This full time furniture making course introduces students to fundamental hand skills for fine furniture making while making a free standing piece of fine furniture. In line with our philosophy of Learning by Making you will undertake a project to make a side table with a drawer.
Through a carefully structured project, you will receive practical training from the start and learn core fine woodworking techniques, hand skills and processes, including material preparation, joinery, drawer fitting, veneering and wood finishes.
At the end of this 6 Week Course students will have covered the skills needed to plan, structure and select materials, to make furniture pieces by hand and with the use of power tools. These fundamental skills will prepare you for further furniture making.
We will also support and advise in setting up your home workshop, as well as providing steps for the next project to be made at home. This means following this course, trainees can 'hit the floor running’ and continue their woodworking journey.
The course runs Monday to Friday for 6 weeks. Training hours are 9am to 5pm and main Workshop opening hours are 8am to 8pm.
To ensure individual attention, there are never more than eight students in our woodworking class, taught by two of our experienced tutors.
I am very happy to discuss your particular situation and aims to find the best course fit and available intake dates.
Hand Tool preparation and selection: Hand tool fettling, tool selection, maintenance, storage.
Wood preparation by hand: principal fundamentals (flat, square and straight)
Sharpening: blade sharpening, sharpening geometry analysis, hand saws.
Tool making: dovetail marker, shooting board, winding sticks*.
Hand Cut Joinery: joint selection and application, weaknesses and strength analysis, marking and laying out, jointing techniques and methods.
Drawer Fitting: making and fitting a traditional dovetailed drawer.
Veneering: selection, matching, jointing techniques, vacuum press and adhesives.
Wood turning: fundamental skills, drawer pull making.
Woodwork Machinery and Power Tools: introduction to selection of woodworking machinery and power tools.
Wood finishing: oils, waxes, lacquers, application techniques. Creating own wood finishes. Advanced oil andz wax finishing techniques.
Wood Material Science: timber identification, moisture content and wood movement, timber drying (kiln drying processes, etc.), timber selection and timber defects.
Glue up: preparation and clean-up.
Abrasives: selection and correct application. Surface preparation for finishing.
Adhesives: selection and correct application.
Health & Safety: Machine Shop and Bench Shop.
Course fee:: £4,450 (materials for the course project are included).
Next Intake dates:
Monday 3rd November 2025.
Please contact us if you would like more sign-up information.
Due to the duration, this course may be well suited for students who require a Visa. You can find further information here.
* dependent on progress through course.
This is the first part of a two part beginner’s course. You can do part one as a stand-alone course and then decide whether return to further extend your skills in part two.
The aim is to give you a firm grounding in the fundamentals of making furniture. You will begin by making a breadboard from locally sourced English hardwood. This is an ideal project to help you learn the vital skills of making a piece of wood ‘flat, square and straight’ using a hand plane.
Mastering these traditional skills will help you to achieve perfection in everything you make, whether simple or complex. The ability to achieve flat, square and straight was the very first thing I was taught as a student and it underpins all furniture making techniques.
This course is suitable for beginners but it is by no means basic. We look at each technique in-depth. This will help you begin developing genuine expertise that you can draw on in the future, whether you take only this course or go on to further training.
The course is run in our workshop on the Surrey / Hampshire border, just outside the Georgian town of Farnham. To ensure individual attention, there are never more than six students taught by one of our experienced tutors.
This two-day course runs at weekends and is aimed at those with no, or limited, wood working experience. It provides a good grounding in hand skills and the methods of fine furniture making that I have studied and worked in for over 15 years (see about page).
You do not need to buy any tools or equipment, all hand tools and materials are provided.
A detailed description of the course is below.
At the end of the two days you will have gained the knowledge and confidence to attempt simple furniture making tasks. You will also have learned the fundamentals of using and sharpening hand planes. Finally, you will leave with your own hand-crafted breadboard which can take pride of place in your kitchen.
Following the course you will receive an email with a range of information to help you take your next steps. For example, advice about buying and maintaining tools and details of suggested suppliers. We will also include plans and a materials list for a project using the skills you have learned during your course. This will help you put your new knowledge into practice.
Course duration: 2 days.
