18 DIY Woodworking Projects for Beginners
Woodworking is an invaluable skill. It gives you the ability to create furniture and repair wooden objects around the home.
However, before you make a complete dining room set or guesthouse, you should make sure you have a firm grasp of beginner woodworking skills.
We’ve brainstormed a variety of DIY projects for beginners that you can tackle with minimal experience. As long as you have access to a hardware store, sturdy wood, and a tool kit, you’re good to go.
Here are 18 perfect woodworking projects for beginners that you could create for yourself, and your loved ones, or to even build and sell for profit.
1 | Coffee Table for the Woodworking Beginner
Are you the kind of person that needs coffee first thing in the morning? Why not create a designated area for your morning cup of joe?
A DIY coffee table will test your woodworking skills to see if you’re progressing with each project.
The most challenging part is cutting the legs to the appropriate length. Once you have the proper dimensions, you can start assembling the coffee table with pocket screws, wood filler, and wood glue.
If you’re feeling more ambitious, consider making a coffee bar out of scrap wood.
2 | Sofa Sleeve & Cup Holder
We’ve all been there. You’re lounging on the couch with your favorite beverage but have no place to put it.
A DIY sofa sleeve or cup holder works as an ingenious and simple solution that you can make with scrap wood in under an hour.
The simple project involves attaching two vertical pieces of wood to a horizontal one. After you cut a hole in the horizontal plank, you can slide it over the armrest.
That way, the next time you need to put your beverage down, you can place it in the circular gap where it will stay safe and secure.
3 | Media Console for Beginner Woodworkers
Even a beginner woodworker can make a DIY long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing media console. All you need are two clamps, three pieces of wood, a sanding block, glue, and a clear spray finish.
The final product will provide you with a clutter-free television area.
Make sure that each piece of wood is the proper length before applying glue to the edges. If not, you’ll need to use a power saw to correct the dimensions.
While the glue cures, apply the clamps and let it sit for at least two hours before placing anything on your new media console.
4 | An Address Plaque
Add pizazz to your home’s entryway with a personalized address plaque. The DIY project takes less than an hour and will last you a lifetime. If you want to add decorative flair, you can add a small space that holds potted plants.
This beginner woodworking project requires a drill, electric sanders, cedar boards, metal address numbers, and wood stain.
Give the plaque the desired look and feel with the stain before adding the numbers as a finishing touch. The final product should be easy to read for guests or postal workers approaching your home.
5 | Cookbook Holder
Give yourself the perfect gift with a new cookbook holder. This DIY woodworking project will save you the stress and strain that comes with constantly leaning over a cookbook.
That way, you can focus on dinner plans and not keeping the pages open to the instructions.
While a cookbook holder looks straightforward, it requires more power tools than some of the other DIY ideas on this list.
You should have a miter saw, two bar clamps, an orbital sander, and a drill. The project takes three to four hours to complete and has an optional step to apply a natural hemp oil or wood finish.
6 | Bird House
All novice woodworkers should make a birdhouse at some point. The DIY project combines simplicity and affordability, making it ideal for anyone, regardless of their woodworking skill level.
You should have a miter saw, a drill, cedar board, glue, screws, and rope before tackling your project plans.
The specific birdhouse design will depend on your preferences and materials. Perhaps you want a traditional rectangular home, or you’re considering something sleek and cylindrical.
Whatever you choose, make sure to string the rope through the top of the birdhouse and pour birdseed into the interior before attaching it to a nearby tree or rafter.
7 | Tree Swing
You can upgrade your backyard in less than an hour if you have the right power tools and materials. A DIY tree swing requires little more than a drill, drill bit, wood planks, wooden beads, and nylon rope.
The fast and user-friendly task serves as a perfect beginner woodworking project. You can simply use the drill to create uniform holes that run horizontally through each piece of wood.
Thread the nylon rope through the hole and add a one-inch wooden bead between each plank for space and flexibility. Once you tie off each end, it’s time to hang your swing and let people enjoy it.
8 | DIY Wine Rack
A wine rack ranks among the best kitchen organization projects. You can enhance your kitchen space in as few as 20 minutes, creating a permanent home for your reds and whites.
Plus, it has simple instructions, making it ideal for any woodworking novice.
Instructions for this DIY creation require a drill press that can handle angled cuts, a wood plank, sandpaper, a tape measure, and a pencil.
Use the drill press to cut circles in the plank just large enough to insert the bottle’s neck. Once you cut out every piece, attach the wine rack to the wall at eye level. Now all you need is a bottle opener!
9 | Welcome Matt
A welcome mat is just one of the cool things to make with wood. The process mirrors making a swing and requires a handsaw, drill bit, and several two-inch-by-two-inch planks of wood.
You may need hand tools for cutting boards. Beginners should drill holes into each board, roughly one-third of the distance from the edge. Thread a nylon rope through the centers and tie the ends.
