Before now, Woodworking use to be just a hobby to must people. But today, the internet has provided a means for wood workers to showcase their skills and get paid for it.

When you step into a woodworking shop to build something, it’s just you.  You enter your shop with an idea of what you want to accomplish and can envision what it will look like when you’re done.

You’ll create something from nothing using logic, intelligence, problem solving skills, and common sense. YOU will be fully responsible for every aspect of making a project, from finding a plan or designing your own, to selecting the tools you will use, obtaining lumber and other materials, to determining a course of action, and to overcoming challenges. It’s a rewarding process.

Let us now look at the process involved in Woodwork and how you can make money from it.

• What is Woodworking
• What is The Difference Between a Woodmaker And a Woodworker
• Types of Woodworking
• Woodworking Tools
• How to Start a Woodworking Business
• Sites To Sell Your Woodworking Products 
• How to Make Money With Woodworking
• Woodworking Business Tips And Tricks
• Can You Make a Living Selling Woodworking?
• Is Woodworking a Profitable Business?
• How Much Money Can You Make Making Wood Signs?
• How Can I Sell my Wood Products Online?
• Top Selling Woodworking Items
• Best Woodworking Money Makers
• How to Make Money Woodworking From Home
• Most Profitable Woodworking Projects to Build And Sell
• How to Make Money From Woodworking
• How Much Money do You Need to Start a Woodworking Business?
• How Much Does a Wooden Sign Cost?
• Where Can I Buy Wood For Woodworking Projects?
• How do Small Woodshops Make Money?

What is Woodworking

Woodworking is a productive craft that involves cutting, shaping, and joining wood to create decorative and/or useful things.

There is nothing physically demanding about woodworking and you can build at your own pace. The basic concepts are simple to learn, yet it’s a hobby that will always remain fresh and challenging as your skills evolve. If you love problem-solving, you will love woodworking.

It’s also rewarding to produce really cool stuff for your home using your hands and brain. In general, woodworking is a very solitary experience: if you are a bit introverted and love taking on tasks from start to finish, you will love woodworking.

What is The Difference Between a Woodmaker And a Woodworker

A maker is a relatively new term that has cropped up in the past decade or so. It’s an all-encompassing term for people who like to dabble in different crafts. This could mean a little woodworking, metalworking, epoxying, concreting, computer programming, electronics, 3D printing, baking, sewing, knitting, jewelry making, sculpting, ceramics, robotics, even playing with Legos. So basically, we are all makers.

Read Also: Make Money Baking

A woodworker is a maker who is mostly interested in learning and refining the craft of creating things out of wood. Sometimes we bring other materials into our projects, but the focus is on the wood. It’s an affordable, timeless material that’s easy to build with.

Types of Woodworking

Hand Tool Woodworking

Hand tool woodworking has had a huge revival in the last 20 years. Hand tool woodworkers choose to use classical tools and methods to build things. Hand saws, chisels, scrapers and planes are preferred over anything that plugs into a wall.

Getting started can be very inexpensive, but as your skills improve and the mania sets in, you will discover that a $200 precision hand plane is not unusual.

Hand tool woodworkers probably feel more of a connection to the process than any other type of woodworker. It takes patience, has a longer learning curve, it’s a slower way to build and a lot quieter. But the personal fulfillment and satisfaction can be enormous.

Power Tool Woodworking

Power tools such as miter saws, table saws, drills, sanders are ubiquitous and can be a very affordable way to start building projects right away. Cutting a board on a tablesaw doesn’t take anywhere near the skill and finesse of using a handsaw and takes a fraction of the time.

The biggest drawback to using power tools is that they have the potential to cause serious injuries. It’s nothing that should prevent you from using them, but you need to really familiarize yourself with safety procedures.

Digital Woodworking

Digital machines have been around for a while, but have become more affordable in the past few years and are appealing to more and more hobbyists. The primary tool here is the CNC machine that makes precision cuts on flat pieces of wood using a router.

You will need to layout and design all of your work on a computer and the machine will take care of the rest, cutting out all your pieces. You don’t even have to be in the same room when it’s cutting.

The second tool some hobbyists invest in is a laser cutter or engraver. This tool allows you to make even more precise cuts than a CNC and create some beautiful art.

