Making it in Maine: Where to learn homebuilding, furniture making and more
Putting it all together in a framing workshop at the Midcoast Conservancy. COURTESY PHOTO.
Courses, classes and other learning opportunities in homebuilding, furniture making and building science.
By June Donenfeld
EVER DREAMED of learning how to build your own house? Getting schooled in both time-honored and contemporary methods of furniture-making? Conquering building science basics to make your home the most healthful and sustainable it can be? You’ll be spoiled for choice in Maine, which is blessed with abundant opportunities to learn anything from traditional joinery to plumbing to the nuts and bolts of high-performance building. Some classes get filled way in advance, so mark your calendars, sharpen your tools and pencils, and get ready for some serious skill-building.
If you (teach them to) build it, they will come
If you’ve tried to find a great builder, contractor or skilled tradesperson recently (or not so recently), you’ve probably had a hard time. For good reason.
“We’ve had a labor shortage in the skilled trades since the 2008 recession—a lot of people left, and not many of them came back,” says Portland builder Dan Kolbert. “But these jobs are not just important, they’re fun and always in demand. Luckily, we have a lot of great educational opportunities here, both at the high school and college level, along with union apprenticeships, woodworking programs and certifications. We need them all, and more, to get where we need to be.”
So whether you’re looking to pursue a full-fledged career in construction or the trades or simply want to get some skills under your (tool) belt for personal or practical reasons, we’ve got some solid resources close to home.
School is in session at the Shelter Institute. COURTESY PHOTO.
Carpentry and Homebuilding Courses
Shelter Institute • Wiscasset, Maine
shelterinstitute.com
For almost five decades, the Shelter Institute has been teaching people how to build, renovate and general contract their homes, through a highly practical approach that integrates traditional tools and methods with the most current knowledge and technology. Located on 68 acres of wilderness in coastal Wiscasset, the Institute’s signature courses include Purely Post & Beam, a one-week hands-on, A-to-Z intensive that culminates in the raising of a 24-foot by 24-foot house frame, and a two-week Design Build course that covers site planning, foundations, insulation, engineering, design, wiring, plumbing and tool knowledge. For those outside the Midcoast, look for the online version of the post and beam class.
Fox Maple School of Traditional Building • Brownfield, Maine
foxmaple.com
Since 1975, the Fox Maple School of Traditional Building in Brownfield has been teaching the fine art of timber framing. Current course offerings include both Introductory and Advanced Timber Framing, but don’t let the word “introductory” fool you: It’s a comprehensive workshop covering design, engineering, layout and joinery, capped by the raising of a full-size frame that participants design, lay out and cut themselves.
Center for an Ecology-Based Economy (CEBE) • Norway, Maine
ecologybasedeconomy.org
Center for an Ecology-Based Community (CEBE) in Norway hosts the carpentry program “We Built This,” workshops that provide a welcoming, inclusive environment for anyone who wants to learn how to operate power and hand tools with confidence and take carpentry projects from concept to completion. Past classes have included an introduction to carpentry and an intro to timber framing.
Students at Hidden Valley Nature Center learn to build and erect the frame of a small building. PHOTO COURTESY THE MIDCOAST CONSERVANCY.
The Midcoast Conservancy • Jefferson, Maine
midcoastconservancy.org
The Midcoast Conservancy offers four-day, hands-on timber framing workshops in the spring, summer and fall at its Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson, where students get an in-depth introduction to most aspects of building a timber frame and then build and erect the frame of a small building. Experienced professionals give how-tos on joints and beams, building plans and design, along with talks on topics like sustainable forestry and why timber frame techniques are well-suited to New England forests. Tools and equipment are provided, and, through the generosity of a local businessperson, students can apply to take the workshops for half the usual cost.
Yestermorrow Design/Build School • Waitsfield, Vermont
yestermorrow.org
The Yestermorrow Design/Build School may not be in Maine, but it’s right next door in Vermont, and we’d be remiss if we didn’t include it. From basic carpentry to building systems design to whole structure courses that teach how to design and build a (your!) home from start to finish, Yestermorrow offers more than 100 courses from top-notch instructors—in person and online—for professionals and DIYers alike.
