Help carpenters by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.
U.S. Workers
24,610
Median Salary
$41,600
10-Year Growth
+4.5%
Annual Openings
2,700
Typical entry: No formal educational credential
18 of 18 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Drill holes in timbers or lumber.
AI: Fully automatable - CNC drill rigs and robotic drilling systems can accurately drill holes in timbers/lumber in production/shop environments, enabling full automation for that task.
Cut timbers, lumber, or paneling to specified dimensions.
AI: Fully automatable - Automated saws, CNC panel cutters, and robotic mills can cut timbers, lumber, and paneling to specified dimensions reliably in fabrication settings.
Glue and clamp edges or joints of assembled parts.
AI: Fully automatable - Gluing and clamping repetitive joints is a well‑contained, repeatable operation already fully automatable with existing industrial robots and fixtures in many contexts.
Clean work areas, machines, or equipment, to maintain a clean and safe job site.
AI: Partial - Robotic cleaners and AI scheduling can assist and partially automate site cleaning, but unpredictable debris and safety judgments on construction sites prevent full automation in 2025.
Fasten timbers or lumber with glue, screws, pegs, or nails and install hardware.
AI: Partial - Automated fastening systems and CNC/robotic tools can perform routine fastening in controlled shop settings, but varied joints, on-site conditions, and complex hardware installations still require human skill.
Perform tie spacing layout and measure, mark, drill or cut.
AI: Partial - AI can generate layouts and guide measuring/marking and some robots can execute drilling/cutting to layout, but site variability and ad-hoc adjustments limit full automation.
Select tools, equipment, or materials from storage and transport items to work site.
AI: Partial - Automated storage and AGVs handle tool/material selection and transport in structured environments, but irregular construction-site logistics and handling tasks are not fully automated yet.
Position and hold timbers, lumber, or paneling in place for fastening or cutting.
AI: Partial - Collaborative robots and jigs can position and hold materials for repetitive tasks, but the variability and ad-hoc fixturing on construction sites mean humans remain necessary for many cases.
Align, straighten, plumb, or square forms for installation.
AI: Partial - Laser levels, digital sensors, and guidance systems aid alignment and squaring, and some mechanized systems assist, but full autonomous alignment on complex sites is not generally solved.
Hold plumb bobs, sighting rods, or other equipment to aid in establishing reference points and lines.
AI: Partial - Digital leveling and automated sighting tools can replace manual holding of plumbs and rods in many cases, but straightforward holding/adjusting tasks on dynamic sites are only partially automatable.
Erect scaffolding, shoring, or braces.
AI: Partial - Modular and mechanized scaffolding systems exist and robots can assist, but erecting scaffolding and shoring on varied, safety-critical sites still requires significant human labor and oversight.
Construct forms and assist in raising them to the required elevation.
AI: Partial - Raising and assembling formwork in variable outdoor construction settings requires dexterous, adaptable physical labor and on‑the‑spot judgment that AI/robots can assist with but not fully replace reliably in 2025.
Install handrails under the direction of a carpenter.
AI: Partial - Installing handrails involves variable on‑site measurements, alignment, and fastening that AI can guide or partially automate with specialized tooling but not fully perform across general field conditions.
Smooth or sand surfaces to remove ridges, tool marks, glue, or caulking.
AI: Partial - Sanding and surface finishing often require nuanced surface assessment and adaptive force/technique that AI systems can assist or partially automate but not yet fully replicate for all shapes and finishes.
Cut tile or linoleum to fit and spread adhesives on flooring for installation.
AI: Partial - Tile/linoleum cutting and adhesive spreading are partly automatable with CNC cutters and dispensing machines, yet on‑site fitting and adjustments keep the task only partially automatable.
Secure stakes to grids for constructions of footings, nail scabs to footing forms, and vibrate and float concrete.
AI: Partial - Tasks like securing stakes, nailing scabs, and vibrating/float finishing concrete mix simple mechanizable steps with variable manual tasks, so AI/automation can assist but not fully handle every on‑site scenario.
Cut and install insulating or sound-absorbing material.
AI: Partial - Cutting and installing insulation can be automated in controlled shop environments, but on‑site fitting around irregular obstructions still requires human adaptability beyond broad AI automation in 2025.
Cover surfaces with laminated plastic covering material.
AI: Partial - Laminating or covering surfaces is automatable in manufacturing, but variable field applications and precise handling on construction sites limit full AI/robotic automation today.