The biggest drawbacks to using digital machines are their cost. You can easily spend thousands of dollars on them. They have their limitations and you will probably still want a tablesaw and other power tools in your shop. Some people feel digital tools make them less “connected” to their woodworking and remove the satisfaction of making things by hand.

Blended Woodworking

Most people have a mixture of hand tools and power tools in their shops. For instance blended approach to woodworking might make most cuts using a tablesaw, but use a chisel to hand cut dovetails.

Some people find that hand tools offer greater precision and control for cutting technically demanding joints and enjoy improving their skills at these tasks.

Specialty Woodworking

There are two types of woodworking that some enthusiasts, usually people with an artistic bent, specialize in. Woodturning and scrolling.

Woodturning involves using a lathe to create bowls, spindles and other rounded projects. It’s kind of like sculpting clay on a potter’s wheel, only with wood and chisels. The only real downside to getting into woodturning is that lathes can be pretty expensive.

Scrolling involves using a scroll saw which is capable of cutting extremely tiny curves and intricate patterns. It takes practice to become proficient, but it’s relaxing and you can create some stunning art with a scroll saw. Unlike a lathe, scroll saws are relatively inexpensive. They are pretty quiet and don’t make a huge mess.

You can certainly find uses for both tools in a standard woodworking shop, maybe you need to make occasional table legs or add some decorative scrollwork to a fancy bookcase, but in general they aren’t tools you will use that often.

Woodworking Tools

Below you’ll see my summary list of the 10 basic professional woodworking hand tools that you should start to accumulate in order to start building the most basic woodworking projects. 

1. Build or Purchase a Solid Wooden Workbench

A wooden workbench has always been the center of a traditional woodworker’s workshop. If you’re really on a tight budget you can get away with almost anything that allows you to secure your wood in place for planing and sawing, and use clamps to secure your workpiece.

However, we would recommend that you either build a wooden workbench, or purchase one if you feel a workbench build is too advanced for you right now. You can find Will’s free workbench plans for the Moravian Workbench here.

Whichever path you choose, make sure you choose to either build or buy a heavy & sturdy wooden workbench, with at least a 3″ solid top, strong supportive base legs, and at least one strong vise.

2. Buy a Jack Plane

A Jack Handplane is a middle size “bench plane” (i.e. planes that are used so often that they are usually on your workbench). If you’re on a budget a jack plane can temporarily be used in place of other planes that perform specialized functions: (1) rough stock removal (if you buy a second iron/blade and shape it with a curved “camber”),(2) jointing board edges (as long as the board isn’t over 3x the length of your jack plane), and (3) smoothing the boards.

You’ll eventually want to purchase a dedicated smoothing plane and jointer plane, but a Jack Plane will let you get started working! A new and sharp low angle Jack Plane would be ideal for beginners and professionals who aren’t up for rehabbing a handplane.

3. Buy a Block Plane

Block planes have become one of the most oft-used tools in a woodworker’s workshop. Some traditional woodworkers even keep them in their aprons!

These little planes can be used to trim your joints, put chamfers on board edges, trim end grain, etc. We would recommend finding a low angle block plane, because the low angle lets you cut difficult grain more easily.

4. Buy 2 Panel Saws: Rip and Cross Cut

Handsaws (often called “panel saws”) are long, thin saws with a comfortable wooden handle. They are used for rough dimensioning of your lumber. Although a “panel saw” is technically a smaller handsaw that fits into the panel of a tool chest, you can refer to this type of saw as a “Panel Saw” to differentiate them from the broad category referred to as “hand saws”.

Panel saws come in two tooth configurations: “Rip” (cuts along the grain…like a chisel) and “Cross Cut” (cuts across the grain…like a knife). You will need both.

Panel saws can be quite affordable (often as little as $5 a piece), but you need to know what you’re looking for and be willing to spend some time learning to sharpen hand saws.

5. Buy 1-3 Back Saws

Unlike panel saws, “back saws” are used for fine accurate work when making wooden joints (like dovetail joints). The thin metal saw plates are made stiff with steel or brass “backs” that run along the top of the saw plate.

If you’re on a tight budget, you can get by with just a dovetail saw for awhile. But if you have the means, then we recommend that you purchase three backsaws:  (1) a dovetail saw, with fine rip teeth, used for cutting joinery along the grain (like dovetails), (2) a “carcass saw” used for cutting across the grain (fine cross cut teeth), and (3) a larger tenon saw used for cutting deeper cuts, like tenon cheeks, along the grain (rip teeth).