Kennebec Valley Community College • Fairfield, Maine
kvcc.me.edu
Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield offers a two-year Sustainable Construction program that combines conventional stick-framing instruction and the ancient craft of timber frame joinery with the most up-to-date building systems technology. Rounding out their program are practical introductions to trades like welding, plumbing and weatherization, as well as finish carpentry and architectural restoration. KVCC also provides two one-year certificate-course options: Framing and Craftsmanship or Carpentry and Building Science.
Brelyn LaFreniere, a former student in Kennebec Valley Community College's Sustainable Construction program prepares to make an angle cut. PHOTO: ELISE KLYSA.
Southern Maine Community College • South Portland, Maine
smccme.edu
Southern Maine Community College in South Portland has a college-level program in Construction Technology. SMCC’s innovative Construction Institute also gives participants the chance to gain new skills without completing an entire degree program.
Eastern Maine Community College • Bangor, Maine
emcc.edu
Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor has a Building Construction program.
Maine Administrators of Career and Technical Education (MACTE) • Lewiston, Maine
mainecte.org
For high school students, the Maine Administrators of Career and Technical Education (MACTE) is the official organization for the state’s network of 27 career and technical education (CTE) schools, which offer programs like Carpentry and Building Construction in Lewiston, among many others.
Have a seat (or a table): Woodworking programs and classes
Maine has a long tradition of remarkably accomplished fine furniture makers. Among them is Chris Becksvoort, who is also a teacher, author and contributing editor for Fine Woodworking magazine. He got his start in high school classes and by working with his father, a professional cabinet maker, from an early age. He went on to found his own successful shop in New Gloucester, where he creates museum-quality pieces prized by collectors in North America, Europe, the United Kingdom and Japan. Maine’s abundance of wood and long history of woodworking—from boat- to housebuilding, carving to practical home furnishings—have influenced him, as has the work in the Alfred Shaker Historic District and Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, where he’s “been honored to do restoration works since 1975.” His advice to budding furniture makers?
“The woodworking is the easy part, and it makes a great and fulfilling hobby,” Becksvoort says. “But doing it professionally is a different ball game. Running a business, marketing and time management are what separate pros from hobbyists. I have a sign in my shop that’s engraved with ‘Productivity is nothing without craftsmanship. Craftsmanship is nothing without productivity.’ I think the Shaker furniture makers would have agreed.”
Forewarned is forearmed, but whatever your goals, interests or skill level, we’ve got some unique programs in Maine.
Center for Furniture Craftsmanship • Rockport, Maine
woodschool.org
Widely regarded as one of finest furniture making schools around, the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship was founded in 1993 by Peter Korn. A not-for-profit, international school in Rockport whose students come from far and wide, CFC offers four programs for professional-track and amateur woodworkers at all skill levels who want to design and create distinctive, elegant, functional work through a combination of traditional techniques and modern technology. Class enrollment is usually limited to 12 students, who are served by two or more full-time teachers and support staff. Programs include one- and two-week workshops, eight- and 12-week intensives, a nine-month comprehensive, and fellowships. Their highly experienced, approachable faculty come from across the United States, the U.K., Canada, New Zealand and Australia. CFC also hosts a Visiting Artists program that brings exceptional professional woodworkers to the center to explore new paths in their work.
Workbenches and tools await their students at the Maine Coast Workshop. PHOTO: WM. FRANCIS BROWN.
Maine Coast Workshop • Camden, Maine
mainecoastworkshop.com
A newcomer to the Maine woodworking school world, the Maine Coast Workshop is located just a few blocks from Camden’s scenic harbor. Their classes, which can accommodate beginner to advanced students, focus on traditional 18th-century American techniques, using hand tools, though machinery is sometimes used for efficiency’s sake. Thanks to limited class enrollment, students get lots of individual attention from their instructors, who are selected both for their outstanding woodworking skills and their ability to teach at all levels.
Thos. Moser • Auburn, Maine
thosmoser.com/about-thos-moser/customer-in-residence
Fine furniture-maker Thos. Moser has offered their unique “Customer in Residence” (CIR) program since 2007 to participants from all over the world, from novices to experienced craftsmen. Participants of all skill levels are welcome and may choose to create any piece from Thos. Moser’s standard furniture designs, though customized requests are possible, too. The week-long, immersive experience takes place in Auburn, where participants work right alongside a master craftsperson, from choosing the raw materials to crafting the final details. Along the way, they learn the ins and outs of joinery, how to shape and mold solid wood, and how to finish it to bring out its inherent beauty.
