Do you have woodworking skills but you don’t know what business project to start from home? If YES, here are 50 best woodworking business ideas that sells fast.
Look around you and you will find that you can easily point so many things that are made of wood around the house. Throughout ancient history until our modern era, every civilization in the world has used wood to create useful as well as beautiful and decorative objects.
We see examples of woodworking by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Chinese. Many other ancient cultures around the world also practiced woodworking, employing many different styles and techniques.
If you have been thinking about how to launch into the woodworking industry and do not know which idea to settle for, then you may look into choosing one of the following woodworking business ideas;
Best Woodworking Business ideas
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Making and selling Beer Bottle Crate
Wooden beer bottle crate with lid is very popular and a utility item. It can be used for household storage, in travelling and also by beer sellers. You can make this item with wood and simple tools. The process is also simple. You can start selling from your home and crafts fairs.
You can also sell on consignment from local retail, gift and furniture shop. You can also sell the products from online marketplaces like Etsy and EBay.
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Making and selling Beer Mugs
Wooden beer mug are innovative products. You can create different types of wooden beer mug with different shapes and sizes. Making a beer mug can be very simple but it remains a very profitable business idea in the woodworking industry.
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Making of Bookshelves
Bookshelf is also considered as decor item. You can make different types of bookshelf. You can also go for customized bookshelf according to your client’s demand. Bookshelves are needed in homes, business places, institutions and even hospitals. This business can be very lucrative if you do the necessary things.
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Business Card Holder
Wooden business card holder is often considered as promotional corporate gift. It is million dollar industry now. Different variety of wooden business card holder can be made with some simple tools. The process of making a wooden card holder is very simple and requires not much strength.
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Cabinet
Cabinet is a useful and decorative item also. It has wide household and office usage. Here also you can make different innovative cabinet by using simple tools. You can also create customized cabinet as per client’s specifications. Creating new designs and making them light and fantastic to be able to attract and keep your customers.
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Candle Holder
Wooden candle holder is a useful decorative item. It is also considered as gift item. Various types of wooden candle holders are very much popular and the making process is also simple.
Candle holders can be carved in different styles and Heights. Woodworking is all about creativity and designing your work to be breathtaking can be the high point of your work.
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Cutting Board
Cutting board is a kitchen utility item. It comes with different size. This product is very popular and you can make different types of cutting board by having some simple tools.
With the advent of technology, most individuals refuse to cut their vegetables etc with their hands but depend largely on cutting boards to be able to. Indeed it makes the work easier and fast.
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Hardwood Chopsticks
Hardwood chopsticks are an essential dining item. It comes with different sizes. This product is popular and you can make this product by having simple woodworking tools.
Chopsticks were developed about 5,000 years ago in China. The earliest versions were probably twigs used to retrieve food from cooking pots. But today they are very popular in almost all state of the art eatery
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IPod and Device Stand
IPod stand is a utility decor item and is widely used in both homes and offices. Wooden iPod stand is an innovative product and also is very attractive one. You can make this product with simple tools.
With the widespread of iPod, smartphones and other devices, wooden iPod stand is indeed an environmentally-friendly stand that you can make and get rich.
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Jewellery Box
Wooden jewellery box is a widely used product among ladies. It generally comes with attractive pattern work on the lid. This is a popular product and the business can be initiated with small capital investment. I
t is well known that ladies do take care of their makeup kits and store them in beautiful well designed box. This business is a business that can fetch you great incomes to solve or take care of your needs.
Jewellery boxes can retail for as much as 10 to 20 times of what it costs to build them, making this a potentially very profitable home based manufacturing venture.
This is the type of manufacturing business that will let you be very creative in design and in the materials selected for the construction process.
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Photo Frame
Wooden photo frames are considered as home decor and gift item. Broadly you can find two types of photo frame. One is wall hanging and another is table stand. This is a very popular product also. Wooden photo frame are everywhere in the world.