All three saws are used very, very often in my workshop. As mentioned above, you could certainly get by with just a dovetail saw at first, since the small rip teeth don’t do too bad of a job at cutting across the grain.

Buying backsaws can be very confusing because most sellers don’t know what saw they have, and the tooth configuration can  change the job of the saw. Most people that sell antique saws mix the names up, so don’t worry. 

6. Buy a Miter Box and Miter Saw

A good miter box & miter saw (a very large backsaw) will enable you to cut your wood to very accurate lengths, at accurate angles. This will especially save you a lot of time in trying to square your board ends. The long miter saw glides back and forth through a rigid saw frame.

The frame’s angles can be changed to enable you to cut perfect miter joints (the joint used for picture frames) and many other joints. You can buy used for as little as $15, but expect to pay more than that.

7. Buy a Coping Saw

The very affordable coping saw (usually under $20) is regularly used for rough cutting shapes in the board, but especially for removing waste from dovetail joints (one of the most common wood joints). An affordable coping saw will work just fine, along with a pack of affordable replacement blades. Read my hand saw buying guide for more detail on brands & features to look for when purchasing a coping saw.

8. Buy a Bench Chisel Set

A high quality set of bevel edge bench chisels (new or vintage) will last you many years (likely your entire life) and will be used on nearly every project. You might have used some decent affordable plastic handle bench chisels, but highly prefer lighter wooden handle chisels with excellent steel.

A good set of 5-7 bench chisels (they don’t have to match) will get you going right away. Down the road you’ll eventually add some specialty chisels (like paring chisels, fishtail chisels, etc) but bench chisels will work for just about everything. I often pay only $10 for high quality vintage chisels, so a compiled set can certainly be affordable, and higher quality than low quality new sets. Read the chisel buying guide to learn what chisels to avoid and which chisels will work great.

9 Buy a Mortise Chisel

To start off you only need either a 1/4-inch or 3/8-inch mortise chisel (or some size close to those). You don’t need a whole set of mortise chisels. Mortise chisels (also spelled “mortice chisels”) are used for chopping mortises (rectangular holes) into the side of your board to accept the insertion of a tenon. “Mortise and Tenon” is a very common and very strong joint that most people have heard of.

Check out the English style “pig sticker” mortise chisels because of their strength, weight, and the feel of the oval handle.

10. Buy a 6-inch Combination Square

A very good and accurate 6-inch combination square is used for so many tasks in my workshop, including checking the squareness of boards (when planing them to final dimension), scribing dovetail joints, measuring the depth of mortises, and much, much more.

Be careful when purchasing “affordable” combination squares. Many are often inaccurately machined, or “out of square”.

How to Start a Woodworking Business

You have found the perfect business idea, and now you are ready to take the next step. There is more to starting a business than just registering it with the state. We have put together this simple guide to starting your woodworking business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Plan your Business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?
• How long it will take you to break even?
• What will you name your business?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What are the costs involved in opening a woodworking business?

The costs of opening a woodworking business are significant but manageable. Business owners might expect to spend around $6,500 total, which would break down as follows:

• $2,000 for wood and other materials
• $1,500 for woodworking tools and equipment
• $1,000 for a computer
• $1,000 for miscellaneous expenses
• $800 for a website and camera
• $200 for business cards

This example doesn’t include the cost leasing space for a shop or storefront. Many business owners are already woodworking hobbyists and, therefore, have space to work in. They can avoid leasing a store space by selling at festivals or online.

Business owners who already have tools can further keep their costs low by using tools and equipment that they already have. Those that need specific equipment they don’t have might be able to convince a family member or friend to pay for the equipment in exchange for a product that requires that piece.

What are the ongoing expenses for a woodworking business?

The main ongoing expenses for a woodworking business are material costs and overhead. Material costs should be covered by the sale of finished products. Overhead typically includes rent, utilities, and purchasing small supplies (e.g. nails, sandpaper and finishing materials). These expenses are usually equal to 15 percent of materials and labor.

Who is the target market?

A woodworking business’ ideal customer is someone who appreciates wood products and has discretionary income. Such a person is likely to be interested in products and have the money to afford them.

