May 28, 2019August 14, 2019

TOUR DE FORCE: MONTPELIER TO MONACO

Berkeley Bike Ride

This week, clients Pantera Carpentry embarked on the Berkeley bike ride and cycled a whopping 305 miles from Montpelier-to-Monaco. Comprised of 15 cyclists and two support vans, the group’s sole aim was raising money for charity partner, Home-Start London.

Home-Start is a local community network who delivers effective support to vulnerable families with young children through challenging times. Last year Home-Start supported 56,000 children in 27,000 families, in communities across the UK.

Inspired by the riders’ determination to raise money for such a worthwhile cause we too wanted to do our bit and so pledged to sponsor the rides with custom made water bottles to help keep them hydrated.

On day two the riders met their match and were challenged by the rough terrains and steep ascents of the legendary Mont Ventoux (Part of the Tour De France). It was an incredible feat and the team celebrated their success with some very well deserved local wine.

Despite aches and general fatigue the team showed incredible resilience throughout the trip and despise the rain spirits remained high. The collective group have stated that this was one of the best experiences of their lives are already potting their next adventure.

We’re incredibly proud of the impressive achievements of the group and would like to congratulate them on their success. It’s not every day that you meet a group of people who are crazy enough to take on Mont Ventoux. Collectively the team raised a staggering £140K for a great cause. For the fully story and images check out the official Berkeley Cycle website, and for more information on how you could get involved and fundraise for a great case check out this link.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as we enjoyed writing it. Continue reading for more news and views.

May 24, 2019August 14, 2019

MEET THE NEWEST ADDITION TO OUR SUPPLY CHAIN, ECHO PIT WORKSHOP

Tim Peel spent 27-years at the top of his profession as Associate Director for leading multinational structural engineering consultancy Arup. His impressive portfolio of award-winning projects makes him a master of his trade and an undeniable force to be reckoned with.

In recent years Tim’s motivations have shifted, and wanting to break away from the corporate world, he sought to pursue solo endeavours and in 2016 founded Echo Pit Workshop (EPW). This small but emerging structural design practice is comprised of creative structural engineers and is already set for big things.

Recently our path crossed with EPW when we were propositioned with the design, manufacture and installation of a five-tonne screen. This multi-faceted screen spanned 20-meters, and is comprised of 3000 individual pieces. Due to the sheer size and complexity of the piece, we called upon EPW’s structural engineering expertise.

Impressed with Tim’s background we wanted to find out more about his new venture and discover what makes him tick.

What were your motivations for setting up Echo Pit Workshop?

Working for Arup offered high-level exposure to working on some of the largest, most well-known structures across the globe. Arup’s projects have included working on the Sydney Opera House and the Sagrada Familia. I certainly learned a lot from my time there, however, after 27-years, I wanted to pursue my next challenge. I’ve always been interested in smaller more unusual projects so wanted to focus on those and have more creative and business control.

What sets Echo Pit apart from the competition?

The level of experience across the team sets us apart from other practices in the industry. All of our staff have come from successful careers at world-leading companies, meaning that our clients benefit from the high-level experience of someone who has worked for the top firms, whilst receiving the care and attention of a smaller company. All of our clients receive a personal and focused service rather than being engulfed by a corporate machine.

Do you offer a specialist service?

We actually offer a very broad service, though we find ourselves drawn to the more technical and challenging projects. We’re interested in unique structures: sculptural forms, difficult sites, environmental drivers, exemplary architecture. If it’s interesting and captures our imagination we’ll do it. In some ways, because we don’t like to specialise, we’re our own worst enemies. The straightforward commercial decision would be to specialise in one type of project and then churn that out again and again, but we don’t like doing that. We like projects that make us want to get up in the morning.

Previous project

What drew you to Falkus Joinery’s latest project?

We were drawn to the sheer size of the project, along with the clear technical challenges. From the get-go, it was obvious to see that this project was a bit of a one-off. Our key task was to understand how the existing building will move around the screen structure and to offer practical solutions for supporting and restraining the screen against the existing frame and slabs. We’ve previously worked on screens, but nothing to this scale. Ultimately the physics will be the same; we just need to figure out how to put this giant together.

What software do you use?

