Woodworking Projects That Sell
What are some wood projects that sell? This is like asking, how long is a piece of sting! There are so many awesome things you can make and if they’re truly awesome, they will sell well too. Check out this post on How Much Does a Woodworker Make, to find out more about selling your creations. Even simply things Like this awesome chop bloc made from recycled timber, can sell really well…..
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So if you have set up your workshop and are now looking to build something cool and useful you can either keep or sell – we’ve got you covered. We have put together a list of free plans for you to access to help you turn your woodworking dreams into a reality. Sourcing wood projects that sell, will help you to know where to put your time and talents so you can reap some return on your investment.
It would remiss of us to have a woodworking site that didn’t offer access to useful and easy to follow plans to assist you with your next build (and hopefully sell your item for profit if you wish). After all, a little extra income can make a big difference in most people’s financial situation. All you really need are some tools and a little know-how and you can make some extra cash by focusing on woodworking projects that sell.
Below we have listed our top 10 free woodworking plans to help you out. Underneath, we have also included a ‘getting started guide’ to help you to narrow in on the kinds of projects you might want to make on a regular basis, some marketing tips and some advice on selling on-line.
We did our own research on the kinds of projects that sell well on Etsy and Ebay and picked out the ones that are easy to sell and relatively simple to build. We then found plans to a variation of these best selling products and listed the links below.
As you’ll also need a plan moving forward, be sure to check out guide on Wood Projects That Sell (and how to market them)
So grab a drink, get comfortable and check out the products and plans you can make. All links will take you to the site where the you can access the product listed, find instructions on how to make it – including colour, step by step photos and a downloadable PDF.
After more Cool Things to Make Out of Wood? Click the link for our review guide.
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1. Wood Projects that Sell – Vintage Wooden Boxes
Every loves a bit of aged timber turned into something practical. Rustic things are admired wood projects that sell really, really well. There’s something classy yet intriguing about the timber that boasts beauty and screams ‘timeless classic.’ If you like the idea of making a old style box of sorts, and you have access to a good random, orbital sander, here are some plans to help you out. Great too to engrave these beauties for a personal touch.
- Vintage Wooden Tackle box – by Didmix
- A wooden chest (suitable for storage and toys) – by rolfy12
- A wooden puzzle box – by Kurt_rooks
- Wooden Vintage box – by Robot Copt
2. Woodworking Projects that sell – Fruit and Veggie Boxes (open top storage boxes)
Following on from the kinds of boxes you can make with lids, are the sort that require no lids (like a crate). With the right varnish, these boxes look great and can serve multiple purposes. They’re inexpensive to make too. On trend fruit boxes like these are woodworking projects that sell. I knew someone who would make them, fill them with fruit or plants/pretty flowers and sell them as hampers people would buy as gifts (a great alternative to your stock standard bunch of flowers). He would even engrave the side of the box too for a personal touch!
- Making box joints – by geotek
- Easy Fruit and Veggie Holder – By April Wilkerson (shown in the video above)
3. Woodworking Projects that Sell Well – Wooden Storage Unit
Storage shelves like this are a great all purpose piece suitable for books and often used to store toys in their respective groups (a slot for lego, one for games another for dolls etc). Often you can find cheaply made laminate ones at Ikea, but many prefer ones made out of timber as they’re a lot more durable and look great too. Shelves are definitely woodworking projects that sell well as so many people (particularly with families) use them.
We came across an easy to assemble storage unit made out of a single piece of plywood. Simple enough for beginners. A good miter saw can help you with this project.
- Bookcase storage cubby unit – by Ecotner
4. Best Selling Wood Projects – Coffee Table
Often the best selling wood projects are simply coffee tables. Most use them and they’re not too big to make and a good looking one can almost be the centre piece to stylish room. If you can make a good one, you can certain sell it for a reasonable price. Here are some of the good ones we found – again with plan, instructional photos, video and pdf download.