How does a woodworking business make money?

A woodworking business makes money by producing and selling wood products. These products may be furniture (e.g. Adirondack chairs, cabinets or dressers), or smaller items, like jewelry boxes, smartphone holders, manual coffee grinders, cutting boards or wooden beer mugs.

How much can you charge customers?

How much wood products are sold for varies a lot. Even the same types of wood products might be sold for vastly different prices, depending on how they’re made and where they’re sold. For example, Svetulka on Etsy sells kids’ name signs for between $19 and $73 (depending on the number of letters and finish). Kolorize lists similar signs for between $68 and $163 on the same site.

When deciding how to price their wood products, business owners should consider the cost of materials, their desired hourly wage and any selling expenses (e.g. shipping to a store). A simple formula to follow is:

• Material Costs + (Hours of Work x Hourly Wage) + Selling Expenses = Price

Putting this formula in a spreadsheet makes calculating prices simple.

How much profit can a woodworking business make?

The profit potential of a woodworking business depends on what products a business owner makes, where the products are sold and how skilled the business owner is. Some business owners only sell small products locally, and their revenue might be similar to the income supplied by a part-time job. Other business owners are master craftsmen and highly in demand. Their work might produce a comfortable salary, in some cases even breaking six figures.

How can you make your business more profitable?

A woodworking business may be able to add revenue and increase sales by offering classes. Classes will attract people who are interested in the field, and some may decide to purchase finished products in addition to taking a class.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is very important. We recommend checking if the business name you choose is available as a web domain and securing it early so no one else can take it.

Establish a workshop

Having a well-designed workshop is an essential, especially when you want to establish a successful craft business. Let’s take a closer look at the different factors that highlight the importance of a workshop:

Select the right tools- You can have all the required equipment according to the kind of work that you’ll be dedicating the studio for. Plus, the workshop helps to secure the items correctly to prevent theft or vandalism. These tools include clamps, chainsaws, jigsaws, carpenter’s squares, hammers, etc.

An exterior wood sealer is another essential product that is of great use when designing wooden products. On the other hand, if you know someone who is running a successful woodworking business, you can also ask them for help.

Professionalism- When you’re working on custom pieces, it’s pretty common to have the client come over to check the product being engineered. In such a case, a workshop enhances the client’s confidence in your work as it’s a professional environment.

Work-life balance- With a separate area that is allocated for work activities, it helps maintain the right balance between your work and personal life.

Business organization and license

For setting up the legal structure of your business, it’s best to hire an attorney for professional services. First things first, you need to be sure about the structure of the business organization. The options include standard corporation, limited liability company, partnership, and sole proprietorship.

When it’s a woodworking business from home, you can get a lot of tax exemption, such as deducted cost for the workspace and equipment. Once the business is organized, you’ll need to get the appropriate permits and licenses to operate, which is pretty straightforward for a home business.

To get a clearer picture of the required formalities, you can visit the Small Business Administration office in your area.

Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

• This separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
• It also makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Get a business credit card

• This helps you separate personal and business expenses by putting your business’ expenses all in one place.
• It also builds your company’s credit history, which can be useful to raise money and investment later on.

Marketing your products

After you’ve sold a few products from home, you need to start increasing your customer base gradually. For this, you need to produce sufficient woodwork pieces that can be sold at flea markets, art and craft fairs, or even to other retail stores that sell home decor.

You might have to sell your products on various platforms during the initial stages of your business. You ask, why? It will help you determine which area is working out best for you and your business.

Once you have met the short-term business goals, start distributing business cards among people who appreciate your designs. Moreover, in this digital era, it’s relatively simple to showcase your work to a bigger audience.

Similarly, you can start a website for uploading pictures of the crafted pieces along with product descriptions. This will help to not only improve the customer base, but you’ll also have people referring more business to you.

With the increasing popularity and higher revenues, you can use the opportunity to advertise in local magazines, bulletin boards as well as the internet. Just like business cards, you can also print flyers to help people identify your products.

Get a business insurance

Another crucial factor that you need to consider is business liability insurance. If you’re unsure about what policy to select, you can contact an experienced business agent to get the details. We understand that it’s unlikely that anyone will be injured during the production process.