Courses run from 9am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday. All tools and materials are provided.
Course fee: £325 (materials included).
We provide tea and coffee throughout the course but you will need to arrange your own lunch. I recommend that you bring a packed lunch each day. However we are only a few minutes by car from Farnham town centre if you need anything.
If you want accommodation, there are many excellent hotels and B&Bs in the area. Click this link to see a selection.
Please note that we are unable to accept applications from anyone under the age of 18 at the start of their course.
If you would like to be notified when new course dates are available, you can do so via our Newsletter here.
To purchase one of our gift vouchers, just visit our Gift Vouchers page.
To book a course, choose a course from the above list and enter the start date into the calendar widget below. Then, click on the ‘Book Now’ button which will bring you to the online booking form. For debit and credit card payments, please follow the green ‘Pay’ button on the payment portal. Please note that you will not need a PayPal account to complete the booking.
Have a question you want to ask about this course? Maybe you have already been on this course and would like to comment on your experience? Use the Disqus comment system below to let us know!
This beginner’s furniture making course is designed to extend your knowledge and practical experience of making high quality furniture. I will introduce you to cabinet-making tools and show you how to use them effectively. You will test your new skills by creating your own wall hung mirror frame. This will be a very personal piece. Not only will you craft it by hand, using traditional techniques, but you will choose your own wood from a selection of locally sourced native timbers.
You don’t need to buy any tools as we provide a complete, high quality tool kit for each student to use during training.
If you haven’t trained with us before and would like some guidance on whether this course is right for you please get in touch by emailing me at info@amfinefurniture.co.uk or calling 078 11 262360.
The course is run in our workshop on the Surrey / Hampshire border, just outside the Georgian town of Farnham. To ensure individual attention, there are never more than six students taught by one of our experienced tutors.
Part 2 of the Fundamentals of Furniture Making runs over four days, either over two weekends, or a single block of four days. A range of dates are available throughout the year. Please see our Course Booking page for availability. A description of the course is below.
At the end of this course you will have gained the knowledge and confidence to continue practising and refining your skills in joint marking and cutting, and know how to use hand tools safely. You will also take home your own hand-crafted mirror frame made from locally sourced timber.
Following the course you will receive an email with a range of information to help you take your next steps. For example, advice about buying and maintaining tools and details of suggested suppliers. We will also include plans and a materials list for a project using the skills you have learned during your course. This will help you put your new knowledge into practice.
Course duration: 4 days.
Courses run from 9am to 5pm. All tools and materials are provided.
Course fee: £595 (materials included).
We provide tea and coffee throughout the course but you will need to arrange your own lunch. I recommend that you bring a packed lunch each day. However we are only a few minutes by car from Farnham town centre if you need anything.
If you want accommodation, there are many excellent hotels and B&Bs in the area. Click this link to see a selection.
Please note that we are unable to accept applications from anyone under the age of 18 at the start of their course.
If you would like to be notified when new course dates are available, you can do so via our Newsletter here.
To purchase one of our gift vouchers, just visit our Gift Vouchers page.
To book a course, choose a course from the above list and enter the start date into the calendar widget below. Then, click on the ‘Book Now’ button which will bring you to the online booking form. For debit and credit card payments, please follow the green ‘Pay’ button on the payment portal. Please note that you will not need a PayPal account to complete the booking.
Have a question you want to ask about this course? Maybe you have already been on this course and would like to comment on your experience? Use the Disqus comment system below to let us know!
We also offer bespoke furniture, woodworking and design courses for both groups and individuals.
A bespoke course enables students to select their own content and duration. This option is perfect for those who would like to focus on a specific aspect, or for anyone who prefers one-to-one tuition.
Courses can run from a single day up to a couple of weeks. I can offer anything from a brief taster (a wonderful present) to achieving a fully professional standard of furniture making.
Please click on the button below to contact me to discuss your plans or to answer any questions you have about bespoke courses.
Please note that we are unable to accept applications from anyone under the age of 18 at the start of their course.
To purchase one of our gift vouchers, just visit our Gift Vouchers page.
This 2-day Beginners Marquetry Course is taught by Audrey Fasquelle, a highly experienced craftsperson and recognised as a Master Furniture Maker for her marquetry work by the Furniture Makers Company.
