Ojibwe style canoes are constructed using a building frame to form the shape of the canoe bottom. Some other styles use the gunwale structure for this purpose. After unrolling the bark, the building frame is placed on the bark, weighted down, and the bark for the sides of the canoe held up with stakes. If the bark is not wide enough (the typical situation), additional strips of bark are added to "piece up" the sides. Vertical cuts, called "gores" are made in the bark to allow forming it to the shape of the canoe.
The gunwales are put into place, and "stem pieces" made of cedar are placed in the ends of the canoe.
Now, begins the tedious process of lacing the bark to the gunwale structure with split spruce root. Holes are punched in the bark with an awl and the root is passed through and laced around the gunwales, holding everything securely together.
All of the seams, including the gores, are sewn together with spruce root. The ends are laced through holes punched 
through the bark and the stem piece. The thwarts (crosspieces) have been laced into place with the gunwale lacing.
The canoe is now rather loose and flexible supported only by the gunwale and end frame structures. A layer of internal wood sheathing held in place with ribs must be added to give the canoe its final shape and rigidity.
Ribs and sheathing are generally split and carved from cedar, and the ribs bent to shape after boiling or steaming. Sheathing is usually between 1/8" and 1/4" thick. Ribs average 3/8" thick.
The sheathing is laid into place and held by temporary ribs. The cedar ribs are cut to length and, with their ends securely fitted under the gunwales, are driven into place. This stretches the bark covering very tight. In fact, the finished canoe is as solid as a completely wooden boat.
Cedar cap strips are pegged on the tops of the gunwales. After sealing the seams, the canoe is ready to paddle
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