As a bonus, the wood project costs less and looks better than going to the store for a welcome mat.
10 | Mirror Frame
Test your woodworking skills with a DIY wooden mirror frame. It offers a fast and easy way to spruce up your interior design, adding rustic and aesthetic appeal.
This DIY task requires a hammer, pine board, 25-inch screws, two L-angle joist hangers, hails, stain, and a protective coating.
Measure the mirror’s dimensions for doing anything else. The last thing you want is a pallet wood frame that’s too big or too small.
DIY mirror frames won’t break the bank to make, and they rank as one of the easiest beginner woodworking projects.
11 | Wooden Bookends
Creating bookends might seem like simple beginner woodworking, but the project requires precision and preparation.
If you execute your woodworking plans accordingly, you’ll have a beautiful and practical decoration for your shelves. They also need minimal elbow grease to make.
Each bookend post utilizes a miter saw, clamp, power drill, screw drive, chisel, wood, metal brackets, bits, screws, and stain.
If that list feels overwhelming, that’s okay. You can find plenty of alternative instructions for making DIY bookends with half the tools.
12 | Wooden Toolbox
What better way to test your woodworking skills than by making a space for your tools? A wooden toolbox only takes an hour or so to build and can last for years.
In fact, building DIY toolboxes for your workshop is one of the easy beginner woodworking projects that carpentry instructors teach students.
You’ll want a sturdy piece of lumber for this project. While plywood works, you should strive to find instructions for a toolbox that can stand up against wear and tear.
If you can conquer this task, you’ll have a secure place for your woodworking tools and be one step further in your journey toward becoming a master carpenter.
13 | An Entryway Shelf
Floating shelves provide a timeless elegance to your home. These DIY designs also serve as the perfect woodworking projects for beginners. The final products are a sight to behold and will capture the attention of friends and neighbors.
Look for instructions for these DIY scrap wood projects that require reclaimed wood, plywood, boards, screws, and glue.
They should form a sturdy surface that will attach firmly to your wall. If you need extra ideas to spice up the appearance, you can stain the outer layer.
14 | Plywood Candle Holder
In search of practical yet achievable woodworking projects for beginners? Try making a plywood candle holder. That candle lover in your life will be more than glad to have this DIY gift in their home.
Plywood candle holders let you turn your trash into treasure. You can use sandpaper and clear poly to breathe life into discarded scraps of wood.
The final design will serve as a beautiful decoration that can enhance the room’s style and smell.
15 | Wooden Storage Container
Easy woodworking projects shouldn’t take a lot of time and effort. Something as simple as a storage container will allow you to create a practical solution for a pressing problem.
These woodworking projects for beginners let you separate perishable goods without cluttering your kitchen.
Most instructions to make storage containers include plywood, two boards, finish nails, glue, and pocket hole screws.
If you want bonus points, you can use labels to distinguish which food goes in which section. Beginners should have no trouble completing this project in less than an hour.
16 | DIY Photo Holders
Wooden picture frames provide a decorative element to your home decor. How you approach this DIY project will depend on your aesthetics and skills.
The simplest approach is to create a frame and attach strings between the vertical planks. You can attach pictures to the strings with clothespins, creating a one-of-a-kind photo display.
Other beginner projects include wood-slice photo transfers. These easy wood projects involve applying an image to a slice of wood. DIY photo holders have sentimental value and take no more than two hours to make.
17 | Wall Key Holder
If you’re like most of us, you probably misplace your keys every once in a while. Not anymore. DIY wall key holders can provide a convenient place to store your car, mail, and house keys.
They come with straightforward instructions and the only power tools you’ll need include a miter saw and drill.
DIY wall key holders let you flex your creativity. These wood projects can take any shape, size, and stain, allowing you to put your style into the plans. If you want an artisanal aesthetic, consider buying shiplap trim boards for the base.
18 | DIY Bar Stool
Some ideas for projects are too good not to make. A DIY bar stool is something you’ll use for years while also testing your woodworking prowess.
Additionally, you’ll save yourself plenty of money by avoiding a trip to the furniture store.
Believe it or not, DIY bar stools are one of the simplest woodworking projects for beginners. The materials include straight boards, glue, and 20 to 30 pocket hole screws.
If you have a pocket hole jig, drill, and miter saw in your shop, you can make bar stools within the next three hours.
The Bottom Line on Beginner Woodworking Projects
These 18 DIY woodworking projects for beginners are just the tip of the iceberg. You can find dozens of other ways for you to test your skills.
Once you get the hang of various power tools and skills, you can graduate to more challenging endeavors that may require a nail gun, scroll saw, or circular saw.
Most of our beginner woodworker projects are not just decorative. They’re practical, too. These items can add value, improving everything from your kitchen organization to your interior decor.
Plus, you can showcase the results of your project for years to come. So get yourself a stack of dry lumber, and get to it and create something great!
