What are woodworking projects that sell?
They are anything you can create out of wood that you stand a reasonable chance of selling either locally or beyond. It can be a one-off creation or something you plan to replicate and turn into a full-fledged business. For example, if come up with a great chair design people love, you can cut your costs by creating dozens, hundreds or more of them like a min-factory and sell them both locally and beyond (Etsy, Amazon Handmade or any similar site to Etsy are great places to sell your woodworking projects).
Related: Things to Make and Sell for Profit | Crafts You Can Make and Sell | eBay Alternatives | Sewing Projects for Beginners | Selling Used Furniture
How did we come up with our list of woodworking creations you can sell?
We spent a great deal of time analyzing sites like Etsy and Amazon Handmade checking out what sells reasonably well. If it sells well, it made our list.
Are you passionate about woodworking and looking to make a little cash on the side? You can put your creative outlet to good use because woodworking projects are not only fun to create, but there are a ton of different items you can make that will turn a profit. Consumers love to purchase things that will last. Wood is one of those materials that makes people feel good about their investment: it’s solid, not easily broken, and lasts a long time.
Also, wooden items are really popular right now because many people decorate their homes with a farmhouse influence or industrial rustic. Wood items work well in this space. To give you an idea of what items you can create that will sell, here is a list of 50 woodworking projects for you to take a look at. Of course, these aren’t the only ones that do sell. Get your creative juices flowing and turn your creative pursuit into cash in your pocket! Get that Etsy or Amazon Handmade shop up and running, or find a local craft fair and get a table, and start turning your passion into cash!
Household Items
Serving Tray
Source: Etsy
This shallow tray is super easy to put together. Just grab a solid piece of wood for the bottom, about 12” x24” sand it down and attach 4 sides to create a lip. Add some handles, and you’re good to go! This would be great at a craft fair or any online eCommerce site for handmade items!
Tissue holder
Source: Etsy
Easy to make and simple to market, this wooden tissue holder is a box with no bottom and a hole in the top. Sand and stain it or get your creative juices flowing and stencil holiday designs or freehand an ombre effect. Think about the design aesthetics in people’s homes – for a beachy feel, add seashells. For a more industrial vibe, think about adding iron fittings to the corners.
Wine Rack
Source: Etsy
Who doesn’t love a good wine rack? This project only requires a bit of wood and some know-how! Start like you’re creating a box, and just build up the three sides. Add an additional length at the bottom and cut slits wide enough to slide wine glass stems through, and add a single piece of wood across the front to keep bottles from falling off the shelf! This would make a great housewarming or wedding gift!
Coasters
Source: Etsy
Everyone needs coasters to protect their furniture from glass rings. Fortunately for you, these are super easy to make and you can do anything with them! You can wood burn them, laser cut them, or engrave them to customize for your customers. Additionally, you can stencil them and seal them with a nice clear coat. Don’t forget to sand them down well so they don’t scratch the surface of the table!
Cutting Boards
Source: Etsy
Another item that every household needs to have is a cutting board! Many people love to give beautiful custom cutting boards as gifts, especially to the cooking lover! Again, these can be personalized with laser engraving or woodburning, but I really like the idea of gluing different types of woods together and then sanding and coating. That creates a cool, unique pattern that you won’t find anywhere else.
Doormat
Source: Etsy
When it comes to woodworking projects that sell, it doesn’t get much easier than this! All you need are thin pieces of wood that are all roughly the same size and some rope. Drill holes through the tops and bottoms of each wooden length and run your rope through them. Ta-da! An easy wooden doormat that people will love!
Sofa Armrest Table
Source: Etsy
Super easy and super functional, people won’t even realize that they needed this until they see it! This armrest table fits over the sofa arm for instances when you don’t have room for a side table, or if you prefer to not have one at all. This allows you to bust out your journal and have your cup of tea right next to you, without having to put it on the ground and risk kicking it over. Simple to construct with just a few pieces of wood and some elbow grease and you’ve got a product ready to take your craft fair by storm!