Almost all families have enlarged pictures with a wooden frame and cute pictures they still want to enlarge and will surely need a frame.
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Planter Boxes
Planter boxes can be designed as customized also as per client’s required size and shape. It normally used in windows and in balcony. Sometimes wooden planter boxes are used for indoor plant decoration purpose also.
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Puzzle
Wooden puzzles are most popular item among wooden toys. You can make different innovative wooden puzzles for children by using some simple tools. You can adopt this business idea if you really want to get good investment returns.
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Sitting Arrangements
Various types of sitting arrangement with table are considered as home decor item. Sometimes these are used for outdoor sitting arrangements also, such as in garden and terrace. Different types of innovative sitting arrangements can be made by using simple woodworking tools.
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Spoon
Wooden spoons are essential items for kitchen and dining also. Different types of spoons with different shapes and sizes are used for different purpose. You can initiate wooden spoon making business as part time also.
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Storage Box
Storage box is a necessary household furniture and also considered as decor item. Storage box with sitting arrangement is a very popular concept.
You can make different types of storage box with innovative pattern. You can also make customized storage box as per client’s specific requirement.
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Wall Art
Wooden wall art is a popular home decor item. Huge different types of wall art can be made for home and office use also. For small and large wall, you can create different types of wall art of different sizes.
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Wardrobe
Wardrobes are where personal belongings are kept in a house. Wardrobe is an essential furniture item and it is used at almost every home. You can make different types of wardrobe with door and without door also.
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Wooden Pen
Now-a-days wooden pen is considered as a promotional gift item also. And for that purpose people buy wooden pen in bulk quantity. Apart from this, it is used for official and education purpose also. You can start wooden pen making business by having simple woodworking tools and with small start-up capital investment.
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Wooden USB Drive
This is yet another very viable business idea to look into. Wooden USB drive is an innovative product now. It is also considered as gift item. Crafting process is also simple. You can start this business from home.
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Construction woodwork
Most building construction projects require the services of a woodwork specialist. In many places, wood is used as components of the roofs of buildings to hold the aluminium sheets. If this is what obtains in your locality, then you can create a profitable business by focusing on construction woodwork.
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Start a woodworking blog
Many people all over the world are searching the web for more information about woodworking. While those who are not so good at it are searching for tips on how to hone their skills, those who are highly skilled are looking for ways to monetize their skills and experience.
If you are highly experienced in woodworking, then chances are that you would be able to provide the relevant and helpful information to other woodworkers. Once you have built a large audience of loyal readers, you can monetize your blog through affiliate marketing, direct adverts, and so on.
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Tutorials
If you are a seasoned woodworker, then you can make a decent income teaching others who want to learn more about the art.
This requires little or no start-up capital. You just have to teach them how to use the necessary tools and how to be creative, and they in turn pay for your services.
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Repair and maintenance
If you are not so good at woodwork but are highly skilled at repairing damaged wooden materials, you can start rendering your services to homeowners and other individuals who need to have their damaged wooden items fixed.
If woodwork, such as indoor furniture, woodcraft, and so on are in huge demand in your locality, then you should consider setting up your own retail store where you put up your woodwork for sale.
Location is one of the factors that could make or break the business, so choose a location where customers will easily notice and assess your store.
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Selling woodworking equipment and supplies
If you live in a locality where there are already a good number of woodwork “specialists,” then you should consider starting a business that sells various woodworking equipment and supplies. This is a better way to enter the woodworking market in your locality without having to face stiff competition
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Wooden Signs Manufacturing
There are a few methods of manufacturing highly attractive and functional wood signs. The first is to use a router to remove wood and leave the message or words raised, or concave. The second method requires a design stencil and sandblasting equipment to remove the wood around the message or words.
This manufacturing method can also produce a raised or concave appearance to the sign. Initially, a novice wood sign maker should have the wooden blanks for the signs produced by an outside firm, unless you have the required woodworking skills and equipment to construct the sign blanks.
