Historic Restoration Woodworker

We are looking for a skilled woodworker with 2-7 years experience and a genuine appreciation for historic architectural restoration to join our company. The right person will have woodworking competency (as described below) and be eager to develop your potential in a restoration context. You have skills and experience with both hand and machine tools and take satisfaction in doing precise and beautiful, detail-oriented work.

You have an artisanal orientation, meaning your approach integrates structural soundness and functional ease with aesthetic richness.

Experience in restoration work is a plus, but we will train you. Strong communication skills and work ethic (defined as honesty and industriousness), as well as a commitment to respectful collegial relations, are essential.

We are a small, but growing Chicago-area shop specializing in the restoration and period-appropriate enhancement of transitional (windows and doors) and interior elements in historic residential architecture. As our 5-star Google reviews attest (please read), we have built a strong reputation for doing high quality work with integrity and care in a relational approach with our clients.

While wood window and door restoration have been our “bread-and-butter” services, the launch of our new website is expressive of our initiative to expand our scope to take on a broader range of projects, especially ones with a strong orientation towards aesthetic enhancement. You will be part of an exciting and adventurous expansion! While profit is important, we are also a mission-driven company, recognizing that beauty in one’s everyday life is important for the soul’s well-being.

Respectful and creative commitment to three fundamental principles guides our work:

• Preservation and enhancement of architectural integrity.
• Integration of structural soundness and functional ease with beauty.
• Celebration of the desirable effects of aging.

We prefer work in the residential sector (though not exclusively) because homeowners care deeply about their dwelling places.

• Assess, repair, and restore historic wood windows including sash, frames, sills, muntins, and glazing components.
• Repair and restore historic wood doors, thresholds, casing, and associated hardware.
• Fabricate replacement components to match existing profiles using both machine and hand tools.
• Repair and restore other interior architectural elements, including built-in cabinets, fireplace surrounds, staircases, wood trim, pillars, wall paneling, and other interior elements.
• Understand and have the capacity to make scarf repairs, replacement pieces, re-build wood joints (including mortise-and-tenon joints) and both repair and replace wood veneer.
• Apply appropriate wood consolidates, fillers, adhesives, bleaches, and finishes in a workmanlike manner.
• Maintain consistency, quality, and economy while doing repetitive procedures over an extended period.
• Prep. and apply painted, stained, and clear finishes.
• Transport tools and materials to and from job sites; maintain a clean and organized work environment
• Communicate clearly and respectfully with the owner, co-workers, and with clients on site.
• Handle and store tools and equipment with care.
• Develop an understanding of and have a willingness to follow personal protection procedures and wear protective equipment when working with toxic chemicals and other hazardous materials (such as lead paint).
• Maintain a commitment to building your own skills in and understanding of preservation and restoration, recognizing that increased capacity not only enhances self-worth but also results in increased compensation.

• 2–7 years of experience in carpentry, woodworking, furniture restoration, or a closely…