If you are new to joinery in Sydney or you've recently hired someone from the industry, you may find that, at times, it appears as if they are speaking in their own made up language. This "joinery speak" can be quite difficult to comprehend, especially if you have had no experience in anything to do with carpentry or building before. Use this guide to help you understand what joiners are saying a little better.

The thing that most people seem to struggle with is that joiners in Sydney are known to use both the imperial and the metric system – often in the same sentence. Getting even more confused? Not to worry – we'll break the language down for you here:

" I need 3 pieces of PSE softwood, 22mm x 10mm, 4 No @ 6' "

Whilst, at first, this sentence sounds like your joiner in Sydney is speaking a whole lot of gibberish, he is actually requesting some timber for use in his project. The best way to understand what exactly he is asking for is to break the sentence down in sections:

• Whenever you hear joiners talk about PSE, they are referring to Planed Square Edge timber. This means that your joiner will have a square edge to measure from, but buying timber in this way is generally more expensive.
• In joinery in Sydney, it is common practice to give the width measurement of the timber first and then the depth measurement. So, using the above example, the joiner wants a piece of wood that is 22mm wide and 10mm deep.
• If a joiner tells you that they need 4 No, they are simply telling you how many they want – this is fairly self explanatory, and we're sure you could have worked it out for yourself!
• When a joiner in Sydney talks about something being 6', he is talking about the length of the timber. The easy way to remember this is by thinking about how you respond when people ask you how tall you are – you generally answer in feet and inches, and people know what you're talking about.
• It is also important to note that, in joinery in Sydney, hardwood is measured in cubic feet whilst softwood is measured in cubic metres.

Could joiners in Sydney have made their work any more confusing? Well, in all honesty, they probably could have, but the language that they currently use is confusing enough, so we'll just stick at understanding it for now. The next time you are talking with a joiner, don't feel confused by all the terms and numbers that they use – remember this guide and you will easily understand.