But, liability insurance can protect your family, home, and savings in case of an accident. It’s always best to be on the safer side, to prevent large-scale damages. For instance, if a client is injured while visiting your workplace, then business insurance is an added measure for your protection.

Sites To Sell Your Woodworking Products 

1. Etsy

Etsy is undoubtedly the number one choice for craft workers to sell their products. You can find potential customers whatever your products might be: from simple products like wands and picture frames to cabinets and coffee tables.

Building your own customer base is not easy and will take a lot of time. But what makes this site a great option is because of a cheap listing fee ($0.20 per listing for four months) and a 5% transaction fee. 

2. ArtFire

ArtFire is another online market where you can sell handmade goods and craft supplies. The advantage of this site is the freedom to add additional features.  A single listing will usually cost $0.23, but you can save more on bulk listings.

To make a listing, you must avail of a plan that starts at $4.95 with up to 250 active listings. For more visibility, you can opt for the $40 plan, which gives up to 2,500 listings, seller tools, and visibility. 

3. Folksy

Folksy is the UK’s biggest craft market and is considered the best choice if you’re from this area. PayPal is the preferred payment option on the site, which is an important thing to consider. The first 3 listings are free, while the next listings would cost £0.15 + VAT per item. It’s a great site if you want to experience selling your first products online without paying something. 

4. Amazon Handmade

You need to apply to the Amazon Handmade to start selling online. However, if you’re accepted, your products can appear on the Amazon website, which is pretty useful for exposure. Listing is free, and the only cost you’ll need to shoulder is the 15% referral fee. You can also get a custom profile to promote your other products. 

How to Make Money With Woodworking

Restoring Furniture (Furniture Flipping)

Furniture flipping is one of the best ways to earn money as a woodworker. In this side hustle, you acquire old or broken furniture for less (or even for free) and restores the item.

After restoration, you can sell your furniture and earn money from it, or use the restored furniture at your home for great savings. For this to work, you need to have a keen eye to spot broken yet repairable quality products.

A lot of people don’t realize that some broken or old furniture can be repaired with just some tools. For example, a simple scratch on the dining table surface can be easily dealt with using a scratch repair kit or even via using a pecan nut.

This is a perfect side hustle if you already have your own workshop and materials. As for the furniture itself, you can pick up repairable goods from sites like Craigslist (in the free section), Freecycle, and even from those who are moving out. 

Things to consider when getting used goods for repairs:

1. Would somebody purchase the repaired furniture? 
2. Is it still repairable? 
3. What amount of time and cash would it cost you to repair the item? 
4. Can you get the furniture for a profitable price? 
5. Is it worth repairing? 

Spotting good furniture and repairing gets a lot of time to perfect. The more experience you have in woodworking, the better you would fare as a furniture flipper. Meanwhile, beginners will be able to learn more by working on these projects. Continue working until you’re skilled enough to make sellable repaired furniture. 

Create Rustic Furniture

Whether you admit it or not, there’s an unexplainable appeal in rustic furniture or furniture that uses logs or twigs for a natural look. Most rustic furniture is pretty basic stuff: tables, chairs, simple designs that are usually found in cabins. But this furniture can last for decades, and their old and ragged look catches the appeal of a lot of buyers.

Fortunately, you don’t have to wait for decades in order to have that rustic look that is loved by a lot of people. The ragged look of rustic furniture can be replicated by carving and painting, and distressing techniques.

“Distressing” a wood to have that rustic feel is usually done by painting it with dark colors and using a lint-free cloth on areas that are likely to be damaged naturally over time. The two fundamental explanations behind this are:

It is simpler:

Provincial furniture needn’t bother with any muddled joints or long periods of sandpapering for smooth finishing. Its magnificence is in its blemishes. This additionally implies that once in a while in the event that you don’t do a perfect job, the mistakes can turn out to be a piece of the completed item and even make it more appealing to the purchaser.

It is less expensive:

Provincial furniture is regularly produced using recovered or retrieved woods which implies that they come at a ridiculously reduced price which may seem like a giveaway to the woodworker.

Indeed, even wood from beds and cartons can be repurposed to create other furniture. Another great thing about this that you only often need paint and sandpaper to make an item look rustic. 