We use a variety of software but, for the screen, our key tool was General Structural Analysis (GSA) which is a program that allows us to model and analyse a virtual version of the structure. GSA helped us to automate the structural analysis as much as possible, allowing us to input the geometry, loading, materials and properties and how the various elements are connected. The program then did calculations to work out the forces and the moments that the various elements will experience under load, allowing us to determine if everything will work together as expected and to confirm that the structure will have enough load capacity and stiffness. We usually start with simple calculations that will give us an initial idea but, for the final detailed calculations, the software helps us to take a deeper dive.

What projects have you enjoyed working on the most?

We recently worked on installing a gargoyle on an external hotel lift shaft for the Mandrake Hotel. The sculpture was created by renowned sculptor Bushra Fakhoury and is made of bronze resin to keep it light weight. The challenge was connecting it to the existing lift shaft and ensuring that it wouldn’t fall off or blow away! We worked with art handlers Mtec to create a weighted base plate to hold the sculpture in place. You can watch the video of it being fitted here.

We hoped that you enjoyed reading about our upcoming project. If you would like to know more or discuss an upcoming project get in touch at info@falksujoinery.co.uk

March 26, 2019April 24, 2019

A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO THE CARPENTERS

On Monday 25 March, the joiners made their singing debut on the BBC’s popular current affairs programme, The One Show.

The shows production team approached the workshop and asked the team to feature in a short film sequence. The clip shows the joiners, singing one of The Carpenters best-loved songs ‘Top of the world’.

The purpose of the song was to pay homage to the American music icon, singer songwriter, Richard Carpenter. Richard recently released a new album featuring The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which has already gone silver.

The film features a medley of The Carpenter songs, performed by various companies across London, including: the London Zoo keepers, Wandsworth Town Library librarians, New Broadcasting House postal workers, and lastly, the Falkus Joinery joiners.

When scouting for locations, the production team were searching for unique locations that captured the essence of London. The shows producers stated they ‘when they came across the joinery workshops brightly coloured graffiti wall, they felt that a group of joiners/carpenter, performing to Richard Carpenter, would be an ideal way to end the clip.

Although our joinery talents, are predominantly in woodworking, and should probably remain that way, we were thrilled to be a part of the fun. You can catch our performance, along with the full interview with Richard here.

If you would like to discuss bookings for future musical performances, we’re now available for birthdays, weddings, and bar mitzvahs. Only joking, we’ll stick to the woodworking for now.

March 19, 2019August 12, 2019

BEST COMPUTER ASSISTED DRAWING (CAD) PROGRAMS FOR JOINERY

Advancements in computer-aided drawings have come a long way in recent years and have increasingly rendered hand-drawn design obsolete. Being able to create 3D visualisations of a product before manufacture allows the designer to analyse every aspect and component of the design. This offers both an accurate and holistic view of the product/design and helps identify its relationship to its surroundings.

As drawings go digital, this overview and increased accuracy have helped reduce potential errors, saving companies both time and money.

For much larger commercial joinery, investing in software and an experienced design team has become a necessity. This can raise the company’s profile and credibility, as well as increase their chances of winning larger jobs.

With so many new software options with varying functionality on the market, choosing the right software might seem daunting. To help create more clarity around the matter, we’ve taken a look at some of the most popular software options and reviewed some of their pros and cons.

SolidWorks 3D CAD

Is an advanced engineering software allows teams to quickly create 3D product visualisations ready for manufacture. It offers a powerful toolset that can support multiple design and manufacturing tools by implementing one seamlessly integrated solution. As well as having an estimation feature that can monitor project cost, helping you keep within budget.

For those operating in the construction industry, another benefit is that it can export IFC files. This makes it compliant with new Building Information Modelling (BIM) regulations, making it a sound investment for the joinery.

It does however, come with a hefty price tag that could far exceed the budgets of small or specialist sub-contractors. Justifying the cost could be tricky; however, help is at hand, as recently discussed in our BIM for sub-contractors article.

Another challenge you could be faced with is that this software requires a lot of learning. If you don’t have a designer that’s familiar with the product, you could find yourself shelling out more for training.

