The 6 Best Woodworking Books For Everyone This 2024

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Not everyone has the time or money to attend woodworking classes—good thing woodworking books & guides are available for anyone who wants to learn.

I’ve curated a selection of the finest woodworking books aimed at assisting you in refining your essential skills for creating impeccable carpentry gifts. Moreover, these resources will empower you with the knowledge to apply what you’ve learned to a wide array of other carpentry projects.

Best in Power Tools Tips
The Complete Manual of Woodworking
Editor's Choice
Sawinery Projects Designer
Best for Beginners
Good Clean Fun
The Complete Manual of Woodworking
Sawinery Projects Designer
Good Clean Fun
Aside from quick touch ups on woodworking tips for beginners, this book has a good in-depth discussion of tools and how you can use them properly for amazing projects.
Get access to easy project plans with elaborate illustrations and instructions, suitable for woodworking beginners and professionals.
This book is filled with incredible project plans smartly organized for your convenience, so you’ll have a great time woodworking.
Best in Power Tools Tips
The Complete Manual of Woodworking
The Complete Manual of Woodworking
Aside from quick touch ups on woodworking tips for beginners, this book has a good in-depth discussion of tools and how you can use them properly for amazing projects.
Editor's Choice
Sawinery Projects Designer
Sawinery Projects Designer
Get access to easy project plans with elaborate illustrations and instructions, suitable for woodworking beginners and professionals.
Best for Beginners
Good Clean Fun
Good Clean Fun
This book is filled with incredible project plans smartly organized for your convenience, so you’ll have a great time woodworking.

Reviews of the Top 5 Wooodworking Books

1. Sawinery Projects Designer

If you’re not a fan of complex woodworking books, a comprehensive source material like Sawinery Projects Designer should satisfy your needs. You may not know, but the plans and guides in this package include detailed illustrations perfect for beginners. 

You don’t need outstanding drawing skills to sketch project prototypes because this all-inclusive designer features 3D template nets. Thanks to this, all you need is a pencil and an eraser.

It also showcases different woodworking templates, particularly cutting guides, helping users determine the required amount of materials for a particular project and minimizing resources that go to waste. 

What I Like

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2. Good Clean Fun: Misadventures In Sawdust At Offerman Woodshop

If you haven’t heard of Nick Offerman, he’s had two bestseller books of carpentry while moonlighting as an actor, comedian, cohost of an NBC crafting competition show Making It. He’s popularly known as Rob Swanson in the TV Series Parks and Recreation.

There are a variety of ways to purchase his book, a good old fashioned hardcover, an audio CD or book. It’s also available on Kindle!

It doesn’t matter if you’re a pro or a learner at this time. Within the Offerman Woodshop, you will find projects for all woodworkers.

You can follow everything step-by-step when making different items. Overall, Good Clean Fun is the best book you’ll find in the market.

What I Like

What I Don't Like

3. The Complete Manual Of Woodworking: A Detailed Guide To Design, Techniques, And Tools

If you’re in search of informative titles brimming with detailed content and a wealth of project ideas, I highly recommend this popular publication authored by Albert Jackson, David Day, and Simon Jennings. It’s a valuable resource for enthusiasts seeking comprehensive woodworking guidance.

Building furniture in a woodworking shop can actually be an easy endeavor if you have a detailed starter guide instructing you on all you need to know about this form of art.

This includes easy to follow wood shop tips, diagrams, photographs, and drawings to help you craft fine pieces of art. Whether you own an impressive table saw priced around $1000 or not, you can find a project here in The Complete Manual of Woodworking.

What I Like

What I Don't Like

4. The Complete Book Of Woodworking: Step-By-Step Guide To Essential Woodworking Skills

Expert advice on everything from setting up shop to identifying and using hand tools safely (e.g. professional chainsaws) can be found inside this book. 

Other than basic information about wood craft, you also get forty ready to go woodworking projects in The Complete Book of Woodworking.

These books come with detailed plans, tool lists, and materials needed for crafting indoor and outdoor items. As an expert, I find it worth mentioning that they’ve thoughtfully included 1200 images, which are particularly helpful for beginners.

With what this offers, it sure is one of the best woodworking books for beginners as they learn their way in the woodworking world. 

What I Like

What I Don't Like

4. Working Wood 1 & 2: The Artisan Course With Paul Sellers

The author of Working Wood 1 & 2, Paul Sellers, has over 40 years of experience in the field under his belt. He tailors the perfect content that discusses the step-by-step process on how to shape and shave wood to learning about hand tools.

The woodworking knowledge you will receive from this expert veteran can be transferred to a variety of other fields. For other tips from veterans in the industry, you might want to check out America’s Woodworker’s Guild.

The paperback includes detailed and easy to understand diagrams and can even be purchased alongside the 7-DVD series (sold separately). 

What I Like

What I Don't Like

5. Great Book Of Woodworking Tips: Over 650 Ingenious Workshop Tips

This is the equivalent of a workshop bible—a great resource that provides tips for every type of woodworker. It has list of cool and easy woodworking projects for beginners, as well. 

I appreciate the comprehensive nature of this resource. It covers everything from the basics, such as sharpening your equipment, to the finer points, like routing edge joints and mastering the art of clamping and gluing miters. It’s a valuable source of tips and tricks for a wide range of woodworking techniques.

Not only will you learn essential skills and info, you will also realize how to avoid common errors and pitfalls that beginner (or even expert) woodworkers make. With all this, the Great Book of Woodworking Tips is fit for any library too.