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Wine Rack Manufacturing
Are you searching for an inexpensive business start-up that can be operated part-time from home? If so you may want to consider activating a business that focuses on manufacturing and wholesaling custom-made wine racks. The business is easy to establish and only requires basic woodworking skills and woodworking equipment.
In addition to constructing the wine racks from wood, you could also build the racks from a metal, or even better, all recycled material, such as scrap metal and used building material that can usually be acquired for free with a little bit of detective work.
Once you have designed and constructed a few wine racks, they can be wholesaled or consigned to wine stores, furniture stores, liquor stores, u-brew-it wine shops and even restaurants.
The key to success in wine rack manufacturing is to have a unique product that consumers are compelled to purchase for themselves or as a gift for others.
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Wind Chimes Made From Wood
Wind chimes can be manufactured from almost any kind of material, including wood. Starting a business that manufactures wind chimes can be a great way to turn spare time into extra income. The wind chimes can be sold to retail stores, garden centres and gift shops on a wholesale basis.
Or, the wind chimes can be sold directly to the end consumers via a booth at a busy flea market, mall kiosk or an online mall.
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Wooden Theme Toy Boxes
Manufacturing theme toy boxes is a wonderful home based business venture, and best of all the business can be kicked into high gear for less than a $1,000 initial investment.
The key to successfully manufacturing and selling the toy boxes is to ensure that the designs are original, the material used in the construction of the toy boxes is unique, and the finished product is colourful and depicts an elaborate children’s theme such as horses, cowboys or dinosaurs.
The toy boxes can be sold to retailers on a wholesale basis or directly to consumers via the internet, trade shows, a mall sales kiosk or mail order.
As an additional source of revenue and as a marketing tool, also consider making wooden toys and including one wooden toy with each toy box as a surprise bonus gift.
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Bookends
Manufacturing bookends? Why not? They fall into the category of a great gift for someone who has everything. And best of all, the business can be set in motion for less than $500 and operated right from home.
One of the key elements for this manufacturing venture to take off and fly will be your ability to design and create very unique and different bookends. One idea may be to capitalize on the ever-increasing environmentally friendly theme and manufacture all the bookends out of recycled materials.
If this route is chosen, be sure to include the fact that your products are manufactured from recycled materials in all packaging and promotional material, as this can be utilized as a fantastic marketing tool. The finished product can be sold through retail stores, such as gift shops, bookstores and the internet.
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Wood-turnings Business
Fruit bowls, candlesticks, stair spindles or baseball bats’ there are literally hundreds of different products which can be manufactured simply by purchasing a wood-turning lathe and mastering the art of wood turning.
While the finished products can be sold directly to consumers, a better choice in terms of merchandising the woodturning products is to arrange accounts with retailers, such as gift shops, to stock and sell the products.
Some quick math will tell you that just a dozen or so accounts with retailers like this can generate a very comfortable living manufacturing and wholesaling wooden bowls.
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Children’s toys
There was a time when toys made out of wood were the common thing. These days in most markets they have become a novelty. You only have to ask around to realize the premium, crazy prices being charged by stores for wooden toys for children.
Wooden toys are a hot selling category for many reasons. They are considered a novelty, safer than toys made from other materials and they usually last a very long time.
The result is that parents and everybody is ready to pay top dollar to buy even the simplest of wooden toys as long as they are well made from quality wood.
Since this is an item for children, you should take extra care to make the tie safe, sturdy and durable. Do not compromise on the materials you use. Use only the best.
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Baby cradles
A baby cradle is just one example in what a very popular woodworking category i.e. baby is and children furniture. Parents often like to get special furniture for their children. Most of the times they need it, Babies and children need tables, chairs, storage cupboards, beds and an assortment of other items.
A wooden crib is a classic woodworking product that is always in high demand. Parents will usually spare no expense in picking up the best cradle they can afford to buy.