Overall, cost and learning curve aside, this heavyweight program has a seemingly endless scope for possibility and is suitable for any industry or trade.

Falkus Joinery SolidWorks 3D animation of the Cannock Mill staircase, produced by the in house design team.

AutoCAD

Developed by Autodesk, this easy to use, computer-aided software drafting program has an intuitive interface. This allows the user to type search for commands, enabling them to seamlessly create 2D or 3D designs.

Despise being user-friendly, this product requires each element of the design to be drawn and placed specifically. A lack of automation means that any changes that impact the whole drawing, could make editing a timely affair.

With the software’s regular updates, the user can expect to see continued improvements. Although this is certainly a positive, it can lead to the odd bug and glitch here and there.

Overall this product is a popular tool that can be used across industries and is compliant with industry standards. There are slight limitations with its compatibility with other software, but for small to medium projects it proves to be a heavy hitter.

Sketch Up

This free and easy-to-use program is an extremely popular tool for students, hobbyist, and freelancers looking to keep costs down. It’s a simple lightweight tool that allows the user to quickly create 3D renders of products.

Although it doesn’t come with all the fancy bells and whistles, it packs a punch and has a huge community and an endless stream of online resources.

We won’t go into too much detail on this, as its accessibility makes it easy to test it out yourself. Overall it’s a great product for simple quick jobs, and an ideal choice if you’re just starting out.

Rhino

Dubbed as the all-rounder, and much like AutoCAD, has the functionality to type your command, making it user-friendly. Rhino cleverly offers students a free subscription, making it a prime contender in the market after graduation.

This lightweight program comes fully stocked with a wide range of plugins and can be used for automation. It also offers great programming and scripting features and comes with the support of a large community and free online tutorials.

Overall there are a lot of benefits, however, much like AutoCAD there are a handful of issues that can arise. This is mainly to do with editing and placing items one-by-one, making it a slow process for making changes. Another issue is that the software is only updated every 3-5 years, meaning that you could be missing out on the latest developments.

The learning curve for Rhino is moderate and sits in between SketchUp, being easier and SolidWorks, which is more advanced. Like all programs each product has its individual quirks that will be best suited to varying people and practices.

Summary

We hope this helped shed some light on some of the major players in the computer-aided drawings space. Overall we believe that with all features and cost considered, personal preference will have its part to play.

If you have the time we recommend that you take advantage of as many free trials as you can, to offer you a comparison between products. These products are hefty investments and could prove to be a key factor in the growth of your business, so research is vital.
If you have any joinery or design related questions and would like to speak to a member of our design team, just get in touch.

February 14, 2019August 14, 2019

CAN CUTTING DOWN TREES HELP PREVENT CLIMATE CHANGE?

Climate change prevention has become a global priority as leading scientist warn we only have 12-years to limit the catastrophe.

With increased efforts to turn things around and a cry to plant more trees and crack down on illegal logging. It got us thinking about what the woodworking industry could do to help combat climate change.

Although this sounds contradictory, if managed correctly, cutting down trees could prove to be a key-solution in tackling carbon emissions.

Cutting down trees might seem antithetical, but this theory has been back up by the Forrest Commission who sate. ‘If harvested during optimum growth-cycle and new trees are planted or allowed to regenerate, this could keep the forest as a net “sink” of carbon.

Carbon absorption from trees

Studies found that when new trees are growing they absorb more carbon dioxide at a faster rate, to aid growth. As the tree matures, this rapid rate of absorption will dramatically start to slow and level out. This indicates that if the carbon cycle of a tree is monitored carefully, and trees are cut down and replanted at the right time, we could actually increase the absorption of carbon dioxide.

Although this is not a fool proof plan as there are understandably concerns as to how this will affect wildlife and habitats, but it’s certainly food for thought, and presents a feasible solution for change

We hope you enjoyed reading this article, and why not let us know your thoughts on that matter.

January 10, 2019July 12, 2019

DAY IN THE LIFE OF A JOINERY APPRENTICE

Steve Plumb joined Falkus Joinery in early 2017 as a joinery apprentice. In that time, as well as juggling his studies at The Building Crafts College (level 2 in bench joinery) and his work commitments, he has proved to be a vital member of the team and has already begun to climb the ranks, and was recently promoted to Junior Joiner.