What I Like

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Woodworking Book Buyer's Guide

What to look for when buying Woodworking books

When buying woodworking books for beginners or experts, you need to be sure that what you purchase will offer you as much woodworking ideas as possible so you can craft different pieces. As an alternative to online woodworking classes, you can learn first from these resources.

See Also: Rockler and Woodcraft Woodworking Comparison

However, it’s a no-brainer that you can’t read a title before you buy it, so follow the tips below to make sure the books you buy are right for you.

Skill Level

In my experience, when it comes to choosing woodworking resources, it’s crucial to be discerning. Many books claim to be suitable for all skill levels, but it’s important to find a resource that aligns with your specific skill improvement goals. This way, you can ensure you’re getting the most relevant information and guidance to enhance your woodworking journey.

Woodworking books should have things and programs –  from how to set up shop and introducing key woodworking terminologies, the proper apparatus, to the necessary skills that would benefit a pro woodworker. 

Some woodworking books like one from Bill Hylton or Ana White may require the use of professional equipment, so make sure you know.

Interesting Read: Ana White Updates 

What’s Covered

Make sure that the carpentry book or woodworking magazine will cover the information and advice that you’re looking for.

If you want to build small woodworks at home such as picture frames, birdhouses, cutting boards, and mantle clocks, then you shouldn’t purchase something geared towards finishing larger things  that require complicated wood types such as a lounge chair, accent table, or dining table. 

Some titles may also discuss the concept of advanced technologies, and if you’re a novice craftsman, you may not be able to make sense of it yet.

Aspiring woodworkers should also consider looking for a specific skill such as router techniques, joinery, whittling, woodcarving, or finishing. Joinery is a useful skill that most woodcarvers work on. 

Woodworking with the router is also a useful skill for a furniture maker. Alternatively, there’s a CompleteStarter Guide on Whittling if you want to work on having sound knowledge in this area. 

On the other hand, the title “Woodworking: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Skills, Techniques, and Projects” by author Tom Carpenter is one of the good woodworking books for beginners that discuss a broad range of topics.

Does the content cover safety tips, basic workspace setup, cutting list, and a wide range of other categories? Is there a part that introduces hand tools, materials, and equipment and what they are used for? You can learn to work with a powerful scroll saw.

We know one or two woodworkers that could really benefit from that information. And if you need a hand beyond the how-to’s, books on woodworking like Michael Pekovich’s carpentry title explore why you should explore the woodworking world and be a craftsman.

Price

In my experience, most books on woodworking are quite affordable, typically priced at under $50. However, it’s essential to have a budget in mind when making your selections. Even though some books are inexpensive, it’s not worthwhile to spend even $5 on a resource that won’t add any valuable information to your expertise.

If you’re looking for woodworking books for beginners, make sure the book contains information fit to the skill level of novice woodworkers. It really depends on your needs, so get your hands on titles that will actually help you to hone yourself as a craftsman.

Pictures and Illustrations

We cannot stress the importance of this useful section. While experts may understand what’s being said on these pages, many people prefer seeing for themselves rather than visualize what the project would look like. 

Photos in a publication are easier to follow for many readers, especially if you’re working on a workshop task like creating different joints or other joinery methods.

If you thought putting together furniture from Ikea or similar stores was tough, try building things of your own in a woodworking shop with just one or two photos or drawings. And Ikea instruction manuals come with pictures!

If you think of it that way, you will understand the purpose of these illustrations and pictures in a publication and why they make sense in woodworking books for beginners.

Projects

Does the book or woodworking magazine provide free project plans you can work on? Are those plans carefully thought out and the list of instructions illustrated and clear? 

Also look at the different craft pieces given as I’ve mentioned before and decide if that’s what you want. Some books may have a part that discusses youth projects such as toys or wood box organizers as well, which make for perfect woodworking gifts.

If you don’t own a collection of large tools or heavy duty equipment in your workshop, then steer clear of books targeted at making advanced craft projects. These machines may also require strength, and some may not be a one-person job. 

However, you may also get started with investing in some small and medium-sized machines that can do the job, like a top-rated mini circular saw, if you’re serious about woodworking. 

Highly-detailed woodworking guides from popular sources like Bob Flexner (author of “Understanding Wood Finishing), Bob Moran, and Scott Landis are worth looking at for people who need a hand in starting a woodworking business.

For some readers, you can also discover a bit of the why and how of woodworking from a publication like American Woodworker magazine. That’s usually a good place to start for many people if you don’t want a library of books just yet.

woodworking safety

People like learning what interests them, that’s why many want to work their hands on woodworking even at home. Safety is an important part of this, and any title worth it’s salt will happily outline all the safety precautions you should take especially at home.

Whether you are a professional or a beginner, woodworking safety shouldn’t be ignored by every woodworker. Finding the right title or article with the right piece of information will be a big part in helping you create a collection of amazing craft pieces to come!

our top pick for a woodworking book: Good Clean Fun: Sawinery Projects Designer

Finding the best woodworking books isn’t the easiest task, especially in the era of complex designing programs. Because of this, our woodworking experts unanimously chose Sawinery Projects Designer for its affordable price and elaborate illustrations. 

With comprehensive guides and templates, creating rough project plans won’t be as complicated as you’d expect.

If you want to teach your children basic woodworking for young ones, we also have a fun selection of woodworking projects for kids.

robert headshot

Robert Johnson is a passionate furniture maker & carpenter, sought after for his knowledge on the craft.
You’ve probably seen his down-to-earth wisdom in USA Today, Bobvila, Family Handyman, and The Spruce, where he has shared commentary and guidance on various woodworking topics.

Robert is the brain behind Sawinery, where he aims to share tips, tricks, and a passion for all things carpentry.

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