Making Customized Furniture

Each customer has different furniture needs: some would want a sofa set, a sturdy table, a cabinet that can last for years, or maybe a replica of Captain Kirk’s Command Chair from Star Trek. Not all people like to buy pre-made things, some would prefer owning furniture that they designed themselves or a replica from their favorite movies or TV shows. 

If you already have a workshop, setting up a customized furniture shop would be easier. Make sure that you advertise your service both online and in real life. You never know who’s been finding a woodworker to create their furniture from their own designs.

What’s good with this is that while advertising, you can show your other works and designs. Etsy (online) and art shows or fairs are great places to start showing your works.

Plant Boxes

Wood is a great material for robust and eye-catching plant boxes, which make a great addition to patios, terraces, gardens and even indoors. These simple-to-make and sought-after items are one of the most inexpensive and profitable woodburning projects you can get involved in.

Wooden Furniture

It’s hard to resist a piece of bespoke, handmade wooden furniture that provides a robust, lasting and practical feature in the home. From coffee tables made from pine to wardrobes in mahogany, set yourself a rewarding and profitable woodworking project making beautiful pieces of furniture.

Wooden Utensils

Spoons, knives, forks and other utensils made out of wood don’t just look great and can be used solely as ornamental pieces, but they can be functional features in the kitchen and dining room, conducting heat more efficiently than metal utensils.

Dog Beds

Dog beds can be expensive and for dog owners looking for an alternative to plastic beds, ones made from wood could prove attractive. These sturdy, comfortable and attractive beds for dogs aren’t difficult or expensive to construct, making them a profitable woodworking project to build and sell.

Rustic Headboards

Put your artistic woodworking skills to best use by working on beautiful, handmade, rustic headboards made from stunning wood. Such pieces of furniture make a great addition to a bedroom and will always be in demand, making them a lucrative woodwork project to embark on.

Wine Racks

Wine racks made from wood are not only sturdy, but they look great in the home. These desirable items are neither expensive nor difficult to build and can be sold for a nice profit for wine-lovers looking for an eye-catching and robust place to store their bottles.

Rok-Bak Chair

Most up and coming woodworkers, especially those who are still in the process of learning the basics of their craft, tend to dismiss the potential of single sheet plywood. While there’s no doubt that there is nothing quite like working with a solid chunk of high-quality wood, you have to know that if you’re imaginative and talented, you can fashion the most interesting – and comfortable – pieces of furniture from something as basic as plywood.

The Rok-Bak Chair is the perfect example of such a piece of furniture. It’s a culmination of an economic, ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing design that works like no other.

In a Rok-Bak chair you’ll find wide armrests, a sloping back, a comfortable headrest, and a foot stool that makes getting comfortable very easy. That said, putting it together is slightly tricky to say the least and requires a tad bit experimentation to get it just right. Think of it as a jigsaw puzzle that needs to be put together and you’ll do just fine.

Here’s how you can make yourself a Rok-Bak Chair. Go a step further and finish it with customized upholstery and you’ll find yourself with quite the impressive finished product.

Woodworking Business Tips And Tricks

1. Be Cost-effective

Making furniture is hard and expensive, especially in the beginning. If you’re pursuing a wood carving career, the best entry-level set of tools you can find can cause $20. For more advanced projects, some tools like the Table Saw can cause $200 or more.

This is not to mention that you need to constantly buy wood for your craft, which can be expensive depending on the project. Mahogany, one of the most popular woods used in woodworking projects can range from less than $20 for basic quality to more than $200 for an exotic one.

If you want to get profit, you will need to be cost-effective and avoid wasting wood. You’ll also have to consider the following factors: 

1. The time needed for the total fabrication or restoration of the woodwork
2. Cost of raw materials

And the cost of hardware/tools:

1. competitor’s price
2. conceivable profit

2. Use Online Advertising

A lot of woodworkers seem to overlook the importance of marketing in business. The potential of online advertisement is not as popular for a lot of woodworkers. With almost all the activities being done on the internet today, everyone can see your work and business.

Which means that everyone can be a potential client. Unfortunately, since most of the customers are local, it’s hard to see more woodworkers using the potential of online advertising. 

There are a lot of ways to advertise online. One of the easiest methods is by posting on social media campaigns. Another way is to create your own website. Even being featured by a blog is an online exposure for your business. If you can utilize the power of virality online, you can improve your sales a lot. 