Once more, pay extra attention to the safety and quality of the product and use only the very best materials. A great option when making children’s furniture is to make it be a self assembly kind. That way you can even sell your furniture online and easily ship it in de-assembled form.
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Chair Side Bookcase
Bookcases never run short on demand. Every household needs several of them. However, a simple variation can make your project stand out and become a hot selling woodworking item.
Make bookcases specifically to complement armchairs. They are a popular addition that very few can resist. Not to mention they are items of great utility.
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Small wooden boxes
It doesn’t really get simpler than this. Think of ideas for making small boxes that serves a purpose. There are so many things that people need small wooden boxes for.
As long as you use good wood, make the box strong and use good finishing, your project does not have to be either elaborate or complicated.
A simple but popular example of our small wooden box is a chip box. I’m sure you can find dozens of other useful ideas for your woodworking box projects.
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Birdhouses
You should know that outdoors woodworking projects are extremely popular. There are many small projects you can do for the garden, portico etc.
A very charming and popular woodworking project is a birdhouse. It’s a little strange but you can charge premium prices for birdhouses and people are ready to pay for it.
I think the reason is the end result and the function that a bird house is supposed to serve. People, who want to enjoy birds succumbing to the garden, attach a high value to a functional and nice looking bored house.
And who doesn’t really want pretty birds coming and chirping in their gardens. Therefore, birdhouse is one of the top-selling woodworking projects.
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Blanket chest Maker
I can tell you from my experience and perhaps you know this as well, a blanket chest is an item of great utility. A blanket chest is not necessarily an item to be only used in cold weather places. Most of the households use items that need to be stored away either during the day or at night.
For example, extra throw pillows need to be removed from the bed every night before sleeping. Similarly, sheets, covers, blankets that are used while sleeping need to be stored in a convenient and accessible place during the day.
A blanket chest is a utility item of everyday need in a majority of households. And that makes it one of the best sellers. Once again, the stress on making this woodworking project is on quality, endurance and finish. The design and the construction can be left simple.
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Fruit Bowl maker
You may be well aware of the fact that items for household are always popular. This is an example of a really simple woodworking project that sells very well. While making fruit bowls, the important thing to keep in mind is your design and finish.
Because a fruit bowl is a common item, it sells a lot. However, because of the same reason there are lots of them available. The good news is that it is not difficult to make unique wooden fruit bowls that will stand out among the competition. A little bit of ingenuity produces great results.
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Miniature Mantle Clock Maker
You will be very surprised at a lot of things about this project. It is very economical to make, simple, takes little time and ends up looking and selling like a premium high quality woodworking item.
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Wooden Ladles Maker
A very interesting woodworking project you can undertake is to make ladles of all sizes out of wood. These items are really coming back in a big way. I sincerely feel you can attract a lot of attention and sell these items very well. People are beginning to use more wholesome utensils in the kitchens. Wooden ladles are going to be raging popular products.
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Wooden Pen Holders Making
Pen holders are a popular woodcraft. Everyone needs one and usually more than one. Here’s the thing, they are easy to make and you can make them in several designs.
So for the same simple woodcraft you can easily have many different variations and products. What you do with this kind of freedom is only limited by your own creativity, skills and resources.
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Wooden table coasters
Once again, table coasters are an essential household item. It’s a great idea to make table coasters out of wood. People buy lots of them and you can offer a lot of options in design, quality, material and workmanship. Wood table coaster is a high selling woodcraft and that requires relatively very little effort and time to make.
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Wooden eyeglass case
Now while eyeglass cases made from wood is a popular idea, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. People like to have nice and classy cases for the eyeglasses. There are a few challenges that you are going to face.
Eyeglasses come in all shapes and sizes. So you are going to have to decide what the shape and the size of your wooden eyeglass case is going to be. You may take the approach of making 3 to 4 different sizes or you could make one generic popular one.
Then again you can always start with one size and then expand your collection to include more. You might even take custom orders for this woodworking item. Very importantly, people use eyeglass cases to protect to protect their expensive glasses.