Trivets
Source: Etsy
Another super easy but profitable woodworking furniture project are trivets! Trivets are meant to protect your table from hot dishes when serving them. These wooden ones are easy to make and feature a variety of different stains to keep them interesting. They’re constructed similar to a pallet, with two supports running down the back that they’re nailed to.
Kitchen Utensils
Source: Etsy
These make awesome wedding gifts for the couple that has everything! You can whittle and carve these yourself, or you can buy in bulk and focus on the customization part. Offer custom etching to personalize them with the Couple’s names and wedding dates. Or, for Holidays, you can use wood burning stencils to add designs and sayings for gifts!
Record holder
Source: Etsy
Forget milk crates! Your customers will love these custom record holder racks and you’ll love how easy they are to make! Record collecting is having a bit of a revival as of late, and what better way to display your collection than this easy to create a stand. Just four pieces of wood, constructed by wedging the side pieces into 45-degree angled notch.
Furniture
Whiskey Barrel Chairs
Source: Etsy
The ultimate man cave or whiskey lover’s gift is this awesome whiskey barrel chair. Utilizing old whiskey barrels, you can upcycle them by cleaning them up, and cutting them down to create the back of a chair. Add supports for a seat and a couple of upholstered pillows, and you’ve got a piece of furniture that is unique and custom, and you can charge a premium for!
Stepstools
Source: Etsy
Stepstools make great items to sell at craft fairs. You can churn them out pretty quickly with the right tools – a skill saw, some wood glue, and a nail gun. Sand them down and seal them or use chalkboard paint and distress them. Folks with farmhouse influenced homes will love putting these in their bathrooms or using them as footrests!
Benches
Source: Etsy
The gorgeous benches can be big money! A lot of folks enjoy the raw edge look, so you don’t have to go too crazy with the finish. You have options with legs, you can either construct totally out of wood or use steel brackets or hairpin legs. Whether you leave it as-is with the raw edges or if you decide to stain, make sure you sand it down well – no one wants a splinter!
Upcycled Pallet Table
Source: Etsy
If you’re looking for something that’s low on the cost to make but has a high return, check out this pallet table! You can buy wooden pallets, but I’d recommend trying to hunt down used ones that you can upcycle. All you need to do is reinforce the structure of them, sand and stain, and add legs. Casters or hairpin legs bring together the rustic industrial vibe that a lot of people are looking for!
Decor
Wall Sconces & Lamps
Source: Etsy
Building a lamp is super easy. All you need for this one is a couple of pieces of reclaimed wood and a light swag kit. Simply drill a large enough hole into one of the pieces of wood and secure the light fixture. Add a cool Edison bulb for that rustic/industrial effect and watch your customers line up!
Source: Etsy
Super easy to make, this chalkboard banner uses reclaimed wood slices with chalkboard paint painted on one side. String them together to create a customizable banner! People will love this idea, and the fact that they can change it out as the seasons go by, from “Happy Fall” to “Merry Christmas”! This is the type of decor that works year-round!
Candle Holders
Source: Etsy
Another super easy project that sells is these awesome candle holders. Again, using reclaimed wood, you can leave the bark or strip it off, sand and shellack. Just carve out a divot in the top to set a votive candle, and you’ll have a nice, rustic-inspired piece that people will go crazy for!
Wooden Framed Magnetic Chalk Board
Source: Etsy
Great for home kitchens or entryways, this wooden framed magnetic chalkboard is awesome and simple to make. Just grab some wooden frame parts, a piece of galvanized steel, and some chalkboard paint. A little heavy-duty adhesive and you’ve got a great household piece for weekly menus, grocery lists, or to remember appointments.
Mug rack
Source: Etsy
You’d be surprised how many people collect coffee mugs. I love to collect and display them in my home in my coffee nook. This coffee mug rack is simple to put together with just a few pieces of wood and some heavy-duty mug hooks. Use stencils to put a cute saying across the top, and watch your customers come running!
Welcome Home key shelf
Source: Etsy
This convenient entryway key shelf is great for holding all your things when you come in the door. It’s easy to create with just joining together two pieces of wood, and then adding some small hooks on the bottom. Feel free to customize with sayings or things like, “His”, “Hers”, “Woof” so there’s a spot for everyone’s keys and Fido’s leash!