3. Accept Small Projects

Contrary to popular belief, selling big items as a woodworker is not the only way to earn big money.  Creating a balanced and diversified mix of products will yield the best revenue, and that’s why it is also worth taking small projects. There are times when getting volume sales from a $5 keyholders is better than making $100 from a table with an intricate design.  

Suppose we will only consider time as a factor, what product do you think would have the higher profitability per hour? The 18pcs keyholders that you sold for $5 each or a table which costs $100?

It took the woodworker 5 hours for the keyholders to finished; while making that one table took 10 hours. Take note that this is for example only, as making a table might take a whole day to finish.

The keyholders will give you a total revenue of $90 when sold. This gives you $18 profit per hour (total revenue/hours spent on the project). Meanwhile, the table will only give you a $10 profit per hour ($100/10 hours) even if you got more revenue from it. In reality, this translates to you, the woodworker, getting almost the same amount of revenue but double the work time. 

4. Be Professional

This is needless to say one of the most important things you must know and do to make money with your woodworking profession. Truth be told, there are a ton of woodworkers out there with a similar skill set like yours. How to beat them? Be proficient with your work and create every project according to the specifications of the clients.

Can You Make a Living Selling Woodworking?

Making money woodworking can be quite simple and it’s not only for the most seasoned carpenters. By purchasing some basic supplies for less than $1,000, you can get started making money building wood projects and selling them through various channels.

Whether you choose to make custom coffee tables, corn hold boards, or storage boxes, there are thousands of potential projects you can build to make money in no time.

Is Woodworking a Profitable Business?

Like every business industry, woodworking business industry offers many small business opportunities. Some of them are highly profitable while others may not have a very good return on investment.

For example, opening a woodworking shop is a profitable business. You’ll not only make and sell your own unique designs but also help others sell their items in your shop.

This will give you a commission for selling others product. It will also offer your customers a wide range of furniture at any time. It’s a double win.

How Much Money Can You Make Making Wood Signs?

A woodworking hobbyist who focuses on making Wood signs can expect to make between $1,000 and $2,000 per month. Woodworking as your full-time business should allow you to earn a full-time income, between $3,000-$5,000 per month.

Starting your own woodworking business is not an overnight success and earning money takes time.

How Can I Sell my Wood Products Online?

You can sell wooden crafts locally or online. Sell your products locally using farmers markets, flea markets, Craigslist, Facebook marketplace, and craft shows. You can sell your products online with Amazon handmade, Etsy, and Shopify.

1. Amazon

Amazon homemade is open to Artisans who make and sell homemade goods. When the sale is made, you’ll be charged a 15% referral fee. Amazon isn’t the cheapest place to sell your wood crafts, but they can refer a lot of business.

2. Etsy

Etsy is the go-to place for handmade and craftable items. In order to sell on Etsy, you will have to pay fees of $0.20 to list an item and a 5% transaction fee with a 3%+$0.25 processing fee per sale. As you can see, the fee structure is a little bit more complicated, but it is cheaper than selling on Amazon.

3. Craigslist

I’m sure you are all well aware of Craigslist. Craigslist is free to use and can generate a lot of business for your woodworking projects. When you’re brand new to woodworking as a business, Craigslist should be your go-to for generating sales.

4. Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace is another good alternative to Craigslist. If you are selling on Craigslist, you might as well cross-post your items on Facebook Marketplace. You can even advertise the fact that you do customized wood products to meet any family’s needs.

5. Shopify

Shopify might not be for anyone that just wants to be a hobbyist when it comes to woodworking. Creating a Shopify store and marketing yourself is a very complex process.

However, if you are very serious about starting your own woodworking business and scaling, Shopify maybe for you.

Top Selling Woodworking Items

The best type of wood crafts to sell include furniture, picture frames, household decorations, toys, and gardening equipment. Making customizable wood crafts like signs are another popular seller when it comes to wood crafting.

Remember, people like to purchase quality items and we’ll pay additional money for a customizable.

1. Furniture

Furniture is a popular wood craft item, especially in Oregon. There are lots of people that love the rustic feel and wood furniture fits perfectly in cabins.

Examples of furniture include entry benches, unique shelving pieces, coffee tables, chairs, and dining tables. You might even be able to turn a few heads with custom cat litter boxes.

