Carpentry is the art of constructing and repairing wooden structures, such as buildings, furniture, and ships. It involves measuring, cutting, shaping, and joining wood using a variety of tools and techniques. A skilled carpenter must have a good understanding of wood properties and the ability to read technical plans or drawings. Carpentry can be broken down into several specialized areas such as rough carpentry which involves work on large beams and joists while finish carpentry deals with the final touches in woodwork including trimming doors and windows. Today's carpenters use power tools like saws rather than manually operating an ax or chisel to construct objects from scratch; however traditional techniques are still used for reproducing architectural designs from centuries ago. With proper training and experience, a carpenter is capable of producing quality construction work that lasts for generations.