Having previously worked as a display artist, he made the decision to up skill and change career. Keen to understand his draw to the industry, we caught up with Steve to pick his brain.

How did you first get into joinery?

My first joinery experience was in my early 20’s whilst working as a Display Artist for Urban Outfitters, building POS fixtures and window displays. The actual joinery was very basic compared to what I do now, but it definitely helped develop my work ethic and appreciation for working with wood.

Describe an average day in the workshop

Each day is different. As an apprentice, I’m often working/assisting on several jobs at once so the main focus of each day is working out how best to divide my time so that I can work as efficiently as possible. That being said, sometimes big projects can mean that you spend the whole day in the shed ripping large quantities of timber down to size, but luckily most days are far more varied than that! I love the pace of working in the City and it’s great to have a big jobs list all ticked off at the end of the day.

What the best part of your job?

Working with my hands (and brain!). With joinery, I find it easy to become completely absorbed in whatever I’m doing. It’s such a satisfying and creative way to spend time.

What’s the worst part of your job?

Early mornings and the constant noise of the workshop.

What could the industry do to encourage more women to get into joinery and construction?

I think the actual industry is far more diverse than many people realise, it just has a bit of an image problem. There are plenty of women already working in construction, admittedly there could be more, but the industry needs to celebrate them more and perhaps make more of an effort to reach out women and girls in education who are looking for career inspiration.

What do you think the future holds for joinery – do you think this will be 100% machine based in the future?

I don’t think fine joinery can ever be completely machine based. A big part of job is learning to understand the natural properties of wood and using this knowledge to influence how you work with it. A machine would struggle to match grains, choose the most ascetically pleasing face on a board or even select the best timber for the job.

It’s hard to say what the future holds, but with the high demand for construction and development in the City, I think it’s safe to say that joinery’s here to stay.

What advice would you give to individuals who are trying to break into the industry?

Do all that you can just to get your foot in the door, even if that means starting out from the very bottom. If you are willing to listen, work hard and learn then you can progress very quickly. Even if you have no experience, companies always value people who are reliable and willing to work.

We hope you enjoyed reading Steve’s story, and if you’re keen to find out more about our joinery apprenticeship scheme just get in touch.

Although his career has only just begun with us, we predict a bright future for this ambitious joiner.

November 6, 2018May 3, 2019

THE JOINERY MAKES MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT OUR PRINCIPLE CHARITY

This September our amazing staff baked up a storm in order to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. This incredible charity remains close to our hearts and we were thrilled to be part of World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.

Sadly, each year almost 120,000 people of working age are diagnosed with cancer. Many of our employees had a personal connection to the cause and felt passionately doing their bit to kick cancer once and for all.

With this motivation in mind, the Jerram Group have named Macmillan as our principle charity of choice. Going forward, the Group has made a pledge to host future fundraising events to support of the charity’s cause.

The day was a success, and we were proud to present a cheque to Macmillan and help the cause. Together with our sister company we were able to raise £593.96 for this amazing charity.

We want to thank everyone who baked, bought, and donated to the event, because no matter how big or small the donation, every penny counts.

August 15, 2018October 2, 2019

14 OF THE MOST COMMONLY USED TIMBERS FOR PRODUCTION

There are 60,065 species of tree in the world. However, only a fraction of this is used for production.

Discover the most commonly used timbers and their properties with our handy downloadable infographic

SOFTWOOD

Redwood (pine)

This yellowish-white sapwood and reddish heartwood is one of the most widely used timers in joinery and is suitable for all types of interiors and exteriors.

Whitewood (spruce)

This yellowish-white sapwood and reddish heartwood is one of the most widely used timers in joinery and is suitable for all types of interiors and exteriors including flooring, structural use and cladding.

Southern yellow pine

This striking timber is a dense wood that has a reddish brown huge and distinctive grain it is great for heavy structural use and and is perfect for window boards,stair stringers and decking.

Hemlock

Hailing from N. America this fine textured timber is pale with a pinkish-brown colour. It’s malleable qualities makes it a good wood to work with and is therefore used for moldings, stair parts, kitchens, bedrooms and shopfitting.

