Top 50 Amazing Woodworking Projects To Build Skills

If you are not building things in your woodshop to sell (and, maybe even if you are), you should find things that increase your woodworking knowledge. Crafting woodworking projects to build skills lets you:

• Enjoy your hobby more: We enjoy building things with wood. I find few things as enjoyable as taking on a new build, learning a new woodworking technique, or salvaging a project that I thought was lost. It is hard to grow your skills with simple designs you have already mastered;
• Create more complex items: I recall how excited I was when I built my first box using through dovetail joints. While challenging, it would never be the same level of enjoyment until I learned how to make half-blind dovetails, followed by secret mitered dovetails. Skill-building projects let you progress in the craft, letting you make items that provide more construction strength and aesthetic appearance;
• Earn some money: Selling your work to cover shops costs, improve your tool kit, or pay the electrical bill is a reasonable alternative to scraping your projects when completed. I find selling intricate jewelry boxes easier than selling plain boxes using butt joints. Building your skills through more advanced projects allows you to build simple projects more quickly as well.

No matter why you craft things, constructing woodworking projects to build skills is a smart way to reduce costs and improve efficiency while getting the most from your woodworking hobby.

Top 10 Woodworking Projects for Every Skill Level

What you pick as woodworking projects to build skills will depend entirely on where you are in your woodworking journey. The following top 10 woodworking projects for every skill level list will give you some ideas to work through.

I will start with the beginners. Novice projects need to be quick and easy, using minimal tools and focusing on one or two woodworking skills. My list of woodworking projects to build skills projects would include:

1. Repurposed crates or pallets;
2. Cutting board;
3. Sofa sleeve;
4. Wooden door mat;
5. Pet bed enclosure;
6. Pet feeding station;
7. Bird house;
8. Geometric wall decorations;
9. coat hanger;
10. Picture frames.

As you gain experience, your woodworking projects will begin to use more complex angles and joinery. It is at this stage that you begin to build for looks as much as for function. Intermediate projects take more space, tools, and time, to produce things like:

1. Outdoor chairs;
2. Workbench;
3. Sawhorses;
4. Display or storage boxes;
5. Woodworking jigs;
6. Farmer's bench;
7. Toolbox;
8. Staggered shelf tower;
9. Storage chest;
10. Planter box.

I reached a point where I was ready to take on detailed woodworking projects and fine furniture pieces. It is a stage distinguished with detailed planning and near-perfect fits. My top 10 woodworking projects for every skill level list ends with advanced projects that will take your building to a new level:

1. Hexagon picnic table;
2. Pergola;
3. Computer workstation;
4. Media console;
5. Bunk beds;
6. Desk organizer;
7. Sideboard cabinet;
8. Gable-roofed greenhouse;
9. Rolltop desk;
10. Desktop clock.

Top 10 Easy Woodworking Projects to Make and Sell

• Providing functionality: Items that a potential customer can use will get them to slide their credit card before wood decorations. The exception can be items like picture frames, but these types of builds cross the line between decorative and function;
• Holiday-themed items: An exception to the point above will be holiday items. I know of woodworkers who make decent money doing scrollwork decorations for late-year holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas);
• Avoid complex items: Selling a rolltop desk sound like a way to make a good profit, but the fact is you will struggle to sell projects like this. I suggest waiting until you build a client base and reputation and then take a commission to make complex items.

My List of Top 10 Easy Woodworking Projects to Make and Sell

There are woodworking projects to build skills that allow you to make money. That includes beginner, intermediate, and advanced designs. The top 10 easy woodworking projects to make and sell include:

1. Cutting boards;
2. Picture frames;
3. Pet feeding stations;
4. Wooden toys;
5. Birdhouses;
6. Boxes;
7. Various racks;
8. Pet bed enclosure;
9. wood utensils;
10. Bowls.

The smaller items do well online, while bulky items that cost more to ship will sell better locally.

I have discussed how to sell woodworking projects previously. Swap listed items based on what is selling and what is not.

Top 10 DIY Wood Projects to Make to Sell

There are some nice Do-It-Yourself (DIY) woodworking projects to build skills that you can also turn around and sell. I differentiate the items on the top 10 DIY wood projects to make to sell list below because these tend to be bulkier items with more components.

Most DIY projects serve some function in the home or yard, but some act as decorations or toys. These can bring in more money due to the complexity or size of the item. They do take up more room, though, making it difficult to store more than a couple at a time.

My list of top 10 DIY wood projects to make to sell:

1. A corner shelf: These are popular in homes with limited room, creating vertical space in the corner;
2. Rustic-style headboards: Bed manufacturers have provided woodworkers with a market, as headboards sell as separate items. Take advantage of that niche if you like glue-ups;
3. Small wooden bookshelves: Smaller designs that can sit on other furniture or low on the ground are always popular with renters and homeowners alike;
4. Blanket ladders: If you do research online, you will see that many woodworkers build and sell these. They are worth trying in your shop;
5. Stove burner covers: The cover is solid, letting someone use it as extra counter space;
6. Open-faced bathroom cabinet: Everyone seems to enjoy displaying knick-knacks, soaps, and towels;
7. Laundry hamper: Solid and slated designs are both popular;
8. Rolling carts: Mobility for hobby rooms to the garage;
9. Christmas trees made from pallets: A seasonal item popular for small spaces where traditional trees will not fit;
10. End tables: A familiar bedroom furniture piece.

Top Woodworking Projects for a Small Shop

I recall when I first started into the woodworking hobby that I had a misconception that project size somehow equated to a woodworker's skill level. The truth is, woodworking projects to build skills do not have to be a particular size.

Most woodworkers have limited shop space, using part of their garage, a corner in the basement, or maybe a shed in the backyard. These areas have limited space for tools and woodworking projects. That means you need to find the top woodworking projects for a small shop that still help you build skills.

One project that fits the criteria is a cutting board. You learn to cut, glue, plane, sand, and finish while making these. You can make several in a small woodshop without taking up a lot of space.

Joinery is something that you need to learn, and the mortise and tenon joint is one of the most used in woodworking. You can make it using hand or power tools, and practicing this joinery is one of those woodworking projects to build skills that pay huge dividends later. You can make legs and other pieces in a small shop without issue.

Boxes are a must-learn item in any woodshop. If you think about it, most projects are a box of some type. That makes it one of the top woodworking projects for a small shop, especially when you consider the various joints, hardware, and finishing techniques you can learn while making them.

I like making my shop jigs as well. You will find woodworkers sharing all kinds of jigs builds online for free. The nice thing about them is you can make several errors while learning various woodworking skills and still complete a working jig that improves your performance.