PTSW offers two twelve-week woodworking intensives, Foundations of Woodworking I and Foundations of Woodworking II. These programs are designed to be taken in sequence and are collectively known as our Foundations of Woodworking program. Sequenced together, this program is six months, or 24 weeks, of intensive woodworking study designed to build a foundational woodworking education that will serve you for a lifetime and empower your personal growth as a craftsperson.

Foundations of Woodworking is offered twice a year; Fall to Winter quarter and Winter to Spring quarter. Foundations of Woodworking I and Foundations of Woodworking II do not have to be taken consecutively, meaning a student can take only one or the other depending on their personal goals and preferences. Priority for Foundations II will be given to students who have completed Foundations I.

Instruction is provided by a Lead Instructor, a Teaching Assistant, and Module/Guest Instructors as needed. There will be two to four instructors at any given time in the classroom. The Lead Instructor will stay with a cohort through one six-month session of Foundations of Woodworking; Teaching Assistants and Module Instructors will vary depending on the topic or the project. These instructors offer a wealth of industry experience and facilitate an atmosphere of patience and support rooted in PTSW’s values while helping each student through their individual woodworking journey. We believe a small class size and high instructor-to-student ratio encourage and facilitate significant one-on-one and personalized instruction.

These courses, Foundations of Woodworking I and II, are designed to be taken in sequence for a six-month experience at PTSW. Each course builds upon itself and students will leave the six months with a well-rounded understanding of hand tool and machine use, joinery, and fine furniture design. These skills will be essential for a career in woodworking, or simply for maximizing your technical and creative fluency as a woodworker.

Students may apply for one six-month program or an individual twelve-week intensive. Applications can be received at any time but will be processed six months in advance of the course state date. Please review our application procedures here.

Interested students are encouraged to set up an informational interview session or a site visit. Please contact info@ptwoodschool.org to arrange or with any other questions.

Foundations of Woodworking II

12 Weeks
Some Skills Required
Approved for VA funding

This course builds on the basics learned in Foundations of Woodworking I. Students will develop the skills required to design and build custom furniture. Diving deeper into project design and management, students will leave this class with furniture pieces conceived of and created with their own hands and minds. Students will continue to learn about wood’s physical and mechanical properties, and how they are best utilized. Further instruction will be given in a variety of machine and hand tool practices, creative finishing techniques, and part shaping. Students will also learn about bending wood, as well as creating and joining curved wooden components with a variety of techniques.