Not all projects can turn in a profit. There are those that are just attractive to the eye but customers aren’t willing to pay for. Based on our years of experience in the industry, here are the most profitable woodworking projects to build and sell, leaving no effort wasted on your part.
15 Worthwhile Woodworking Projects For Profit
1. DIY Wine Racks
A good way for a woodworking project to sell, your idea must have a practical use. A wine bottle rack is one of those ideas, and it’s a flexible one too.
Even if your customer doesn’t have a wine bottle in their house, you can place a wide array of items on this such as soda bottles, juice bottles, or even small potted plants. You can store different kinds of stuff on a wine bottle rack, making it a nifty piece of home décor.
This shelf or rack project is easy to make as well. Scrap wood or pallet wood can be used for this project, so you can use some leftover slabs that you have. It’s actually a simple idea, but because it’s practical, it will definitely sell.
2. Picture Frames
Placing memories and happy moments throughout the house is something most of us love to do. This is why picture frames are some of the best items you can sell. This piece of home decor is also the most customizable, so it’s easy to set your product apart from the rest.
Also, like creating a DIY wood signs, picture frames are a low-commitment project because you’re not looking at too much equipment and power tools. You just need a few trusted hand tools and small pieces of wood, plus basic woodworking skills. It would also help to think outside the box – you don’t need to succumb to tradition and create a rectangular shape.
In fact, you can try new shapes, new colors, new wood textures, and any unique idea you may have for this project. Whatever idea you can execute with your skills, there’s a high chance this project will sell.
3. Pet House
If you can make bigger woodwork projects, a pet house is a great idea. Many people have pets and they’re always looking out for their needs, so a project like this is an easy sell if you can build something simple, durable, and appealing to pet owners.
With big wooden projects like this, you can really make a good profit. You can also be a little bit more creative by thinking bigger. You can build a pet house that can accommodate more than one pet, and if you’re targeting higher-end customers, you can build something with a separate bathroom, eating area, and even indoor heating.
If you can handle big projects, just make sure the materials are of the best quality so that your business will earn nicely. The process can be difficult depending on your skills, but you can take out your one-sheet plywood to create this and more.
4. Wooden Toys
Another tip is to think about what will make your customers return. You don’t want to invest your skills in something that is a one-off, but rather something that keeps customers always coming back to your business.
Wooden toys, like wooden blocks for kids, are a great example of this. You don’t even need advanced woodworking skills because whittling may be enough for some designs. Plus, toys are always going to be popular with kids, so that’s a demographic you can explore.
If you have kids yourself, you can have them test out the toys you’ve built or even pretend that your kids made them by taking a photo of them holding a toy chainsaw while posing next to the wooden toy you’ve made. Of course, a much better idea would be to let them actually experience woodworking by inviting them to make a fun woodworking project suitable for children.
5. Unique Storage Boxes
This is also known as a bedside box, but it can actually be scaled up or down into any size you want. Because these boxes are versatile and can be used anywhere around the house, they’re one of the pallet projects you can try to sell.
The image above is just a skeleton of a design. Like with other projects, you can get creative and sell it for a higher price point. You can use different types of wood to give it more texture or even embed a good pattern on the surface.
Items like this make wonderful gifts, so building and selling them could make a good profit. After all, boxes are cheap and useful, so it could be a popular product to sell.
6. Wall Planter
Potted plants have a slew of health benefits [1] which is why they have a home in so many of our residences. In fact, people are willing to pay money (sometimes a lot) to have plants strategically placed around the house in cute holders.
If this is something you see yourself building and selling, there’s a high chance it could earn you a nice profit. Plus, you might only need leftover pieces of wood to build a wall planter, so it’s one of the wood projects that won’t take much supplies, just like making eco-friendly sola wood flowers.
It would be better if your wall planter could hold only smaller plants due to the tension on the wall. But if you want, you can make them with smaller multiple holes and have an entire wall garden at home.
7. Bathtub Caddy
Many people love the idea of a long hot bath after a grueling day at work. However, in a technological world, it’s hard to put your phone aside or your computer down and really just relax. Chilling out in the bathtub with a good novel sounds nice to calm your nerves.
However, there is a risk of getting these items wet. That’s where a nicely built wooden bathtub caddy comes in, a perfect wood turning project, as well. With these nifty wood projects, you can make yourself some money while solving a long-existing problem at home.
A way to personalize this is to etch designs into them such as initials, patterns, and pictures. But of course, you can be as creative or as simple as you want.
8. Jewelry Box
We’ve mentioned storage boxes previously on our list, and if you want to take it up a notch, a jewelry box is a really good idea. You can include organizers inside the wood base, making it easy to sort through necklaces, earrings, and other pieces of jewelry.
One of the things you can also do is line the inside with velvet fabric to make it more premium-looking. A jewelry box would also be a nice gift, whether for yourself or for another person.
9. Wood Coasters
While small wooden coasters don’t typically go for a great amount of money, you can increase the price point a bit higher if it’s handmade. Plus, you can market these coasters as items with environmental benefits since they’re made of sustainable materials.
