This article is about design. For the viol consort please see Fretwork (music group). Fretwork is a consort of Viols based in England, United Kingdom.

for stringed instrument manufacturing see Luthier.

Fretwork is an interlaced decorative design that is either carved in low relief on a solid background, or cut out with a fretsaw, jigsaw or scroll saw. The fretsaw is a saw used for intricate cutting work which often incorporate tight curves A scroll saw is a small electric or pedal operated Saw useful for cutting intricate curves where a Jigsaw or Coping saw is not appropriate it is capable Most fretwork patterns are geometric in design. The materials most commonly used are wood and metal. Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs The M acro E xpansion T emplate A ttribute L anguage complements TAL, providing macros which allow the reuse of code across Fretwork is used to adorn furniture and musical instruments. Furniture is the Mass noun for the movable objects which may support the human body (seating furniture and beds, provide storage or hold objects on horizontal A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The term is also used for tracery on glazed windows and doors. Tracery is a series of intersecting ribs used in Gothic architecture, especially windows and in the Perpendicular Gothic style vaulting. Fretwork is also used to adorn/decorate architecture, where specific elements of decor are named according to their use. eg. eave bracket, Gable Fretwork, Baluster Fretwork. A bracket is an architectural member made of wood stone or metal that overhangs a wall to support or carry weight Any item that is cut out is considered fretwork, although popular usage creates an exception to this rule; when the architectural element is not actually physically cut out, such as reproduction plastic moulded fretwork it is called fretwork, however it was not 'cut out' with a fretsaw, jigsaw or scroll saw so it is technically incorrect. Nor are elements such as a carved corbel considered to be fretwork, even if the initial crafting of the item included using a cut out technique. In Architecture a corbel (or console) is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight

Timber Fretwork Example (Used to adorn domestic home's Hallway).

Timber Fretwork Example (A Ventilation/Light Grill).

The CNC machine (Computer Numerical Controlled) has brought about change with which the method of timber fretwork is manufactured. The abbreviation CNC stands for computer numerical control, and refers specifically to a computer "controller" that reads G-code Lasers or Router/Milling cutting implements can now fashion timber and other various materials, with the aid of the CNC into flat and even 3-Dimensional decorative items.

See also

• Scroll saw
• Jigsaw
• Coping saw
• Fretsaw