Getting a job in Britain Part sixteen: Working as a carpenter or joiner

Depending on where you are in Britain there can be different opportunities for carpenters and joiners. A lot of work may be minor repair jobs in the homes of people who don’t know one end of a hammer from the other. Other jobs, usually in other neighbourhoods, could involve larger scale construction projects such as bookcases and cabinets. There are also industrial contracts, although it is not clear how many huge joinery projects will need temporary workers who are only in the country for a few months.
As with all manual labour, the harder you work and the fairer your prices, the more popular you will be with your customers and the better your reputation will be.

Some phrases you may hear or need to say:
The table wobbles. Can do something about it to make it steady?
– Ten stolik się chwieje. Czy może Pan coś zrobić, aby był stabilny?
It squeaks a bit. Try putting a bit of oil on it.
– To trochę skrzypi. Postaraj się zastosować trochę smaru.
This door sticks. Can you plane the edges a bit?
– Te drzwi się zacinają. Czy może Pan trochę wyheblować krawędzie?
The hinges are rusty. Squirt a bit of WD 40 on it.
– Zawiasy są zardzewiałe. Popsikaj je preparatem WD40.
WD 40 is a popular type of oil which comes in an aerosol can.
How long will it take to finish the cabinet?
– Ile zajmie skończenie tej komody?
Is it possible to save the old timber or will the whole lot need replacing?
– Czy można zachować stare drewno czy całość musi być wymieniona?
Could you give me an estimate?
– Czy może Pan zrobić mi wycenę?
Remember that most estimates in Britain are free, at least for domestic work. If you work privately, you won’t be very popular if you charge people to tell them how much you are going to charge! One of many images people have of manual workers in the UK is that they always end up charging far more than they originally said. Your reputation will be very good if you keep your promises.
Can this be repaired or is it too badly damaged?
– Czy da się to naprawić, czy jest to już za bardzo zniszczone?
Can you put up a shelf for me?
– Czy może Pan przywiesić dla mnie półkę?
We can fix it, but it won’t look the way it was before/as good as new.
– Możemy to naprawić, jednak nie będzie to wyglądało jak wcześniej/ jak nowe.
We can use a better quality wood for the job, but it will cost more.
– Możemy użyć lepszego drewna, ale to będzie kosztowało więcej.
The windowsill is completely rotten. You’ll need a new one.
– Parapet jest całkowicie zgniły. Potrzebuje Pan nowego.
There’s a lot of dry rot here.
– To jest spróchniałe.
The wood has warped in the heat.
– Drewno wykrzywiło się pod wpływem ciepła.
Warping is when the wood bends as a result of temperature changes.
This cupboard is infested with woodworm.
– Ta szafka ma korniki.
It has been damaged by rising damp.
– To zostało zniszczone przez wilgoć.
Rising damp is when water moves up through the building, damaging everything as it does so.
It looks like the person who built this did a bad job of it! One of your colleagues might say this. It’s a stereotype of any builder or carpenter that they ‘slag off” (make rude comments about) whoever did the job before them. Try to avoid saying it yourself, as it doesn’t give carpenters or joiners a good name.
It’s the wrong size. Take a bit off the end.
– To jest zły rozmiar. Postaraj się to trochę skrócić.
Hold it the other way round. This end goes at the bottom.
– Trzymaj to odwrotnie. Ten koniec idzie do spodu.
This will just need a spot of wood glue to keep it in place.
– Aby to utrzymać w odpowiednim miejscu, potrzebujemy trochę kleju do drewna.
Plug the hole and leave it a couple of days.
– Zaślep dziurę i zostaw to na kilka dni.
When it’s dry we can drill the screw holes in it.
– Jak wyschnie, to będziemy mogli wywiercić w tym otwory na śruby.
You hold it steady while I saw it.
– Trzymaj to mocno, gdy ja będę piłował.
We’ll need to get more from the timber yard.
– Musimy przywieźć więcej materiału ze składu drewna.

Tools:
a plane hebel, strug
an awl
przebijak
a hacksaw piła do metalu
a fretsaw wyrzynarka
a circular saw piła tarczowa
a chisel dłuto
a Stanley knife nóż do wykładzin
a penknife scyzoryk
a lathe

tokarka
a tape measure taśma miernicza
Other vocabulary:
sawdust trociny
wood shavings strużyny
hardwood twarde drewno
softwood drewno miękkie
oak dąb
teak drewno tekowe
willow wierzba
chestnut kasztan
yew cis
ash jesion