- DIY coffee table – by Geoff Mclarty
- Sudoku Coffee table – by 1Up Living
- Coffee Table Planter – by Midnight Maker
- Cofffee Table For Free – by Stico
5. Woodworking Projects to Sell – Dining Table
If you’re looking for something bigger to make than boxes and coffee tables, why not consider a dining table. Everyone loves to run their hands along a nice piece of quality timber and a beautiful dining table can really be a show-stopping piece. No doubt their friends will ask them where they bought it and what else do they have for sale! If you have the skills to whip up one yourself with access to a circular saw or table saw, then check out some of our plans for woodworking projects that sell – indoor and outdoor dining tables.
- DIY Dining Table – by Make It Extreme (shown in the video above)
- Large Dining Table – by Molarin
- Pallet Dining Table – by m8rris
6. Woodworking Projects that Sell – Timber Desk
So many of us have a need for a good quality and sturdy desk. They’re a must have item for students and exist in the office and study and many bedrooms around the nation. Most households have more than one with the style of desk used often influenced by other household furniture. As there is a high demand and they’re cost effective to make, they are generally not hard to sell. For fancy timber work features, you will need a jigsaw to assist with the pattern needed.
- The Ultimate Desk – by Littlemattyp
- Pinewood Desk – by Buzz3456
- Poplar Secretary Desk – by Thistlemile
- $12 Desk – by Onyx Ibex
7. Quick Wood Projects to Sell – Simple Side Table
Quick wood projects to sell include things like side tables and bird houses. A side table is perfect to go with a coffee table (or make all three – side table, coffee table and dining table). This one is easy to make using a Kreg Pocket Hole Jig.
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One Board Simple Side Table Using the Kreg Pocket Hole Jig – by Fool4peppers (shown in video above)
- Side Table – by FabLab Dhahran
8. Quick Wood Projects to sell – Bird House
Who doesn’t like to see an awesome looking bird house hanging in tree attracting wildlife? It’s one of those items that makes a perfect gift – especially for those who seem to have almost everything. Make a few of these during the holiday season to reap the highest return.
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Build This Bird Feeder and Chill Out Bird Watching – by KentM
- Pallet Bird House – by imthegrt1
9. Wood Projects that Sell – Dog Beds
For anyone with a beloved fur baby, having a custom bed is something special and sought after for those who adore their pet. They’re another relatively simple yet often over looked item to make and it’s a market well worth considering. Those who are passionate about the welfare of their pup will want them to have the very best in style and comfort and these are definitely wood projects that sell. Fast. I’ve made and sold several myself.
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DIY Dog Bed – by BC Design (shown in video above)
10. Woodworking Projects that Sell – Picnic Table
Picnic Tables offer that extra bit of comfort for those of us who don’t really want to sit on hard ground or wet grass. They look great too and are good to use when having a party or a gathering when you want to keep food off the ground and have stability when eating. Here are a few you may want to consider.
Picnic Table – by Andre B
Picnic Table – Blueribbonww1
Hexagonal Picnic Table – by Kierstem
Wood Projects that Sell (and how to market them!)
Step 1 – Pick a Niche (an area you want to focus your DIY projects on)
Admittedly woodworking is it’s own niche – so if you want to make a variety of timber items – from small trinkets to large furniture, then that’s totally possible.
It’s also possible that you narrow your products down to a few types and become the master of this niche. Eg Dog beds or Old Fashioned Kids Toys (think rocking horses) or Outdoor Furniture etc.
Step 2: Research Products You Could Make
It’s all well and good to pick your favorite niche, but can you make the products in this niche? Will it be sustainable long term? Have you made those items before? Do you have all the cutting tools you will need? How much will it cost you to make them? Have you considered doing a cost analysis as you’ll want to be sure to get a return on your investment. How much time are you wanting to commit to this project?
Tip: You need to be realistic. Most people who make and sell do so as a side business as well as their full time job. You need to be mindful that there is an element of risk involved so it is important to do a competition analysis as you don’t want to compete in a market that is already flooded with other woodworkers selling the exact same item in the same location as you. Spending some time in the research stage before you commit to a build, can save you a heartache and frustration down the track.