This means that your wooden eyeglass case will be required to have the proper finishing with adequate contouring and padding to ensure that it also protects its delicate contents.
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Wooden CD and DVD shelves and stands
Digital music is becoming more and more popular. Physical music storage like CDs and DVDs are still popular but they have to fight a battle with the digital media. If the popularity of CDs and DVDs is dwindling, so is the production of related products.
People who do buy movies and music on the CDs and DVDs definitely like to have a good place to store them. Making absolutely simple wood CD and DVD stands and racks to meet the high demand is a great idea. You will find that you have a ready flock of customers who are willing to buy this product from you at a great price.
CD and DVD shelves are utility items and therefore do not have to be very fancy. However your quality in both workmanship and the material will often enables you to fetch a premium price. Another interesting outlook is that wooden DVD and CD racks and shelves can sell very well online as well.
The reason is that since a lot of people buy music and video DVDs online, they are likely to look for a nice DVD shelf online as well. So go ahead and get ready to promote your wooden CD and DVD shelves on websites like eBay and Etsy.
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Wooden paperweights
Ideas for a woodworking project do not get simpler than this. All you need to do is essentially make something with a bit of weight in wood. There are many ways you can go about doing this. For example you can simply take a piece of wood in some rich texture.
You can cut it into an attractive shape that flatters the grain of the wood. And you can finish it even further with polish, lacquer etc. Another option is to make the paper weight fancier with engravings.
You can also make a paperweight that doubles as a small box. Like we said the options of designs will be numerous. But the one thing that they would probably share in common is that it will be a simple woodcraft to make that costs very little and sells a lot.
You can expect to put a good profit margin on this item since there is a lot of scope for fancy craftsmanship without increasing the cost of materials and tools.
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Small wooden shelves making
I’m sure that you have seen the simple kind of wooden shells that attach themselves to walls and are meant to display and keep small objects. They can be used virtually everywhere in the house from bedrooms to bathrooms to living room and the kitchens.
The design is extremely basic. There is a wooden platform that has supports under it which adjoined it to the wall. You can make this in a very basic form or don fancy touches by carving, engraving and introducing of the design elements.
These basic wooden wall shelves are something that literally sells on display. Someone just has to look at them and they can instantly imagine a place and a need for such an item in their homes.
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Wooden table top items Making
Imagine things that you can make for a desk or table in a room. Mostly any and all items that you think of would be hot selling items such as pen holders, pen cases, trays for holding stationary, and other small boxes that serve storage purposes.
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All kinds of wooden trays making
There are actually a lot of many things that you can make on the lines of a wooden tray. A modern version office woodworking product can be a laptop tray.
People are constantly looking for something to put their laptops on when sitting down with them in order to avoid the contact direct contact with the heated machine. Wood serves as an excellent insulation material for this purpose.
These wooden laptop trays can also be used when putting the laptop on couches and other soft surfaces. They would keep the laptop cool and hence protect it from overheating.
Many people also prefer to use such desktop stands while using their laptop on tables simply because they look great and also add comfort to use.
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Armchair shelves and side rests
Both these wood products are a good concept that is received very well with customers. Armchair shelves are small shelves that people can put adjacent to their favourite armchair. They are meant to hold small things of frequent use like books, coffee cup etc.
Armrest trays work on almost the same principle. Wooden side rests converts the arm of any couch or armchair into resting platforms.
People love this product because they can then use the armchair as a platform to put their cup of tea, remotes, laptops and other things that they might be using at that moment.
Although you do not need to create anything fancy, the quality of build and material will have to be dependable. You will also have to work on you want it to function and fit on to the couches.
In conclusion, the benefit of a woodworking business is that you can actually start it at home and working from home in your own wood shop means that you can skip the morning commute, you don’t have to dress up to go into the office and generally you can schedule your own hours.
Having greater schedule flexibility really enables entrepreneurs to enjoy other aspects of their life as well, like family activities, travel, etc.