Awesome DIY Wood Projects For Newbies
Wood projects are stimulating. Those who hold a passion for DIY projects will find new and ingenious ways to create home decor. It was during the pandemic when many people discovered and developed their woodworking skills. Now, there are more DIY woodworkers than ever before.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, professional woodworkers earn over $36,000 a year. However, with DIY woodworking, the amount of money you earn will depend on you and your creative skills
According to the Brooking Institution,
“The creative industry lost 2.7 million jobs and $150 billion in sales of goods and services nationwide, which accounts for a third of all jobs in the creative industry and 9 percent of annual sales. For comparison before COVID-19, the creative industry created 8.8 million jobs and produced $142 billion in sales. As for creative occupations, 2.3 million jobs and $74 billion in earnings were lost due to COVID-19.”
Regardless of industry figures, creating DIY home decor is limitless. Each project offers an opportunity for you to be creative and original.
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Easiest DIY Wood Projects For 2022
Here are the hottest DIY woodworking projects for aspiring wood artists.
Outdoor Accent Table
Making an accent table for an outdoor patio or deck is easy. This idea comes from bybrittanygoldwyn. Here you can see concrete pavers being repurposed and used as a top for the table. You can use a single paver or small side table. You can include several if you want to make a coffee table or something bigger.
Wooden Pallet Planter
Pallet wood is ideal for DIY rookies. For example, this scalloped planter is an easy project for those who wish to try their hand at woodworking. The overall shape makes it more interesting than a rectangular planter.
A single wood planter would be enough to make something like this. You can find all the details regarding this project in the tutorial from charlestoncrafted.
Welcome Sign
The welcome sign featured on cappersfarmer would look wonderful out in the yard or by the front door and the best part about it is that you can customize it however you like. Wood boards, glue, paint and a few supplies are all you need.
Reclaimed Wood Tiki Bar
That’s right, you can have a tiki bar in your own backyard and you can make the whole thing yourself from scratch. Make them out of wood and adjust the shape and dimensions based on the available space and your needs.
The entire process is explained in detail in a tutorial which you can find on brooklynlimestone so be sure to check it out before you get started.
Outdoor Bar
With this design you have a hard surface top and storage space underneath for things like bottles, glasses and various other supplies and accessories. There’s also a smaller modules off to the side which you can turn into an ice cooler. Check out the tutorial for this bar on nickandalicia.
Wood Frame For Stock Pool
Maybe there’s not enough space in the backyard for a big swimming pool or maybe it would be too expensive to have one built. Building a stock tank pool shouldn’t be an issue.
It’s small enough to fit anywhere and it’s easy and cheap to make. If you’d like to go the extra mile you can also build a nice wooden frame around it which can be used as a bench in addition to making the pool look nicer.
Check out heywandererblog for more details.
Elongated Wood Planter
If you wanted to enhance your front porch or entryway, this elongated wooden planter would provide enough visual interest. The wooden planter featured on cherishedbliss is easy to build.
Solar Light Base
Solar lights in are for pathways, backyards, gardens, and other outdoor areas. In this example, e has been integrated into a wooden post which gives it a bit more structure and turns it into a more prominent decoration for the area around it.
You can built several of these and space them out along the pathway leading up to your front door. All the details you’re going to need can be found in the tutorial from build-basic.
Wooden Pallet Chair
If you want you can use wooden pallets to make an entire furniture set for your outdoor deck or patio. For instance, the set featured on funkyjunkinteriors is made up of a couple of benches, a multifunctional table and a little side table/ foot stool.
They’re all made out of boards taken from reclaimed pallets. Add your own touch to their design and decorate them with comfy pillow seats to create a welcoming and cozy sitting area. There’s plenty of room for creativity when it comes to projects like this one. Also, you can add more seats or other pieces of furniture based on your needs.
Wooden Cutting Board
Making a cutting board is one of the easiest things ever. You need a hardwood board, something to cut it with, sandpaper, a paint brush and some sort of food-safe finish. With these supplies you can make a beautiful wood cheese board or just a regular, everyday cutting board in no time.
Wood Stair Handrail
At one point when you become pretty confident in your woodworking skills you can start doing not just small accessories but also small home improvement projects. For example, you might need a new stair handrail. You can craft something simple and practical out of wood and pipes.
