Carpenter, furniture maker recommendation (2026)

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newirishman

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Looking for a carpenter / furniture maker in Dublin (or outside Dublin, but happy to travel). This is to make some bespoke outdoor bench seating (with a side gig of sanding down and re-coating my dining table)
I have contacted three carpentry companies so far, and they are not interested in anything beyond "standard" bespoke shelving or wardrobes, with the odd kitchen maker(?)/assembly thrown in.

My search for what apparently would now be called an old-school carpentry has not been successful. Simply put, all I am getting is "we don't do this kind of stuff (ie, actual real carpentry work)".

Anyone has any recommendations for a master carpenter willing to do something out of the ordinary - would be much appreciated.
 
Paul Moore does bespoke house furniture and fittings. I am not sure about the outdoor stuff or the refurbishment of your dining table. You could telephone and ask. His work is quirky but high quality. Its a while since I've used him though.
 
Stripping and refinishing a table isn't something your typical carpenter does. You need a cabinetmaker, and likely one specialising in restoration to take on a refinish job. It's time consuming work that most consumers aren't prepared to pay for nowadays as most would chose to spend similar money on a new table instead. If the table is of good quality then it will be worth spending the few hundred on to preserve it into future decades.

There are a few places online that advertise simple outdoor benches made from treated softwood. (example, but never used them so not a recommendation). If you're looking for something better, hardwood, then some of the high-end landscapers working in your area might be able to offer a recommendation.
 
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Thanks all so far.
Reg the table: I could DIY, and will do so if I can't find anyone, but I also wouldn't mind paying someone to he honest.
As for the outdoor bench - nothing I was able to find "off the shelf".
Also not quite the point - happy to pay for the craftsmanship, but doesn't look like anyone is even interested.

BTW @Leo your example link points to gartner.com
 
Some branches of Men's Shed do furniture restoration - it depends on the skills they have available. The dining table may not be suitable though, eg, transport.
 
Sorry, I know this is a digression, but when I was in 1st year in secondary school we all had a year of woodworking, which I quite enjoyed. Then all the smarter kids went off to study something more academic. I always think it was such a shame. Years later when living in mainland europe I saw a lovely old woodworking bench on sale for 100 euros, together with a bunch of tools. Then I found loads of them on sale on second hand sites, beautiful old things, sitting in sheds, unused. (And it's an interesting topic...there are 3 different types, the scandanavian, the french and the english. The english is the simplest because the peasants were not allowed to cut down many trees. The scandanavian which I saw was a beast.) You can pay a fortune for a new one, for the artisans. But a disappearing skill largely, and sadly.
 
newirishman said:
BTW @Leo your example link...
Click to expand...
Ah, sorry, fixed it there.

Yeah, most people will buy off-the-shelf at a fraction of the price means there isn't a lot of business in custom work. Have you seen the Ikea NÄMMARÖ range? Solid acacia so should last for years and each unit is cheaper than you'd buy decent timber for here.

If going the DIY route, size it so that the dimensions suit off-the shelf outdoor cushions to save having to get custom ones made.

A place I stayed in France a few years back had a really comfortable u-shaped set up with a frame made from 2x3 treated beams, but majority of the pressure treated soft-wood here is of really crap quality nowadays, difficult to get a decent finish and warps. Strahan Timber sell planed sapele in various dimensions.
 
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