She works as a wood specialist for the bespoke sector in the luxury automotive sector. Prior, she worked in the private jet interiors industry, as well as several years at highly respected bespoke Furniture making businesses. She spent three years training in cabinet making in France and a further three years specialising in marquetry at the prestigious Lycée de l’ameublement de Revel (South of France) where she graduated with a Diplôme des métiers d’art spécialité marqueterie (Diploma in Fine Art Crafts specialty Marquetry).
During this course, students will dive into the fascinating world of marquetry with a focus on fretsaw techniques and mastering the fundamentals of the Boulle technique - the art of creating decorative designs through inlays and patterns on the surface of furniture or other objects, using a high level of detail and precision.
On the first day, participants will select their wood veneers and engage in hands-on practice cutting a predefined pattern, followed by assembly.
Day two offers an exciting opportunity for students to unleash their creativity as they design and assemble their own unique pattern, which will be pressed for a personal final result.
Fees: £325 (materials and tools are provided for the course)
Duration: 2 Days
We provide tea and coffee throughout the course but you will need to arrange your own lunch. I recommend that you bring a packed lunch each day. However we are only a few minutes by car from Farnham town centre if you need anything.
Courses run from 9am to 5pm. We provide tea, fresh coffee and refreshments during the course. Lunch is not provided, I recommend you bring a packed lunch, however we are only a few minutes by car from the Farnham town centre.
Accommodation is not included, but there are many excellent hotels and B&BS in the area. Click this link to see a selection offering special rates.
Please note that we are unable to accept applications from anyone under the age of 18 at the start of their course.
If you would like to be notified when new course dates are available, you can do so via our Newsletter here.
To purchase one of our gift vouchers, just visit our Gift Vouchers page.
To book a course, choose a course from the above list and enter the start date into the calendar widget below. Then, click on the ‘Book Now’ button which will bring you to the online booking form. For debit and credit card payments, please follow the green ‘Pay’ button on the payment portal. Please note that you will not need a PayPal account to complete the booking.
Have a question you want to ask about this course? Maybe you have already been on this course and would like to comment on your experience? Use the Disqus comment system below to let us know!
This 3-day Marquetry course is taught by Audrey Fasquelle, a highly experienced craftsperson and recognised as a Master Furniture Maker for her marquetry work by the Furniture Makers Company.
She works as a wood specialist for the bespoke sector in the luxury automotive sector. Prior, she worked in the private jet interiors industry, as well as several years at highly respected bespoke Furniture making businesses. She spent three years training in cabinet making in France and a further three years specialising in marquetry at the prestigious Lycée de l’ameublement de Revel (South of France) where she graduated with a Diplôme des métiers d’art spécialité marqueterie (Diploma in Fine Art Crafts specialty Marquetry).
During this course, students will master the art of using a fretsaw and delve into the fundamentals of the piece by piece cutting technique.
Throughout the course, participants will learn essential skills such as creating a key for marquetry patterns (such as colours and grain direction), preparing veneers and packs, and precision cutting to bring a predefined pattern to life.
Fees: £480 (materials and tools are provided for the course)
Duration: 3 Days
Courses run from 9am to 5pm.
We provide tea and coffee throughout the course but you will need to arrange your own lunch. I recommend that you bring a packed lunch each day. However we are only a few minutes by car from Farnham town centre if you need anything.
Accommodation is not included, but there are many excellent hotels and B&BS in the area. Click this link to see a selection offering special rates.
Please note that we are unable to accept applications from anyone under the age of 18 at the start of their course.
If you would like to be notified when new course dates are available, you can do so via our Newsletter here.
To purchase one of our gift vouchers, just visit our Gift Vouchers page.
To book a course, choose a course from the above list and enter the start date into the calendar widget below. Then, click on the ‘Book Now’ button which will bring you to the online booking form. For debit and credit card payments, please follow the green ‘Pay’ button on the payment portal. Please note that you will not need a PayPal account to complete the booking.
Have a question you want to ask about this course? Maybe you have already been on this course and would like to comment on your experience? Use the Disqus comment system below to let us know!