Douglas Fir

From N. America is clear, this straw coloured and moderately durable softwood is best for both internal and external use including flooring and and structural use.

Western Red Cedar

This highly durable, N American timber can be used internally and externally without preservative treatment. It is widely used for cladding

HARDWOOD

American Ash

Is a light-coloured grey/brown hardwood with a course texture. Due to it’s lack of durability this timber is best used for internal for things such as handles.

Beech

This creamy timber has excellent blending properties and turns a reddish-brown colour when steamed. Do its qualities it’s most commonly used for making furniture.

European Oak

Is a course yellow/brown wood with good durability. It has medium movement and is susceptible to iron staining. Used for cladding, flooring and decking.

American White Oak

This tight-grained hardwood comes in range of shade from a pale straw-to-pale red. Due to the strength of the timber it is often used flooring, decking and heavy structural work.

American Tulipwood

Slightly durable making it perfect for furniture and decorative joinery. It’s yellow/brown colouring and fine texture makes it perfect for interiors.

Sapele

This tropical hardwood from West Africa, has a pink to red colour, with medium texture and movement. It is however difficult to treat but is used both internally and externally.

Dark Red Meranti

A Malaysia, red, tropical hardwood, is often used for furniture making due to its attractive colouring and medium texture.

Iroko

Is a West African, light-brown hardwood that is highly durable, making it suitable for external as well as internal use and sometimes used as a teak substitute.

July 23, 2018July 15, 2019

SAFE HANDLING MACHINE REFRESHER TRAINING WITH THE JOINERY

When operating heavy duty machinery day to day it’s inevitable that over time you’ll become comfortable with your surroundings and equipment. Although this is a positive sign of growing in confidence, at some point or another, you might be tempted to take shortcuts, and overlook the potential dangers that the joinery machines could cause.

At Falkus Joinery, we are committed to reducing risk and protecting the welfare of our joiners. We have therefore instilled strict health and safety procedures to help prevent accidents from happening in the workplace.

Following a recent visit from the head of learning at Havering College, who were initially at the workshop to discuss the enrollment of two of their students on to our junior joinery apprenticeship scheme.

They were so impressed with our set up, that they were suddenly side tracked and felt that we could be a benefit to their tutors as well as their students. With out a moments hesitation they asked if it would be possible for a certified member of our team to deliver a safe handling machine refresher training joinery course for their tutors. We were delighted to have been asked and quickly rose to the occasion.

SAFE HANDLING MACHINE REFRESHER JOINERY COURSE

After some careful planning, the joinery course was developed and delivered by our senior joiner Alistair Gaskell. He has been with the workshop for five years and has more than 10+ years worth of traditional joinery experience under his belt. During this time, Alistair has demonstrated an astute attention to detail, board skill set and an unrelenting passion for the trade. Making him our number one choice for the job.

THE MACHINES

The purpose of the joinery course was to refresh and advance the tutors practical machine operational skill set as well as to educate the team of the importance of safe machine handling on the following machines.

Spindle moulder
mortice
drum sander
tenoner
dimension/sliding table saw
bandsaw
crosscut saw

THE RESULTS ARE IN

After a grueling day of practical joinery training, we were very impressed with the tutor’s efforts and willingness to learn, and we are pleased to announce that they all passed with flying colours. Well done team!

May 17, 2018August 14, 2019

A JOINERS GUIDE TO RESTORATION AT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Looking back in time we’ve been able to paint a clear picture as to how past civilizations lived their lives, through the study of their buildings and artifacts that were left behind. With limited access to both funds and resources, our ancestors shared a common belief that things were made to last – and last they did.

A passion for preservation

Having both a passion and reputation for restoration and heritage joinery, Falkus Joinery was approached by the Natural History Museum in 2016 and was commissioned to assist in the construction of their new member’s lounge along with a handful of small additional restorations projects.

Over the past couple of years of working with the museum, there has been an abundance of challenges thrown our way, and it’s been impressive to see how the joiners take every challenge in their stride and never fail to deliver.

A joiners guide

We were so impressed with the results that we wanted to catch up with our production manager Chris Stanley and get the inside scoop on the process involved in restoration joinery, the challenges that are presented along the way.