Efficiency Maine chats with homeowners at the 2019 Green Home + Energy Show in Portland, ME. PHOTO: SALTY LENS PHOTO.
High-performance homebuilding and retrofits: building science courses
How can we be Goldilocks-comfortable—not too hot, too cold, too damp or too dry—in resilient, healthful homes that help us save money and do right by the planet? Building science.
As architect Emily Mottram observes, “It’s more important than ever for our building trades and design fields to understand building science. As we improve the air tightness and insulation levels of our buildings, we must be vigilant in understanding how these new products and assemblies affect the longevity of our buildings. And while the typical homeowner doesn’t need to know the physics of how water moves through buildings or what’s in every building product, they do need to know about the temperature-humidity relationship, spikes in CO and CO2 and the chemical content of what they are buying and bringing into the house, from furniture to fabrics.” Let the learning begin.
The Maine Indoor Air Quality Council (MIAQC) • Augusta, Maine
maineindoorair.org/residential-construction-trainings
The Maine Indoor Air Quality Council (MIAQC) presents an annual residential construction training series on practices that optimize energy efficiency measures and minimize moisture risk and indoor air quality problems in new and existing homes. From foundations to building shells to ventilation, MIAQC offers vital, current information from pros who blend building science with practical application.
passivhausMAINE
passivhausmaine.org
Passive House is a construction methodology that dramatically reduces carbon emissions, makes buildings resilient, ensures steady supplies of fresh, filtered air, and creates extremely comfortable living spaces, even when the thermometer hits lows and highs. How? Through super-insulated building envelopes, airtight construction, high-performance windows, elimination of thermal bridges, and balanced ventilation. To help homeowners, builders and remodelers achieve these goals, not-for-profit passivhausMAINE supports and hosts low-cost statewide training sessions by the Passive House Network, Passivhaus International US (PHIUS) and Passivehaus International (PHI); it also organizes annual forums and one-off events.
The BS* + Beer Show
thebsandbeershow.com
BS* + Beer (*BS = building science) is a monthly homegrown talk show sponsored by Green Building Advisor and co-hosted by some of Maine’s most accomplished high-performance building specialists. The show provides the most recent intelligence from experts across North America in a convivial atmosphere that makes learning an awful lot of fun. Because it’s online, it’s always BYOB, and audience comments and questions are enthusiastically invited. They even have a book club, so you can nerd out even when they’re off the air.
Build Green Maine • Brooks, Maine
buildgreenmaine.org
Build Green Maine offers comprehensive instruction to prepare professionals to pass their Building Performance Institute tests, through in-house staff training, one-on-one mentoring, and online or in-person courses. They also offer certification and re-certification testing. Their programs provide a balanced combination of in-depth instruction and real-life field diagnostics, thanks to the three test houses they maintain in the Northeast.
Efficiency Maine • Augusta, Maine
efficiencymaine.com/professional-training
Efficiency Maine has an array of training opportunities for energy efficiency professionals on their website, including heat pumps and the International Energy Conservation Code.
Green Home + Energy Show • South Portland, Maine
Get inspired to create your green and healthy dream home at the Green Home + Energy Show, an annual event in South Portland presented by Green & Healthy Maine HOMES. At this one day event, participants can connect with Maine’s sustainable home and energy experts and get the most up-to-date information from professionals in the field. Whether you want to buy, build or improve an existing property, you’ll find inspiration and great guidance from some of the best in the green home business—and learn about new products, incentive programs and show deals/discounts from an impressive array of exhibitors, all under one roof.
Home + Energy Chats webinar series • Virtual
Green & Healthy Maine HOMES also hosts a series of free, highly informative Home + Energy Chats, webinars for current and prospective homeowners, or anyone interested in green and healthy home improvements. Past topics have included “The Value of Green Home Improvements,” “Are Heat Pumps Right for My Home?” and “The Benefits of Local Wood.”
In our January 2024 episode, “Carpentry and Construction Training in Maine,” we chatted in depth with Maine Indoor Air Quality Council, passivhausMAINE, We Built This about their construction training programs. These opportunities are open to homeowners and professionals alike who want to boost their homebuilding skills. Watch the recording to the right.
This article appeared in the Winter 2021-22 edition of Green & Healthy Maine. Subscribe today!
Find Maine experts that specialize in healthy, efficient homes in the Green Homes Business Directory.