Making these pallet coasters isn’t difficult compared to building a wooden crate from pallets. You can just use the leftover pieces of scrapwood that you have lying around. After all, leftovers from larger projects can pile up and clutter your shop, so making these coasters is a good idea to put them to use and earn money while doing so.
10. Wooden Cutting Board/Serving Tray
For a project to sell, you need to be inventive. One way to do that is by making dual-purpose products like this. This is a cutting board that can easily be made into a great serving tray for cold cuts.
The idea might be creative but it’s not difficult to make. This is a perfect way to begin woodworking as a rewarding hobby. However, it may take you some time to piece slabs of wood together. Or, you can just use a whole piece if you have it.
To turn this cutting board into a serving tray, just add handles and a drip guard. You can also etch and chisel some designs into the flat surface to make it even more presentable.
If you have time to search for styles, you can get a lot of inspiration online. Then again, you can just create your original one for a unique touch.
11. Birdhouses/Birdfeeders
Birdhouses might seem outdated and can be considered wood crafts for kids for their simplicity, but they’re actually one of the most profitable woodworking projects to build and sell. They remain popular because birds are still abundant (thankfully) and they could always use a small home.
Buying ready-made birdhouses from big box stores can dent your wallet, so if you build and sell these projects, you can make a good profit for yourself while offering them to customers for a lower price.
This cheaper price tag is a good way to attract buyers. And if you do want to increase the price a little bit, you can offer personalization options to up the ante. For customized details like this, you can reuse some of the wood pieces you have lying around.
12. Patio Swing
If your skills are a bit more advanced, larger plans like a patio swing or the wooden pet house we mentioned can be a good source of income as well. For these plans, however, we suggest learning advanced skills first through best furniture making books and then testing out the final piece yourself.
You’ll be selling these bigger items for a higher price, so make sure it’s steady, stable, and strong. Larger wooden items do bring in more cash, but it would also need more effort and time in making them.
We suggest drawing your woodworking plan first before executing the project as your guide. If the benefits outweigh the costs, then making a patio or porch swing is a great project to sell in your business.
But even if you’re not looking to sell, we’re sure you’d have the best time using this patio swing at home.
13. Coat Rack/Purse Rack/Towel Rack
Another useful place to start with a woodworking business is a coat rack. When scaled down, this great woodworking idea can be a key holder or umbrella rack as well.
Building it is pretty easy, and even if you can’t make your own wooden hooks, you can always buy them at your local hardware store. You can also use different types of wood for this project, and you can either paint it or finish it with a nice varnish or topnotch semi-transparent deck stain.
Feel free to offer personalization options too. A great way to do that is by adding name labels on top of each hook. This would go nicely in a school setting or just to show family members where to put their belongings.
14. Storage Beds
If building a storage bed platform is too big of a commitment for you, then simply making the storage drawers to go under beds is another idea you might want. These large tasks can make more money in the end when you sell them, so they’re one of the most profitable ones on this list.
This project is a huge undertaking and you can get help if you need to, but many people will see the merits of utilizing the otherwise empty space under the bed. When you look at it, it makes for a great storage are to get rid of clutter in a room.
15. Furniture
You can build all different kinds of furniture that you want. With projects like this, you can always go with your imagination and make your product unique and attractive for those looking to start or redecorate their homes.
Just remember that larger pieces may require more effort, but you can also expect more cash return as well. For woodworkers who have experience building furniture, it’s a great avenue to showcase your own style and skills.
There’s loads of different furniture you can build, may it be for the living room, bedroom, dining room, or the backyard. If you can make customized furniture, that’s also a profitable woodworking project. Remember, in order to profit, it is crucial to know where to sell your wood projects and what platforms to use for your business.
Conclusion
Most of these items are easy to make if you have some basic knowledge about woodworking, and even beginners can do these DIY projects. If you’re ever confused what project to make, remember that there are a ton of things you can make out of wood. With time and effort, your skills and personal style can lead to profitable returns in flea markets or online.
We hope our list has given you inspiration for woodworking projects that make money. These are all great ideas you can use for your business.
Are you considering buying tools and plans from certain woodworking sites? Do your research by starting with our review of Woodcraft, next!
Sources
https://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2014/02/diy-wine-rack.html
https://www.instructables.com/id/Making-a-Wooden-Picture-Frame/
https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-build-a-dog-house/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90ee228d32
https://www.instructables.com/id/Wooden-Toys-2/
https://www.canadianwoodworking.com/plans-projects/bedside-box
https://sarahjoyblog.com/diy-wooden-wall-planter/
https://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/handmade/diy-bath-shelf
https://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/pure-simple-jewelry-box/
https://toolboxdivas.com/easy-diy-pallet-coasters
https://www.mybluprint.com/article/diy-a-cutting-board-in-7-steps
https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/g1528/build-a-birdhouse-in-7-easy-steps/
https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Porch-Swing-Free-Templates/
https://www.maisondepax.com/diy-rustic-towel-rack/
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