First things first...timber inspection

According to Chris, when taking on any restoration project there will be an initial inspection of the timber to access how much damage there is to the wood and whether or not it can be restored. Often with antique pieces, there will be signs of rot, dry rot and sometimes even woodworm; so it’s important to know if the timber needs treating, to increase its chances of seeing the next hundred years.

We will then need to identify the species of timber and the finish so that if necessary we can match the wood and splice in any new pieces. Ideally, we always try to keep as much of the original wood as possible to retain its authenticity.

Once we’ve finished the inspection and the piece is deemed repairable, we will then speak to the client and discuss what their expectations are and what they want the finished product to look like. Occasionally we’ll find that the client will want the pieces to look brand new and modern, this view is common when working with stately homes, but actually, more often than not they’ll want to keep the characteristics of the original piece.

Splicing and a whole lot of sanding

Two of the most commonly used techniques in restoration joinery are splicing and sanding. Splicing is a term that refers to patching up dents and damage to the timber. Well, aim to try and match the grain as closely as we can so that you can’t see the joint but if all else fails we’ll paint the grain on to give the illusion of an exact match.

Challenges with restoration joinery

Restoration joinery requires a lot of skill, patience and experience, so finding the right people for the job can be very tricky. Even if the damage is small this can be a very time taxing process as there needs to be a lot of care and attention to detail when matching the wood and getting the splicing just right. It’s also important to know how much of the original timber that needs to be cut away and replaced.

Our aim in restoration is to create the illusion of an untouched piece but unfortunately, it is very easy to get this process wrong and when done badly it can be quite distracting and will detract from the character and history of the piece.

It’s a specialist process and some joiners just haven’t got the patience for carefully cutting and replacing timber, especially if you have to match the grain!

“It’s like assembling a very complex jigsaw puzzle but you’re not allowed to see the joints.”

Restoration at the Natural History Museum

For this particular project, we were asked to replicate an arch frame for a hundred-year-old door. We knew that we would have to be very selective with the materials that we were using and so we handpicked a veneer with a subtle grain and a light colouring so that our polisher could colour and match the existing frame.

Due to the age of the frame, there was a lot of sun damage to the existing frame, so when replicating the arch we had to take this into account and match its weathered look.

After a lot of patience and we were pretty pleased with the results.

Matching the old and the new

Matching the museum doors was a much harder task in terms of the colour, as we were attempting to match an ancient timber with a fresh new timber, and even though the new wood had been pieced in perfectly, the grain and the colour stood out like a sore thumb, meaning that we had to call upon a little French polishing magic.

French polishing - Matching at its best

We received this original door from the Natural History Museum with two cut out holes from where the lock used to be. After we sanded the holes we matched and patched up the empty space. As you can see in the image below and as described previously the colour and grain were completely off so we called in our best French Polisher Bradley to work his magic.

Bradley has worked for the joinery for 10 years and is a master craftsman, upon seeing the door he mixed his paints and got to work.

We hope that you enjoyed this article as much as we enjoyed writing it, and if you are in need of any expert advice regarding a similar project just get in touch!

After the first layer was applied it was already looking pretty good and we were confident that after a few more layers it would be a perfect match.

Once the paint had dried we were thrilled with the results, and after the final coat had been applied and dried, we presented the door to the clients who were equally as satisfied.

May 9, 2018August 15, 2019

HAVERING COLLEGE: WORK EXPERIENCE AT THE JOINERY

This morning the joinery was joined by two of Havering College’s brightest students Joe Hill and Stanley Kappes, for work experience at the joinery. Both boys are currently in their first year of the carpentry and joinery course and are already making waves.

Joinery is often thought of as being old hat and so we were thrilled to hear that so many young people were still enrolling in their hundreds and were eager to learn the trade and make a career of it.

Work experience workshop challenge

Over the course of the day, we wanted to give the boys something that they could really sink their teeth in to, so we set them to work on one of our latest projects, but before we got them started we wanted to find out more about them and their views on joinery. Here’s what they said:

Why did you choose to do carpentry & joinery course?

Joe: I first got into joinery because of my brother; he’s a few years older than me and a qualified quantity surveyor and having heard all about his career and opportunities that were open to him, it really sparked my interest.