Wood Log Side Table With Hairpin Legs
It’s also entirely possible to be able to make your own furniture. You could start with something simple like a wood slab side table. Just take a wood slice and three hairpin legs and secure them together.
Wood Slice Cake Stand
Small DIY wood projects like a rustic cake stand can change the look and ambiance in your home too. This could be your new centerpiece or you can offer thins to someone as a gift. Either way, it’s a lovely and also very easy project which we think you’ll enjoy.
Wooden Dresser made from scratch
Furniture makeover can be super fun so imagine how awesome building a piece of furniture from scratch must be. Perhaps you can find inspiration in this DIY rainbow wooden dresser. It definitely looks like a complex project but once you see all the details you’ll probably why you haven’t done this earlier.
Wood Wall Art
Not everything you do has to serve a practical purpose. Some things are just nice to look at, like this DIY plywood art piece which can look gorgeous when you’ll display it in your own home, perhaps above the entryway console table or in your dining room.
Modern Wood Mountain Art
If you’re into DIY wood projects you probably have a nice pile of leftover wood pieces which you keep just in case you’ll need the supplies for future crafts. Maybe it’s about time you did something with some of those scraps. Perhaps this scrap wood modern mountain art project can inspire you.
Wood Christmas Tree
Since Christmas is on its way, we thought we’d squeeze in this little wood Christmas tree project which you can also make using leftover pieces. You don’t even to stain or paint the wood. The light, natural color gives it a chic and modern look.
Slice Wood Serving Tray
Serving trays are pretty nice because they’re not just practical but also decorative. A wood slab serving tray like this one can complete the Thanksgiving table setup in a really beautiful way. It’s also a very simple DIY project which anyone can accomplish without any problems.
Wooden Themed Signs
Speaking of Thanksgiving crafts, check out this cute Goggle Goggle wood sign. It’s another one of those original projects which you can do with leftover pieces and with very little effort. You need two wood boards, white paint, wood stain, transfer paper and a template, acrylic paint, a paintbrush, sandpaper, tape and a few screws.
Love is in the air and this shabby chic wood heart sign perfectly captures the mood. If you like it, you can make your own sign, either from scratch or using an unfinished wood heart which you then decorate with colored paint and scrapbook paper.
How about a cute sign to hang in your craft room? Perhaps you could repurpose some of your old paintbrushes and turn them into decorations. You can either use a pre-made sign or you can craft the sign from scratch. We prefer the second option because it’s more customizable. Feel free to make your wooden create sign as original as possible.
Wooden tray
Building a tray, as we may have mentioned before, is easy. You just need a piece of wood or plywood for the base and four thin pieces for the edges of the tray. Add handles or knobs and stain or paint your wooden tray to give it a custom look.
Wood slice wreath
A wood slice wreath is a perfect DIY project for fall. What’s nice is that you can keep the design simple and it will still look charming and have a lot of character. Create the wreath form using round wood cuts with bark edges and wood glue. Decorate the wreath with burlap, fabric flowers and other ornaments.
Wood Pumpkins
Tired of picking new pumpkins every autumn? Maybe you’d prefer to craft some out of wood so you can reuse them every year. These rustic wooden pumpkins are super easy to make and they offer a playful perspective on what autumn is all about.
These DIY square pumpkins are pretty easy and fun to make too. You can even paint these pumpkins in all sorts of fun patterns. All you need is orange paint and some painter’s tape or stickers. Use green rope or pipe cleaners to make the leaves.
Wood Pumpkin Basket
Another cute thing you can make in the shape of a pumpkin is a basket. You can use it to store and display all sorts of things, including potted plants or herbs. Building a wood pumpkin basket it actually fairly easy, especially if you use an unfinished box or a planter as a base.
Wall clock
Yes, we know wall clocks are pretty outdated but we still think they make nice decorations. To make it more meaningful you could craft a modern wood wall clock yourself. Start with a wood circle.
Stain, paint or decorate it however you want and drill a hole at the center so you can add the clock mechanism. This would have to come from an actual clock, perhaps an old one which you no longer like.
