Fretwork

Fretwork is ornamental work cut from thin wood (or occasionally metal) in an open, pierced pattern -- decorative grilles, lattice screens, gingerbread trim, and delicate silhouette panels where the negative space cut away is as much a part of the design as the material left behind. It's traditionally cut with a fretsaw (a fine-bladed, deep-throated hand saw) or, in a shop setting, a scroll saw, both chosen for their ability to make the tight, intricate turns fretwork patterns demand.

Because the remaining material is often thin and delicate once the pattern is fully cut, fretwork stock is usually worked flat and well-supported throughout the cutting process, and finished carefully to avoid snapping the narrowest remaining connections.