Stanley: Similarly to that, I also had a family member introduce me to the trade. My dad owns a plastering, window and doors company, and so for the past couple of years, I’ve been helping him out with the fitting. From working with him it became apparent that there are lots of challenges involving a lot of skill, and with that came a lot of opportunities. I realised then that this career path could open a lot of doors for me so when I saw the course I jumped at the chance.

What excites you about joinery?

Joe: For me, I’ve always really enjoyed the design element and figuring out how everything fits together. I was really lucky at school and had a great teacher who was always encouraging me to do more and explore all aspects of joinery and everything that that entailed. It was through him that I started working and experimenting with CAD to develop my skills. I’ve also started working on sketch up in my spare time, which is great because it’s so simple to use.

Stanley: The thing I love is working with my hands and the sense of achievement you get once you’ve finished working on a project. I’m not much of a designer, but I can read the drawings to a high level and am really enjoy learning about the different processes, materials, veneers and finishes.

How do you approach new processes?

Joe: I’m always really interested in the research side of things, for example, today we’ve been tasked with recreating a mace stand, so for this, I’ll look at lots of other/similar stands to get a feel for them and try to figure out the most effective way to build them.

Stanley: I’m more of a visual guy and like to try and think about the structure and how it might all piece together. However, I’m happy to admit that I’m still very new to the industry and luckily I’m surrounded by so many people who have years and sometimes even decades worth of experience under their belts. I’ll always try to make a process my own, but I’m always willing to listen and learn new ways of working.

Where do you see your careers going?

Joe: As I mentioned before, I really enjoy the design side of things so ideally, I’d like to work on the floor for a number of years and perfect my trade. Once I have a good grasp of things I’d like to work in the office as a designer and then who knows. The great thing about this industry is that you can constantly develop and grow into new fields. As long as you have a core understanding of how things work, I believe that it can really take you far.

Stanley: I’d really like to go into management. Once I finish my course I want to stay on and do the level 3 management course to help set me up for the future. It’s difficult to know where my career will take me, but I feel lucky knowing how many opportunities are out there and what could be.

What do you think the future of joinery is?

Joe: sometimes it’s daunting when you hear about joinery firms going out of business due to a lack of funding for new machinery and nowadays it seems that a lot of people are buying IKEA furniture as a short-term solution. But for me, I feel that joinery focuses more on the high-end more robust products and if you look around woodwork is everywhere. People are always going to want to handcrafted bespoke items, but there’s another element too in terms of restoration and heritage joinery too.

Like most industries, there will need to be a period of evolution in terms of trends and technology, but I firmly believe that there will always be demand for this specific skill set.

Stanley: To add to that, I also believe that consumers really love that products are handmade as there’s a real skill and charm that goes with it. It’s also way more personal and special. Yes, you can buy cheaply made IKEA furniture but those items are designed to be quick fixes that will only last you a couple of years. We’re building quality pieces that will stand the test of time, therefore we’re quietly confident that joinery is here to stay.

We hope you enjoyed this article as much as we enjoyed writing it. If you’re currently enrolled in a joinery or related course and would like apply for work experience in the joinery. Get in touch.

April 9, 2018August 14, 2019

CANNOCK MILL ROOF TOPPING OUT CEREMONY

Recently Falkus Joinery and sister company Jerram Falkus Construction (JFC) celebrated the Cannock Mill Housing Association topping out ceremony. This age-old construction tradition is used to mark important milestones and to signify the nearing completion of the project. For this occasion, the team and the soon to be residents gathered to celebrate that the full height of the building had been reached, but also to mark the completion of the roof.

The day began with a full tour of the site followed by an uplifting speech by JFC’s Managing Director, Jon Jerram and a member of the housing committee Anne Thorn, as well as the traditional ceremony and celebrations.

The history

Although there are no concrete sources, it is believed that no two topping out ceremonies are the same, and the tradition is said to date back to the Scandinavian dark ages and is thought to bring good luck. Being a sucker for tradition, we tried to honour ceremony as closely as we could and so marked the occasion by placing a yew tree at the highest point of the new building in a bid to appease the tree-dwelling spirits of their displaced ancestors, and by flying a flag.