Personalized bottle opener
Source: Etsy
Take a plank of wood and a metal bottle opener, and you’ve got yourself a product that can sell! You can add a small box at the bottom to catch the bottle caps or even a hidden magnet that grabs the caps as they fall! Get creative and engrave sayings like “It’s Beer O’Clock” or offer a variety of sports team logos, and you’ve got a product ready to sell!
Frames
Source: Etsy
Since the rustic country farmhouse vibe is in right now, take advantage of that by creating woodworking projects that are simple to make and that get a quick return on your investment. These frames are just simply a well-sanded piece of wood with a claw clip to hold a picture. Drill two holes in the top and string some twine through so you can hang it. You can also use chalk paint or distress them, or let them be al-natural.
Planter Boxes
Source: Etsy
Another easy project, you can display your planter boxes by putting succulents in them, adding stenciling or painting them, or just leaving them as-is. All you’re doing is constructing a box and putting drain holes in the bottom. If you want to get creative, sell these with the plants already in them. People will love the fact that this is a gift ready for giving!
Custom Wood Portraits
Source: Etsy
If you’re looking to market custom and personalized items, taking people’s photographs and transposing them onto wood is a great and profitable business. With low overhead, you’ll just need to make a few samples. Very easy to do: just print out the photograph on an inkjet printer, cover in Mod Podge, and lay it on the wood. Cover in more modge podge and wait. After 24 hours, wet the paper and carefully scrape it off. It’ll leave the image on the wood, which you can then seal in. Custom art at very low overhead – a great idea for your side hustle!
Wall Art
Source: Etsy
If custom portraits aren’t your thing and you’d like to create some inventory, wall art might be a better way to go. It’s very simple – just grab a few pieces of wood and attach them to two support pieces in the back. Then identify a catchy quote or saying, and stencil it on there. If you have access to a vinyl printer, you can do that instead of painting. Wall art is hot right now, so you can get in there and make some money!
Floating shelves
Source: Etsy
I love these floating shelves because of the industrial touch of the iron fixtures! Farmhouse chic is a thing and these fit the bill! Just take a solid block of wood that’s sturdy enough to drill into and attach the fixtures. Sand and stain, or paint and distress it. There’s a ton of options that you can do with this simple project that would appeal to a variety of customers!
Coat Rack
Source: Etsy
Sand and stain a simple plank of wood and add some cool hooks, and you’ve got yourself a great item that people would love to put in their home! You can add other personal touches like stencils or wood-burning, or switch it up with a variety of different hooks to give your customers options! A simple 1-hour project can put some cash in your pocket!
Babies & Children
Baby gym
Source: Etsy
People love buying toys and things for babies that are handmade, solid pieces that will last a lifetime. This baby gym is made using a wooden dowel, 4 legs, and some twill tape. It opens and collapses just as easily as it is to build. Instead of wooden toys hanging from the above dowel, think about stuffing felt animals instead. Be sure to sand this well, though – the baby doesn’t want a splinter!
Toybox or Storage Chest
Source: Etsy
Another item that people will fawn over is these toy chests. Easy to build, you can keep it simple by creating just a box with hinges and a clasp. Or, if you want to take it one step further, bust out your skill saw and carefully cut plants to give the box a rounded top like a pirate’s treasure chest! If you offer personalization, that’s great! Use vinyl or stencils to add the child’s name on it.
Children’s toys
Source: Etsy
Wooden toys recall an era where life was simple and things were made to last. When it comes to children’s toys, you can create cars, ducks that roll, and figurines. But don’t just limit yourself there. This wooden laptop is super cool! Two well-sanded pieces of wood, hinged together, a little chalkboard paint and a carved container for the chalk on the bottom, and you’ve got yourself the modern version of the everlasting wooden toy!
Height chart
Source: Etsy
Provide parents a way to track their children’s growth with this height chart! All you need is a plank of wood and some paint or vinyl. Measure out exactly up to 6’ tall, recreating a giant ruler, and add some hardware for mounting to the wall. An easy and extremely marketable woodworking project that sells!
