metro Hardwoods /
Bennett, Mullins & Associates Furniture Makers
1408 West 12th Street
Kansas City, MO 64102
816-405-2701
Metro Hardwoods – Woodworking Classes for 2022
The DIY Woodshop
201 Overland Park Place
New Century, KS 66031
913-782-WOOD
Events & Classes – The DIY Woodshop
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in Kansas City
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware
15340 West 119th Street
Olathe, KS 66062
913-815-2002
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in Los Angeles
Allied Woodshop
Allied Crafts Building
407 E Pico Blvd, Suite 1004
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Community Woodshop
3617 San Fernando Rd
Glendale, CA 91204
626-808-3725
LA Woodshop
1535 Paloma St
Los Angeles, CA 90021
LA Woodshop — Los Angeles Woodworking Classes
William NG School of Fine Woodworking
1340 North Dynamics Street, Unit H
Anaheim, California, 92806
714-993-4215
Upcoming Classes – SCHOOL OF FINE WOODWORKING
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in Los Angeles
Allied Woodshop
Allied Crafts Building
407 E Pico Blvd, Suite 1004
Los Angeles, CA 90015
LA Woodshop
1535 Paloma St
Los Angeles, CA 90021
LA Woodshop — Los Angeles Woodworking Classes
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in Minneapolis / Saint Paul
Mike Siemsen’s School of Woodworking
9912 Green Lake Trail
Chisago City, MN 55013
651-257-9166
Classes | Mike Siemsen’s School of Woodworking
MPLS Make
3757 3rd St NE
Columbia Heights, MN 55421
612 -229-5009
North House Folk School
500 W Hwy 61
PO Box 759
Grand Marais, MN 55604
Woodworking & Furniturecraft Courses
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in Minneapolis / Saint Paul
North House Folk School
500 W Hwy 61
PO Box 759
Grand Marais, MN 55604
Woodworking & Furniturecraft Courses
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in New York
Bien Hecho Academy
Brooklyn Navy Yard
63 Flushing Ave, Bldg 3, Suite 1103
Brooklyn, NY 11205
646-875-8075
Bien Hecho Academy Classes 2022
Makeville Studio
125 8th St
Brooklyn NY 11215
917-873-5542
Sawkill Lumber Co
71 Troy Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11213
Woodworking Classes NYC 2022 | Sawkill Lumber
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in New York
Bien Hecho Academy
Brooklyn Navy Yard
63 Flushing Ave, Bldg 3, Suite 1103
Brooklyn, NY 11205
646-875-8075
Bien Hecho Academy Classes 2022
Makeville Studio
125 8th St
Brooklyn NY 11215
917-873-5542
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in Philadelphia
1st Ave Woodworking
50 First Avenue
Royersford, PA 19468
610-792-5399
sherrie@signaturegalleryfurniture.com
Philadelphia Woodworking Classes
ML Woodworking
2131 North American Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
267-808-2160
Philadelphia Furniture Workshop
5212 Pulaski Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19144
215-849-5174
philadelphiafurnitureworkshop@gmail.com
Philadelphia Furniture Workshop
Philadelphia Woodworks
4901 Umbria St
Philadelphia, PA 19128
267-331-5880
info@philadelphiawoodworks.com
Class Gallery @ Philadelphia Woodworks
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in Philadelphia
Philadelphia Furniture Workshop
5212 Pulaski Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19144
215-849-5174
philadelphiafurnitureworkshop@gmail.com
Philadelphia Furniture Workshop
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in Phoenix
Phoenix Woodworking School
2737 East Earll Drive
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602-955-5806
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware
4626 E. Thunderbird Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85032
602-996-3488
Southwest School of Woodworking
621 N 7th Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85007
480-734-0274
Upcoming Events › All Classes › – Southwest School of Woodworking
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in Phoenix
Southwest School of Woodworking
621 N 7th Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85007
480-734-0274
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in San Francisco
Mt. Diablo Adult Education
1266 San Carlos Avenue
Concord, CA 94518
925-685-7340
Mt. Diablo Adult Education 2022 Woodworking Classes
Randall Museum
199 Museum Way
San Francisco CA 94114
415-554-9600
Teen and Adult Classes | Randall Museum
The Crucible
1260 7th St
Oakland, CA 94607
510.444.0919
Woodworking Classes | Bay Area Woodworking | The Crucible
Wood Thumb
968 Mission St
SOMA District
San Francisco, CA, 94103
415.715.9135
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in San Francisco
David J Marks
2128 Marsh Road
Santa Rosa, California 95403
Private Classes – David J. Marks
The Best Local Group Classes / Workshops for Learning Woodworking in Seattle
Ballard Woodworks
1807 NW Dock Pl
Seattle, WA 98107
206-755-0623
Ballard Woodworks 2022 Classes
Ebanista School of Fine Woodworking
300 S Orcas St
Seattle, WA 98108
Ebanista School of Fine Woodworking 2022 Classes
Is IsGood Woodworks
4660 E Marginal Way S #7
Seattle, WA 98134
206-767-3757
Woodworking Classes Available in Seattle – IsGoodWoodWorks
Port Townsend School of Woodworking
200 Battery Way
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Port Townsend School – Woodworking Classes
The Best Private Classes / Teachers for Learning Woodworking in Seattle?
Ballard Woodworks
1807 NW Dock Pl
Seattle, WA 98107
206-755-0623
thomasleetoo@comcast.ne
Thanks so much for reading my article! I hope that this guide to the best resources for learning how to work with wood has been helpful, and that you have found what you are looking for – whether it be a great woodworking class in your area, a great online learning platform for learning woodworking or the best woodworking books.
And please let me know if you have your own favorite local class – in one of our featured cities or anywhere else – or if there are any online resources or books that you like, so I can expand this article and make it even better and more useful!
You might also be interested in our other articles in this series, which follow the exact same format in listing the best local crafting classes, the best online crafting courses and the best books for several other types of creative hobbies. You can access any of them simply by clicking the links below, or by visiting our website – Art Side of Life. Thanks again, and good crafting!
- Learn Blacksmithing – A Guide to Blacksmithing Classes Near You and Online
- Learn Glass Blowing – A Guide to Glass Blowing Classes Near You and Online
- Learn Pottery and Ceramics – A Guide to Pottery and Ceramics Classes Near You and Online
- Learn Sewing – A Guide to Sewing Classes Near You and Online
- Learn Stained Glass – A Guide to Stained Glass Classes Near You and Online
- Learn Welding – A Guide to Welding Classes Near You and Online
- Learn Woodworking – A Guide to Woodworking Classes Near You and Online
- Learn Quilting – A Guide to Quilting Classes Near You and Online
- Learn Candle Making – A Guide to Candle Making Classes Near You and Online
- Learn Crocheting – A Guide to Crocheting Classes Near You and Online
- Learn Floral Design – A Guide to Floral Design Classes Near You and Online