Step 3: Choose a Business Name
Your business name should really reflect your niche. Eg – Creative Wooden Toys by Jim, or My Timber Tables or Handcrafted, Vintage Boxes etc.
After you’re happy with the name you have, check to see if this name is already in use by someone else on Facebook. It’s ok if you have the same name as someone else, but it is good to be unique if you can. Just choose something that is easy to find (and not something that sounds weird or vague) plus makes it obvious what the niche is. You only want to attract buyers after all.
Step 4: Set up an Account on a Social Media Platform
If you’re able to build a fan page on either one or multiple social media platforms, then you’ll be able to market your brand of goods to these fans. I would suggest, Facebook, Pinterest, You Tube, Instagram, Google Plus, Linkedin, Twitter and Delicious (if you have kitchen items). If you don’t want to be active on more than one social platform, focus heavily on the one that appeals to you the most and post a lot of content to it.
Social Media Tips:
- Keep your profile image simple (either your photo or something simple that you can make for free in Canva.com). Canva has a lot of free images you can select from to make a background image when needed to (like a facebook cover photo).
- You don’t need to get everything perfect in order to have a fan page that attracts new fans in your niche. Sus out what your competition does and the kinds of posts including images and graphics they use and which ones gets the most likes and shares.
- Post regularly but not just images of your product. Consider popular helpful articles that you can share from sites like buzzfeed.com or buzzsumo.com . You don’t want you page to come across as spammy with only your products that fans can buy. Post articles too.
- If you make a website, post content from your website to your fan page with a link back to your site.
- Post a lot of images and graphics – consider funny cartoons or posters that only say a few words. Fans like things they can share and are more like to share an image or a few words than an extended piece of written text like an article. Check out the kinds of images we use at our facebook site – Woodworking Ideas – DIY .
- Down the track you can always do paid ads – but only do so if you know what you’re doing here. You don’t need to run paid ads to make sales. Anyone who tells you otherwise probably has something in it for them.
Step 5 – Your Market Place
Decide where you want to physically list your items for sale. (eg – directly from your website or third party provider like, Amazon Seller Central, craigslist, etsy, and/or a local brick and mortar venue or market place). Consider fees charged for both listing and selling and rules needed for setting up an account.
While your there, look at what items similar to your are already selling – prices, product descriptions, reviews, types of photos used (best resolution) and features listed. Can you determine what is selling well and why?
Step 6 – Outdo Your Competition
You don’t want all your hard work to go to waste because you’re unable to market your product successfully. Therefore, you are going to need to spend sometime writing a decent description of your item with high quality images that look as professional as possible.
Again you can look what someone else does for inspiration, but obviously you cannot copy their words (that’s stealing) and you certainly can’t do this and post it on your website.
If you struggle with written text, then perhaps get someone you know write you a brief sales pitch or at least edit what you do have so you can avoid spelling and grammar errors.
Step 6 – Don’t Get Overwhelmed
By now it may seem like there’s a steep learning curve ahead and it’s just all too much.
When you look at the sum total of your to-do list, it can certainly seem that way. Instead, just do one job at a time as once you have gone through the process, it will get easier to do it again.
Your hard work will pay off – you just need to ensure you know where you are in the process of your plan moving forward and of course, don’t quit.
Step 7 – Wash, Rinse and Repeat
Once you have been through the process of research and promotion and finally building your item – it’s time to do it all again.
If you know what worked for you last time, plus got some feedback, apply this and refine your craft and business model.
Final Thoughts…..
It’s an amazing feeling to see others really appreciate and value the creation you so lovingly and skilfully crafted.
People really do respect hand made functional items out of wood. It is possible to make money from the things you’ve whipped up in your workshop.
You do need to be smart about the process and a sensible plan that’s sustainable be so very rewarding.
Remember anything worthwhile takes effort and hard work. If you enjoy what you do and are willing to put in a little bit of time each week online to build your social profile and other online presence (website or online store) then this is something you could scale down the track.
Your side business could eventually replace your current full time income.
See how you go and let me know if you need help or further advice.
Remember – “shoot for the moon as even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars” – Norman Vincent Peale.