School photo display
Source: Etsy
Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles – the market for this is really for anyone with kids in their lives! Super easy to make, too! Just a solid piece of wood, paint, stencils, and either a piece of twine with clothesline clips or attach claw clips under each grade! This is a super simple, but marketable, the product you can make and sell!
Puzzles
Source: Etsy
I remember these as a kid and people still love to give these as gifts! All you need is a scroll saw to cut out the letters. Use a thicker piece of wood for the base, trace the letters and carve out the middle about a ½” so that the letters fit in nicely. Wooden name puzzles make great personalized gifts for Christmas, birthdays, or baby showers!
Personal Items
Rings
Source: Etsy
Rings are very easy to make with wood shavings, glue, and a little knowhow. While rosewood and maple are great options for wood types, you can also use oak. Mix materials by gluing them together first and then molding your ring using a ring size mandrel. Smooth it out, sand it, and you can even crush up precious stone mixed with resin to add some flair!
Earrings
Source: Etsy
If you have access to a laser cutter, really the possibilities of the jewelry you can make are endless! Get your creativity flowing and design gorgeous earrings, get them laser cut, and just add the fasteners. Folks will love how delicate they look and how eco-friendly they are!
Necklaces
Source: Etsy
If you can get your hands on some small, thin pieces of wood with the bark still attached, you can create some amazing necklaces! Mix glitter with resin to get some color in there or add some dried flowers instead, drill a small hole, and add a leather strand to hold around the neck. These are beautiful, custom pieces that people will swoon over!
Laptop Case
Source: Etsy
If you’re looking for unique, high-end items that you can make and sell, check out this laptop case! Made of plywood, it’s sewn together using strong, wax thread! Use leather or wool to create the flap and add a metal clasp or tuck lock, and you’re good to go! You can sell these at a premium because they are truly unique!
Walking sticks
Source: Etsy
Though very utilitarian in use, walking sticks can be created with any kind of wood you find, and you can let your creative juices flow. You can intricately carve the top into a hawk or snakehead, or add decoration as you wish. I like to Woodburn walking sticks and then go in with colored pencils afterward to add some color. Just remember to put a nice thick coat of sealant on it, so that the color doesn’t fade away! People will love how this useful item is a work of art!
Memory or Keepsake boxes
Source: Etsy
These are super simple to make, and you can let your creative juices flow! Simply construct a simple small box and decorate as you wish! Woodburn or engrave the top and sides, paint them, or offer customization like adding a customer provided picture on the cover. It’s simple to do this by printing out the picture with an inkjet printer and using ModPodge to decoupage it to the top. Coat in a thick clear seal and you’re good to go! Line the box with velvet for that upscale feel!
Valet
Source: Etsy
Valets are shallow trays that people can throw their jewelry, change, watches, and cellphones in. They are usually on nightstands or bureaus. These are super easy to make: focus on smoothing the wood down and coat with a clear finish that won’t chip or dent. These make beautiful gifts and you can even personalize them if you’re up to it!
Weddings
Guestbooks
Source: Etsy
When it comes to weddings, the more unique and custom an item is, the more a bride wants it! If you’re good at woodburning, create a design and offer to customize with the couple’s name and wedding date. These create gorgeous mementos that they can put in their homes and remember all their friends and family on the best day of their lives.
Cornhole Boards
Source: Etsy
A popular lawn and beach game, cornhole boards are easy to make and can be customized any way you can think of! You simply build a 5” high platform and add pivoting legs on the top of it, cut a hole in the top middle of the board, and you’re good to go! Customize with stencils or vinyl, and you’ve got a product to market at wedding expos, craft fairs, and online retailers!
Ring holder
Source: Etsy
Country rustic is a hot wedding theme right now, and these ring boxes are hot! Super simple to make, all you need is a tree limb anywhere from 3 to 5” in diameter, and using a skill saw just cut a 2” slab and a 1” slab. Sand down each, leaving the bark in-tact, and carve out a shallow 1” indent in the thicker piece. Attach with a bracket, and you’ve got a custom rustic ring holder for the discerning country bride!
