5 Beginner Woodwork Project Ideas
Woodworking is something that will never go away, as wood is one of the most versatile materials that you can find on this planet. While its popularity waned at one point, there has been a resurgence in woodworking interest (thanks in part, oddly enough, to NBC sitcom “Parks and Recreation”). If you’re one of these people that wants to get into woodworking for the first time, you don’t want to start on something big like a house or even a complicated table. Instead, you’ll want to focus on smaller projects to help get you started. Here are five woodworking project ideas that beginners will enjoy.
5. Shoe Organizer
The beauty of making a shoe organizer is that there aren’t a lot of intricate parts that you need to be a professional to get right. Instead, you just need a few pieces of wood, some screws and you can sand and varnish from there. This is perhaps the most popular beginner project in woodworking as you don’t have to cut anything. SImply get a couple of 2×4’s and a couple of 2×10’s and you’re in business. You can use it for more than just shoes, too, and paint to your heart’s content.
4. Simple Bench
You don’t have to learn how to get a wood bench situated into a metal frame to have a place to sit. You also don’t have to spend hundreds to make a bench. Instead, think of a bench the same way you would a shoe organizer. Of course, the wood that you’ll be using is much sturdier since it has to support people. Sand it down so that you’re not getting any splinters on your hindquarters.
3. Coffee Table
In almost the exact same fashion that you’re making a bench, that can also be used as a coffee table. Where a bench will have a narrower top end, the coffee table will be a bit wider so that you can set various items on there and decorations. Also like benches, this is a project that doesn’t take a lot of money if you already have the tools. It should be able to be completed in one afternoon, making it an ideal beginner’s project.
2. Magazine Storage
Perhaps you want a project that requires smaller parts if you have limited space. If that’s the case, you may want to try making a magazine storage rack that can also be used for folders or other important documents that you want to keep nicely organized. While this is a little more advanced due to more cutting, the fact that it’s a smaller project is a good introduction to cutting with some pretty low stakes overall.
1. Photo Frames
We end on a project that most people make for their introduction into woodworking, and that’s the picture frame. This is one of the most popular projects because you can put your own artistic spin on things, and there’s no ‘wrong’ way to do a picture frame as long as it hangs without falling apart and you can see the picture that you’re displaying. There’s a lot of sentimental value behind this project, and you see a lot of them being made in home economics classes around the country. Except this time, you won’t be using popsicle sticks, but rather cutting your own wood to make it truly yours.