Hanging Doors & Fitting Locks. A Day in the Life of a UK Carpenter (2026)

13th October 2026 – A Day in the Life of an English Carpenter Join me for a glimpse into the working life of a traditional English carpenter on a busy UK building site. With well over 30 years of experience in traditional carpentry, I wanted to document some of my working methods, share a few educational tips and preserve a little piece of my working life on film. The day begins after travelling through three counties to reach the building site, followed by loading out 12+ doors, tools and a heavy pack of materials that had been left outside in the rain. There's also skirting board to move around a four-bedroom house and into the garage, before I can finally get on with the actual carpentry. Hanging Doors – Real-Time Demonstrations Using my Trend hinge jig and 18V Makita router, I demonstrate how I recess hinges into doors and frames, prepare and mark architrave margins, pilot drill to prevent timber splitting and scribe door heads for a proper fit. I've included two different camera perspectives: a first-person view filmed using my DJI neck mount and a full-body demonstration showing my movements and working methods. The loading and preparation footage has been shortened, but the actual door-hanging demonstrations are shown in real time, with no speeding up. One of the doors takes approximately eight minutes to fit, with explanations along the way. I also demonstrate fitting a lever-operated bathroom lock. Video Chapters – Jump to the Demonstrations 05:45 – Door Hanging | DJI Neck-Mounted Camera (First-Person View) 15:50 – Door Hanging | Real-Time Full-Body Demonstration 25:31 – Installing a Lever-Operated Bathroom Lock The Reality of Working on a Building Site Unfortunately, there's much more to a carpenter's day than the craftsmanship itself. Over the years, I've experienced tools going missing, equipment being damaged and accidents caused by the busy working environment. On this particular morning, much of my time was spent repeatedly moving materials and tools to accommodate other trades. By 10:45 am, I was still dealing with the physical demands of loading out and organising materials. After finally establishing a working area upstairs, the space became increasingly crowded with other trades' equipment. By around 11 am, I reached the point where I couldn't comfortably continue, packed up and went home. After more than three decades in the trade, I still have the knowledge, experience and passion for carpentry, but I increasingly struggle with the physical demands surrounding it. Something I Discovered Watching Myself Back One thing that really struck me while editing this video was how noticeably my mood changed throughout the morning. During the repetitive lifting, loading and frustrations of site life, I could hear the negativity creeping into my voice. Yet the moment I began actually practising my craft, measuring, marking, cutting and fitting, my voice became naturally more positive. My enthusiasm returned, and I found myself happily talking through the work. It made me realise that perhaps I haven't fallen out of love with carpentry at all. Perhaps it's everything surrounding the craft that's become difficult. A Little Something for Every Generation I hope younger carpenters and apprentices can pick up a few useful techniques and practical tips from these demonstrations. For the old boys who spent their working lives on building sites, perhaps this video will bring back memories of familiar tools, traditional methods and the satisfaction of a well-hung door. And for myself, it's a chance to preserve some of the knowledge and experience I've gathered over more than 30 years, something to look back on in years to come. There are many ways to hang a door. These are simply the methods I've learned and refined through a lifetime working with timber. This video isn't intended as criticism of any individual. It's simply an honest glimpse into the physical and mental challenges of working in the building trade, alongside the craftsmanship I still enjoy. Sometimes the hardest part of being a carpenter isn't the carpentry itself. Thank you for watching. #CarpentryUK #HangingDoors #FittingLocks #TraditionalCarpentry #HelpingTheBirds