Wood Faux Storage
Even though magazine files are pretty cheap and easy to come by, they’re not necessarily as sturdy or as simple as you’d want them to be and if you’d craft them yourself out of plywood you’d actually save some money too.
Make your own wooden magazine files in exactly the shape and size you want. From a single sheet of plywood you can make 18 files which is pretty cool.
Wood Picture frames
Display your favorite pictures on a wall and make your own frames from scratch. You could for example make some rustic scrap wood picture frames without spending any money.
You can either keep things super simple and just display the picture onto the wood or add an extra layer of backing paper.
Wooden Display Shelf
Shelves are incredibly versatile and really great because you can add them to a space even after after you’ve pretty much completed the interior design or renovation. They’re great accessories and they’re also surprisingly easy to craft. It gets even easier if instead of building a wooden display shelf from scratch you choose to repurpose a crate or a box.
Picture Holder
This wooden picture holder is a nice accessory for a desk or a shelf and to make it you only need a few simple things such as a wooden plank piece, a saw, some sandpaper, tape and a bit of paint. Obviously, you can personalize this accessory however you want so be creative.
LiVE Edge Mirror frame
You don’t have to spend a ton of money on a fancy mirror, especially if you want something very simple. A much more affordable option would be a DIY wood framed mirror. Perhaps you already have a mirror in need of a makeover. You could glue it onto a shabby-chic frame made out of wood which you could put together yourself.
Hanging Planter
A wooden hanging planter like this one can solve a lot of problems. For example, you could hang it in the kitchen, in front of the window and you could grow fresh herbs in it. No counter space would be needed, no shelf, just a ceiling hook and some rope or cord.
If you want a larger planter, you could build a custom one from scratch. Consider pallet wood. It’s practically free and super versatile. Use some to make a wood pallet hanging planter which you can display both indoor and outdoor.
Table Top Geometric Wood Planters
What about small planters, the kind you keep on your desk or table? Those can look super cute and you can make some for your tiny succulents or air plants.
These colorful geometric planters are made out of wooden blocks. Use a drill to shape them and a drill to make holes for the plants. The acrylic paints are great for customization.
x Shapped wood Magazine holder
A wooden magazine holder can really bring a space together. You could build one for your cozy reading corner or you could add one to the living room, by the sofa. It’s easy to build and it looks pretty chic too.
Decorative Candelabra
A candelabra is a stylish and beautiful accessory and a lovely decoration. It’s not as versatile as votive candles but the differences actually make it stand out and look more refined. Even something simple like a DIY wood candelabra can look awesome.
Standing Wood Coat Rack
An entryway is not complete without a coat rack but why should it cost a small fortune when there are plenty of affordable options, including some great DIY project ideas. Speaking of which, check out how easy and fun it is to build this DIY wood coat rack.
Desk lamp
Lamps are a bit trickier than a lot of other home accessories because they have to actually be functional, not just to look good. It might be discouraging, but we’re talking about DIY lamps. Check out this wooden block desk lamp.
Pallet Coffee table
Building outdoor furniture is pretty fun and easy, mostly because the requirements are small in terms of looks. There are many woodworking projects which can inspire you in this sense. For example, a pallet coffee table on wheels could be an awesome addition to a patio or garden.
Pallet Bench
Complement that handmade coffee table with a colorful pallet bench. It’s super easy to build and you can really make it pop by painting each board a different color. It’s a cute way to accessorize a garden or back yard and to turn it into a cozy entertainment area.
Standing Desk
Finding the right desk with the right dimensions and features isn’t easy, but you can skip the that process and build the desk by yourself. Check this out: standing desk.
Stain Wood
Learn how to stain wood. It’s important to know the basics in order to get good results so check out our tutorial on how to stain wood to find out a few helpful tips.
Cleaning And Polishing Wood
Building furniture and wood accessories is the first step. The second one is to make sure they last and look great for years to come and in order to do that you need to know how to clean and polish wood.
Patio Tables
Spending money on a fancy table that you get to keep outside on the patio doesn’t really sound appealing or practical, when there are better and more convenient options out there.
You can even make several of them and use them as a group or mix and match them based on your needs. The ones featured on creativeinchicago would be perfect for this purpose.