Beer Caddy
Source: Etsy
Great for a groomsmen’s gift, these beer caddies are simple to make. All you need is to put together a box and knot rope for the handle for a rugged look. You can market these on Etsy or at a Wedding Expo to soon-to-be brides and grooms. Display them with empty bottles of craft beer for full effect, and offer custom engraving for a personalized touch!
Unique Woodworking Projects
Peg Dolls
Source: Etsy
Personally, these are my favorite! These little wooden peg dolls are so adorable, and if you’re creative, you can make dolls for anything. This Nativity Scene features 14 dolls plus a custom stable. If you’re on the artistic side this is profitable. You can do characters from children’s movies or the hottest television shows, like Big Bang Theory or Friends! The possibilities are endless!
Christmas ornaments
Source: Etsy
Laser cutters and engravers can take your woodworking side-hustle to a whole new level. There are so many options you can choose from. These Christmas Ornaments are personalized with engravings for “First Christmas Together” and “New Home” with the date and name. If you can get into laser cutting, go ahead and create special shapes like snowflakes or stockings, and add details with engraving or wood burning! The options are endless!
Bookmarks
Source: Etsy
If you have access to a laser engraver, really the things you can do are endless. These simple bookmarks are created using thin pieces of wood. Drill a hole in the top for a leather strap, and engrave famous quotes from popular books! Anything from Harry Potter or Game of Thrones to classics like Moby Dick and Shakespeare would be popular picks!
Wood covered journals
Source: Etsy
With two thin pieces of plywood, you can create a custom covered journal to sell. You can get cheap journals in bulk, rip the covers off, and replace them with these custom ones. Use a wood-burning technique or laser cutting or engraving, and create a gorgeous piece of artwork for artists and writers to fill with their creativity!
Chess Set
Source: Etsy
Whittling and carving individual chess pieces takes a lot of time and skill. However, this handmade wooden chess set utilizes a modern aesthetic. The variety of different pieces are represented in abstract form, rather than in detailed carvings. As long as all your knights can be identified as such, you don’t have to get that detailed. To make the chessboard, just use two different types of stain and glue them in the required pattern. Sand it down smoothly and use a thick, polyurethane seal to finish the look!
Golf Club Rack
Source: Etsy
Perfect for the golf lover’s man cave, this golf club display rack is simple to make. Construct a wider bottom for the golf club heads to sit in, with a lip to hold them up. At the top, create evenly spaced cubbies to keep the handles in place, so when you lean the golf clubs against them, they stay upright.
Tips for coming up with woodworking product ideas to sell
Smaller is better (if shipping): Shipping larger items as an individual or start-up is not easy (i.e. cheap) to arrange. I know because my brother, a woodworker, looked into it. One-off shipping of large items is very costly – too costly for a business. But if you create and sell smaller items, shipping is much more feasible and cost-effective.
Ability to scale: If you want to turn your woodworking into a business, you need to create products that are in demand. You are better off selling one product 1,000 times than four of 250 different products. By narrowing your product range, you can cut your cost per product and train people to build them to your specifications.
Business vs. hobby: If you want to keep it as a hobby, that’s great. Sell what you make as you make them without much worry about making money. But if you want to turn it into a business, your role will change. You will eventually not be doing much woodworking but instead will be running a business which includes hiring and training, marketing, procuring materials, analyzing numbers and everything else that involves “running a business” instead of doing woodworking. It’s perfectly normal to start as a hobby and have it evolve into a business.
Simple is better than complicated (if scaling): If you’re scaling, choose a simple-to-make product without a lot of steps or parts. This will speed up how quickly you can make it, the cost and training. It’s fun to create intricate woodworking projects that test your skill but if you’re going to make 1,000s of them, simple is better.
Don’t be afraid to ask for higher prices: If your stuff is selling fast, increase your prices. Don’t be afraid to. Increase them until people no longer buy them. Remember, you’re selling something unique or somewhat unique and chances are you’re using better materials than the mass-manufacturers so be sure to price accordingly.
