Hands-On Woodworking Classes | Furniture Making & Timber Framing at SBWI

Woodworking Classes in Michigan

Learn woodworking in a fully equipped woodshop at Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, Michigan. SBWI offers hands-on weekend workshops and week-long classes in furniture making, timber framing, joinery, woodturning, carving, chair making, upholstery, preservation, and other traditional and contemporary woodworking skills.

Classes welcome adults at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. Use the class finder below to search upcoming woodworking classes by date, subject, skill, project type, experience level, or instructor.

Search Upcoming Woodworking Classes

Class Catalogs & Brochures

The new 2027 Class Catalogs will be released Sept 1, 2026.

What People Are Saying

“I attended the Windsor Continuous Arm Chair class several weeks ago at the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI) under the guidance of Luke Barnett. SBWI has a very spacious shop and a classroom with all kinds of equipment and tools you could think of. Mr. Barnett is a highly knowledgeable and experienced chair maker and knew exactly when and where I might make a mistake building the chair. As such, he was able to give me heads-up many times to prevent me from making serious errors. Shaving spindles while sitting on a shave horse outdoors was a very unique and cherishable moment. Also memorable was driving through endless cornfields from Detroit Airport to Adrian and walking around the Detroit Institute of Arts. The class was more than worth the 14-hour flight from South Korea. I will definitely attend another class at the SBWI.”

— Soek Yung, South Korea

“My mother-in-law and I took the farm table class last Fall in 2024. It was education and instruction rich which led to the creation of a beautiful table that I sit at now as I write this review.

Armando and his team provided fantastic instructor and made every student, myself included, comfortable and confident in what we were doing every step of the way.

This class sparked a sincere interest in woodworking within myself and since then I have begun to put into practice the skills obtained from taking this class and really enjoy my newfound weekend hobby.

Thanks SBWI and I look forward to seeing you all again soon!”

— Will Peterson, Chicago, IL

“My husband and I have taken two one-week classes at Sam Beauford now (a cabinet and a chair class) and we had great experiences both times. It is a great management and team working there who give you a feeling of being welcome and who all are committed to woodworking.

The teachers are excellent, providing the right amount of information to carry out the tasks well even with limited prior knowledge. They also have very good equipment and provide useful guidance on how to use the tools well. We're hoping to be back soon”

— Vibeke O Nielsen, Norway

A wooden chair with black cushions in a workshop setting.

Intensive Classes

5-7 day classes focused on specialized skills such as wood carving, veneer, carpentry, furniture making, stereotomy, timber framing, and more.

A black wooden chair with a curved backrest and spindle design, placed outdoors on a ground covered with fallen autumn leaves, with a workbench and wooden bench in the background.

Windsor Chair Courses

Windsor Chair Classes are 5-7 days long. Students will start with a log and complete a windsor chair or rocking chair during the course period.

Two wooden cutting boards with dark and light stripes on a workbench.

Weekend Classes

These courses include cutting boards, spoon carving, hand tool use, sharpening, upholstery, power tool safety, band saw box making, footstool and ottomans, and more.

Several unfinished wooden bedposts laid out on a workbench with a carpenter's clamp in the background.

Woodturning Classes

These courses include Intro to Woodturning, Bowl Turning, and Bowl Turning for Beginners

Close-up view of a woodworking project with large wooden beams held together by wooden dowels, outdoors on a concrete surface, with a few people observing in the background.

Timber Framing Classes

Hands-on timber framing and carpentry classes focused on layout, joinery, structural wood building, and traditional building skills.

Fresh parsley, two beets with roots, and a kitchen knife on a wooden cutting board.

Women’s Classes

Classes that are welcoming to women, non-binary folks, and allies.

Close-up of a wooden cabinet with multiple drawers and doors, some with metal ring pulls and knobs, made from light and dark wood.

Year-Long Programs

SBWI is a specialized carpentry and woodworking school in Adrian, Michigan, for people who want to build a career with skill, craft, and purpose.

We offer three different year long programs in Furniture Design, Timber Framing, and Architectural Carpentry & Preservation.

A turquoise wooden rocking chair on a concrete floor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are SBWI woodworking classes beginner-friendly?

1

Yes. Many SBWI woodworking classes are designed for beginners or welcome students with little to no experience. Even for complex projects, our instructors are experienced at being able to teach to the level of the student. Most classes will have a range of us student abilities from beginner to very experienced. Class descriptions will note the recommended skill level, and students can filter classes by beginner, intermediate, weekend, or week-long options.

Are tools and materials included?

2

SBWI woodworking classes include the tools, equipment, and materials needed for the class project. If a class requires students to bring specific tools, materials, safety equipment, or reference images, those details will be listed in the individual class description. We understand that many students will want to bring their own tools. We absolutely encourage you to do so, but it is not required. SBWI is highly equipped with enough tools for everyone.

Can I take woodworking classes without enrolling in a full-time program?

3

Yes. SBWI’s public woodworking classes are separate from the full-time trade school programs. Students can take individual weekend or week-long woodworking classes without enrolling in the 40-week programs.

Do you offer on-campus housing?

4

We not not currently offer on-campus housing. Adrian is a small college town and there are many lodging options available including shared housing with other students. Please click here to see all the options.