Potting Bench
A potting bench is a really thing to have if you enjoy spending time outside in the yard or in the garden tending to your flowers, herbs, or veggies. The bench can include a small sink, counter space, and a bottom shelf for storage. Check out thehandymansdaughter to see how you can build this bench yourself.
Pallet Side Table
Pallet wood is a magnificent resource for all sorts of DIY wood projects. Wooden pallets are inexpensive and you can even get them for free.
Take them apart and use the boards to build something new, like a side table that you can put in your bedroom, in the living room or next to your desk so you can have a bit of extra storage for a few books, some decorations and so on. Building one is easy and you can find a tutorial for that on makingmanzanita.
Entryway Outdoor Wooden Steps
Patio steps are easy. They may not seem like a viable project. However, there’s nothing complicated about stairs or steps. Check out the wooden steps at themerrythought. Made of reclaimed lumber, the wooden steps are wider than the door, so you can put a few small planters on them.
Rolling Planter
A rolling planter box is perfect for both outdoor and indoor areas. Make one with wood and customize it so it matches the surroundings. The design featured on kleinworthco is a good starting point.
Cold Frame Garden Beds
Cold frames are designed to keep plants nice and cozy and to extend the growing season, protecting them from sudden drops of temperature in spring and autumn. The lids are also great for keeping insects and wildlife at bay.
You can build cold frame garden beds yourself out of wood and a few other things and it would be a fairly simple and very satisfying project. There’s a detailed tutorial on danslelakehouse which explains everything about it.
Accent Wood Paneling Wall
Another use of wood in interior design is accent walls. You can use reclaimed wood or regular boards to cover up a wall or a portion of it as a way to add texture or color to a room.
A project like this makes space more warm and welcoming. Also, the wood can be stained or painted which allows for customization. Check out aspensummit for more details.
Weekend Wood Project – Build A Bed Frame
Bed frames are straight-forward when you don’t have to worry about built-in storage or extra features. Build one out of wood, screws, and glue. Here’s a design from ilovetocreateblog that would be a good project for a beginner.
Hexagon Wood Wreath
Wreaths are circular which could pose some challenges if you were to make one out of wood. However, there are ways around that. For instance, you could go with a hexagon shape instead. Cut six pieces of wood and be careful so they fit together nicely.
Stain them, glue them together and then proceed to decorate your wooden wreath with flowers, bunting, bows and whatever else you can find around the house. For more tips and details head over to cherishedbliss.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)FAQ
Is Woodworking Profitable?
If you stick with woodworking long enough it can be profitable. The woodworking industry is competitive. To make money as a wood craftsman you need an edge. The challenging part is finding your edge. If you embrace your development as a woodworking artist, you will find success.
Is Woodworking An Erstwhile Hobby For Mentally Impaired People?
It isn’t recommended for the mentally impaired to handle sharp objects. Woodworking tools include small power saws, carving knives, and chisels. A mentally impaired could cut off one of their fingers and not think anything was wrong with that, for example.
Is Dust An Issue With Woodworking Hobbyists.
Prolonged exposure to sawdust has been linked to nasal and lung malignancies. The best thing you can do is wear a face mask when working with wood.
Are DIY Products Cheaper Than Store-bought Items?
A DIY woodworking project isn’t about the materials required to see it through. It’s about the time and effort that goes into a project and the cost of the tools. When you do the math, it’s not as cost effective to purchase a nightstand compared to making one if you have the right tools.
Are Oil-based Stains Better For Woodworking?
Oil and water-based stains perform well. However, making a general assumption that oil stains are preferable to water stains is not realistic. What it comes down to is the project. Do you want to make something high-end or something that’s easy to make?
Wood Project Conclusion
Choose a DIY woodworking project that aligns with your skillset. For something a little more advanced, make something with reclaimed wood that only requires basic tools.
If you know how to use a circular saw, make a wood table for your outdoor space. For beginner woodworkers, a table would be out of your leagues. It would take more than a few hours to learn how to use a power tool, so you should ease into it.
DIY woodworking projects are cost effective. It’s for this reason that many people try their hand at woodcrafts. When you can take a piece of wood and turn it into something that you can sell, it’s a rewarding feeling.