The Cannock Millers surprise

Since the first drawings were sketched back in late October 2017, the work has progressed at a rapid rate and the soon to be residents, or fondly self-titled ‘Cannock Millers’, were so thrilled with the results that they surprised the team and everyone involved with homemade cakes and a very special and humorous self-written song.

News of the event traveled and we were thrilled to be featured in an article published in the Gazette. You can read the full story here.

The joinery

Falkus Joinery was thrilled to be a part of the Cannock Mill project and are working hard to complete the stairs, windows, external doors, glazed screen and kitchens.

Although there is still a lot of work to be done we’re looking forward to Summer 2018 so that we can return and view the completed work and catch up with the residents to find out how they are settling in. Let’s just hope that we’ve done enough to appease the spirits!

We hope you enjoyed this blog and if you wish to discuss any current or upcoming joinery requirements just let us know.

February 22, 2018August 15, 2019

THE GROTTY PEOPLE TAKE OVER THE WORKSHOP

Famed for its trendy pop-ups, street art, and food markets, Shoreditch has an undeniable appeal, which draws the crowds. Falkus Joinery took up residence in this trendy part of town in the late 70’s and after four decades, we’re still proud to call 14 Anning Street, home.

In order to pay homage to this unique part of London, we set out to try and capture the essence of the neighborhood, by opening our doors and inviting in two very infamous graffiti crews, The Rolling People (TRP) & Team Grot Bags (TGB), to spray paint our workshop in an attempt to bottle some of that Shoreditch magic.

A local touch

Our aim was to try and bring some of the outside in, but also to establish a creative space for local street artists to use as they wish to create an on-going piece of art that evolves with the times.

We hoped that by bringing the vibrancy of Shoreditch into our workshop that it would serve as a daily source of inspiration and a reminder to inject a sense of fun and personality into everything we do.

The artists

Deus @whatthedeus [TGB]
Kev [TRP]
Krooks – @jamiekrooks [TGB]
Brk – @brk192 [TRP]
Stevn @vents137 [TGB]
Snoe – @snoeone [TRP]
Hero image by Steven Mosk via Template Monster (copyright-free)

February 22, 2018July 19, 2019

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

This January marks Falkus Joinery’s 60th Anniversary as joinery manufacturers and industry leaders. Established by the Jerram brothers in 1957, the duo set up shop in Shoreditch and built a lasting legacy. This family run business has grown from strength-to-strength and to this day remains at the fore front of joinery innovation.

The London joinery has stood the test of time and we believe that’s due to the workshops unwavering passion for joinery. Our fierce investment in people has developed a strong family culture and a dedication to responsible purchasing has safeguarded sustainability. This careful consideration leaves us feeling confident that we’ll continue to uphold this long-standing trade and thrive.

Today, Falkus Joinery works across a wide range of joinery sectors, and specialises in:

Bespoke kitchens
kitchen cabinets and doors
Skirting
Bathroom joinery
Vanity units
Commercial office fit-outs
Bleachers
Custom made staircases
Handmade furniture
joinery fittings

Bespoke doors
Sash windows
Staircase manufacture and instillation
Custom made reception desks
Wall paneling
Bespoke wardrobes
Office furniture
And everything else in between

A brief history of Falkus Joinery

Founded by the Falkus family as an independent joinery manufacturer, the company prospered and were therefore looking to expand. When meeting with the Jerram’s it was agreed that it would be mutually beneficial to merge companies and expand their collective business offerings.

For both companies a successful partnership ensued over the decades which has allowed the collective to thrive and expand into new sectors. Today the Jerram Group is comprised of four divisions: Jerram Falkus Construction, Falkus Joinery, Jerram Development and Jerram Falkus. As a croup we’ll continue to develop with the times and provide high-end construction and joinery service to the UK.

Take a journey through the decades and discover our combined history with the Jerram Group. We hope that you find this just as interesting as we did.

The future

Looking back it’s clear to see that we’ve come a long way and we’re thrilled to see that traditional joinery is a trade that continues to flourish in this increasingly digital age.

It’s difficult to see what the future has in store for our joinery manufacturer but we look forward to what may come and to celebrating the next 60!