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

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Ranked among the world’s best woodworking schools, the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, Michigan provides professional-level education in wood design, furniture making, timber framing, and craftsmanship, combining fine-art tradition with modern trade innovation.

From beginner to professional, build real projects in a fully equipped shop and learn from instructors who make the craft accessible.

Intensive Workshops (5–7 days): Deep dives into techniques like veneering, carving, chairmaking, or furniture design.

Timber Framing Classes: Learn how to design and build structural timber frame elements using traditional joinery.

Specialty Topics: Classes such as Windsor chairmaking, marquetry, tool mastery, and more.

Furniture Making / Wood Design Program (40 weeks): A full curriculum covering joinery, design, finishing, business skills, and portfolio building.

Weekend / Short Courses (1–2 days): Perfect for beginners wanting to build confidence. Try joinery, cutting boards, footstools, or intro-turning.

2026 Class Brochures

A woman working on a woodworking project in a library or workshop, with bookshelves in the background, wearing a striped headband and a white t-shirt, with a logo of the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute.
Cover page of a brochure titled '2026 Timber Framing Brochure' with a close-up view of wooden logs from a timber frame structure and the logo of the Beaucoud Woodworking Institute.

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 that focus 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

Courses that focus on Timber Framing and Carpentry.

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.
Wood Design Program

By embarking on the journey in our Wood Design:Furniture Making Career Program, you are opening yourself up to many opportunities.

Successful participants of the 40-week program will graduate with a Professional Diploma in Wood Design.

A turquoise wooden rocking chair on a concrete floor.