With a background in traditional boatbuilding and a lifelong love of working with wood, Nick brings skill to every Plankbridge hut he builds.
Tell us a little bit about yourself…
I grew up in Wimborne in East Dorset and have been interested in making things since I was a kid. I used to just pick up bits of wood and wonder what I could make with them – bird tables, wooden boxes, anything really. I come from a family of engineers but carpentry has always been my thing. After school, I did a traditional boatbuilding apprenticeship with Sunseeker down in Poole, where I stayed for ten years before hearing about a vacancy for hutmaker at Plankbridge.
What does your role at Plankbridge involve, and what does a typical day look like?
My days are a real mix. This morning I was prepping a hut ready to go into the paint shop, then I jumped on to help Toby with a beautiful interior fit-out in another hut, hanging doors, fitting oak shaker pegs and working on the finer details the customer has asked for.
What do you enjoy most about the work you do?
It doesn’t really matter what it is, as long as it involves building, shaping or crafting, I’m happy. I like a bit of a challenge too, something that gets your brain working.
Is there a hut you’ve loved working on?
I’m particularly enjoying a pitched-roof bespoke design currently in production in the workshop. The veranda and green oak exterior cladding are amazing, and it also has a sauna, which although I didn’t fit, looked really smart when I poked my head round the corner this morning to take a look!
What do you enjoy most about working at Plankbridge?
The variety – every day is different. You’re not stuck doing the same thing over and over. One day you’ll be framing walls, the next you’ll be doing the finer joinery, fitting a kitchen or working on some custom detail. At college, we learnt about traditional woodworking, so it’s good at Plankbridge to actually use hand tools like block planes, handsaws and chisels alongside the modern kit.
If you could design your own dream hut, where would it be and what would it include?
I’d go for a bit of a mix – I love the country look that Plankbridge is best known for, but I’d definitely want the modern touches too: LED lighting under the units, USB sockets and dimmer lights throughout.
And finally, what do you like to do in your spare time?
Anything that keeps me busy, really! At the moment, I’m into building campervans – I’ve done two or three now – and I also enjoy mountain biking, kayaking and have a couple of motorbikes. It doesn’t leave much time for woodworking at home, but I definitely get my fix at Plankbridge!
- Meet more members of the Plankbridge team, here
- Explore our shepherd’s hut models
