Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons:

1. Nature & Scope of Furniture Making

• Introduction – types of furniture for sitting, lying, tables, desks & storage
• Materials
• History
• Evolution of Manufacturing
• Design and Designers
• Scope of Furniture Making – contemporary, flatpack
• Small business opportunities- making, selling, repairing
• Measurements and drawings
• Taking measurements
• Measurement Equipment – tape measure, rulers, marking gauge, square, combination square, bevel, spirit level
• Understanding technical drawings – scale, lines on drawings
• Types of drawings – sketches, sections, elevations, detailing
• Making drawings for clients
• Drawing instruments

2.  Tools and Equipment

• Furniture making workshop
• Assessing & setting up the space
• Ventilation
• Workshop safety
• Workbenches – bench dogs, holdfast, planing stop, vices
• Tool store and organisation
• Toolboxes
• Hand tools
• Measurement
• Clamps
• Spirit level\Drills, Drilling machines
• Routers
• Sawing machines – bench saws, types of saw blades, band saws
• Specialised tools for wood furniture – cutting, mitre saw, saw stool
• Shaping
• Drills
• Finishing
• Specialised tools for Metal Furniture – centre punch, die grinder, drill bits, English wheel, saw blades, welders, welding magnets
• Specialised tools for plastics – acrylic cutter/knife, countersinks, cutting mats, drill bits, router bits, saw blades
• Tools for other materials -fibreglass, carbon fibre, resin

3.  Wood Furniture – Indoors

• Timbers for indoors – solid hardwood and softwood
• Composites
• Design considerations
• How to join wood – joints, glues, nails
• How to make wooden furniture
• Common finishes on indoor furniture
• Filling holes, sanding, cleaning, use of primers, using colour in design, varnishing paint, surface preparation
• Applying primer then varnish, varnish/ glaze, lacquer
• Applying a veneer using an iron

4.  Wood Furniture – Outdoors

• Introduction
• Timbers for outdoors
• Design considerations
• How to make wooden outdoor furniture -step by step
• A seat
• BBQ Cart/Table
• Common finishes on Outdoor timber

5.  Metal Furniture

• Introduction
• Characteristics of metals
• Types of metals
• Welding metals
• Fusion welding
• Arc welding – TIG, MIG etc
• Gas Welding – Oxy acetylene, Oxy hydrogen, Low temperature gas welding
• Resistance welding – spot welding, seam welding
• Solid state welding – Forge welding
• Shaping metals – casting, shearing, rolling, punching, bending
• Assembling metals – brazing, soldering, riveting, bolting
• How to make metal furniture
• Common finishes on metal furniture

6.  Plastic Furniture

• Introduction
• Pros and cons of plastic furniture
• Plastic types – acrylic, polycarbonate, polythene, etc
• Design considerations
• Construction Methods – 3D printing, moulding plastics, using recycled plastics
• How to make plastic furniture
• Common finishes

7.  Other Materials

• Introduction
• Glass
• Fibreglass
• Ceramics
• Concrete
• Design Considerations
• How to make furniture with other materials
• Finishes

8.  Covering Materials & Upholstery

• Introduction
• Nature of Upholstery
• Types of Upholstery – traditional, moden, commercial, marine, automobile
• Upholstery fabrics – natural vs synthetic fibres
• Natural fibres – leather, wool, cotton, linen, silk, others
• Synthetics – polyester, nylon, rayon, acrylic, velvet, microfibre, polypropylene, vinyl
• Classification of fabrics
• Fabric rub tests
• Thread count
• Fire resistance

9.  Upholstery Work

• Introduction
• Upholstery tools
• Materials and equipment – upholstery tacks, nails, nail strips, gimp pins, staples, webbing, springs, snuffing/ wadding, linings, etc
• Choosing appropriate fabrics
• Deciding whether to Reupholster
• Step by step basic upholstery
• Reupholstering a chair
• Upholstering without springs

10.  Furniture Care & Maintenance

• Introduction
• Care and maintenance of timber furniture
• Waxing
• Polishing
• Care and maintenance of Metal furniture
• Care and maintenance of other materials
• Care and maintenance of furniture fabrics
• Fibre structure and appearance\The effect of moisture
• Chemical properties
• Resistance to insects & microorganisms
• Electrical properties
• Sunlight effects
• Thermal properties
• Upholstered students
• Cleaning

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school’s tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Furniture Making – Short History

The earliest known examples of furniture are found in Scotland. Here, in the Orkney islands there are examples of stone furniture that date back to 5,000 BC. Whilst it is not what would be classed as portable, like the definition of furniture today, there are items which show that people who were living there at that time were making things like stone storage boxes, hearths, and cupboards.

These items could perhaps be considered as precursors to modern furniture. Beds and chairs were increasingly common from 900 BC to 800 BC in the more developed nations of the classical world like ancient Greece and ancient Egypt.

Throughout Europe from 500 AD onwards furniture started to incorporate more artistic designs which culminated in the very elaborate Gothic styles of the 19th century.

Designs typically were incredibly detailed elaborate designs and cut out sections in the furniture. In contrast to this there was also a move towards simple, functional, durable furniture typified by the Craftsman style in North America around the same time.

In the mid-20th century, there was shift towards Modernism using simple, elegant designs and often making use of new materials and technologies. Anything created or designed post 1970 is typically considered Contemporary furniture.

Contemporary styles come from anywhere in the world and are made from a mix of materials and frequently draw inspiration from the previous Modernist designs in that they tend towards the sleek, efficient, and easy to mass produce.

Though the above summarises partial historical development of furniture, there are many and varied styles of furniture which have varying degrees of popularity around the world. The more common include:

• Bentwood – Furniture where wood has been bent or shaped to achieve the design. Can be all of it or just a part.
• Bobbin – Also known as spool furniture, is furniture whose legs, arms or other parts have been lathe turned to shape them.
• Campaign – Furniture designed to fold up or break down for ease of transport and travel.
• Chippendale – English furniture from the 18th century made in a modified Rococo style.
• Cottage – Natural and simple like rustic style but with the addition of more decorative flourishes and softer colours.
• Early American – Wood based using mortice and tenon joinery. Introduced raised panels, carvings, and decorative elements.
• Ecodesign – Design focused on reduction of environmental impact. Using sustainable, local, and/or recycled materials.
• Mission style – A development of the Craftsman style, it is simple with vertical lines and flat panels. Typically, lighter than Craftsman with no embellishments.
• Rustic style – Natural, simple, rustic style.
• Shaker – Simple and utilitarian. Typified by straight lines, basic fittings, and visible joinery.
• Wickerwork – Also known as cane or reed furniture (depending on the material used), it is a type of woven furniture.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.

General

Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning?
A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.

Q. Do I need to buy text books?
A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.

Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc)
A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.

Q. Is there an age limit?
A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.

Q. Are your courses up-to date?
A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.

Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy?
A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.

Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students?
A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.

Enrolment

Q. When can I enrol/start?
A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.

Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.

Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.

Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take?
A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.

Assessment

Q. Assessment – how does it work?
A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.

Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do?
A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.

Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work?
A. Yes –

Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module?
A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.

Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done?
A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.

Qualifications

Q. What qualification will I receive?
A. For individual modules, you would be awarded a Certificate endorsed by TQUK (Training Qualifications, UK), providing you complete all assignments and the exam. If you just want to complete only the assignments and not sit for the exam or finish a Project, then a Letter of Achievement would be awarded. For more details on qualifications available please click here.

Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?
A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.

Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript?
A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.

Tutors

Q. Our tutors – who are they?
A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.

Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time?
A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.

Q. Practical work – How is this done?
A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.