The main downside to furniture is how big and bulky it can be. Therefore, furniture is usually best sold locally rather than online.

Additionally, not a lot of people can haul large furniture themselves. Therefore, you can increase your profits by offering a delivery service.

2. Garden Planter boxes

Garden planter boxes are hot selling items when it is Garden season. Every year, people are looking for new ways to plan fresh vegetables and herbs.

There are literally thousands of different ways you can put together a garden box. People absolutely love looking at different designs and seeing what is going to work best for their situation.

In addition, people are willing to pay between $5 to $10 just for the plans to make their own garden box. As a matter of fact, some of the best sellers on Etsy are plans to make your own garden box.

So you could create garden boxes to sell locally and plans to sell online. The plans can be as simple as creating your own PDF with pictures showing a step-by-step garden box being made. If people like your plans, they’ll buy them and you’ll get an instant 5 to $10.

The only downside to the Garden planter boxes is the seasonality. You’ll see better business during the spring and summer months, but not much during winter or fall.

3. Wood Signs

You can make a lot of money by creating wood signs. People love purchasing wood signs home decor, especially if the sign is about something they love.

There are many different ways to build a wood sign for profit. For example, you can make a wood sign shaped like a dog bone with a saying about dogs. You can also make a sign in the shape of a state with emphasis on the hometown.

4. Home Decor

People go crazy trying to find home decor that fits their house. You can make a lot of money by creating different items like key hooks, lanterns, wood bases, and mirrors.

Most home decor items are small enough that you can ship them. Therefore, selling your home decor items on Etsy can be very successful.

Not only are home decor items easy to ship, but everyone needs a place to live. Simply by making home decor items you’ll have thousands of potential customers.

5. Serving Trays

Serving trays are another good seller. For example, think about a cheese platter and creating an awesome piece for serving cheese and other snacks. You’ll make even more money if you include some cheese and snacks.

6. Toys

Wood toys are actually still a popular item. People love to buy toys for their children or as gifts for other people’s children. Examples of wood toys include airplanes, cars, puzzles, play gyms, lawn mowers, and educational toys. 

You can make toys for adults as well. Examples include chess sets, drinking games, connect four, and practice swords.

7. Picture frames

Shopping for picture frames at a craft store is extremely boring. It seems like all the frames are similar or the same, but overly expensive. You can be creative and sell picture frames like nobody has ever seen before.

8. Bowls and Utensils

People like to eat. Wood bowls and utensils are perfect for people who like to eat. You can make items such as salad bowls, utensils, chopsticks, and plates.

9. Coasters

Wood coasters are fun items to sell because they are lightweight and easy to ship. In addition, wood coasters are easily customizable to adapt to a large customer base.

Simply browse Etsy and you’ll see that there’s tons of different combinations of coasters.The possibilities are endless when it comes to selling coasters online. 

10. Boxes for Essential Oil or Jewelry

Essential oils have been growing in popularity for some time. As a matter of fact, people consume so many different essential oils that they need boxes to store them all. You can make customized wooden boxes for essential oils or jewelry.

Best Woodworking Money Makers

If you’re determined to turn your creative, woodworking skills into profit, take a look at the following 10 most profitable woodworking projects to build and sell.

1. Wooden Toys

Unlike many of their plastic counterparts, wooden toys can withstand the test of time. Not only do they possess longevity, but toys made of wood look fabulous in nurseries and children’s bedrooms, hence these quirky items will always be sought-after.

Put your best woodworking hat on and start making wooden dolls, puppets, train sets and more – the perfect gift for a child at Christmas.

2. Coat Racks

Rustic coat racks made from wood make a striking feature on the wall of any home. These desirable home accessories are also easy to build requiring little more than some chunky wooden, nails and wrought iron hangers, making them a super profitable woodworking project.

3. Fruit Bowls

Fruit bowls are a ubiquitous feature in almost every household, providing an eye-catching and practical feature in kitchens and dining rooms. These household accessory staples look even more striking when made from real wood.

Whether they’re made from a solid piece of wood or from fragmented pieces, fruit bowls are a sought-after item for the home and are therefore a profitable woodworking project.

4. Picture Frames

Wooden picture frames are easy to make and can be made to look unique by the decoration, color and embellishments you add to the wooden frame. Wooden picture frames will always be in demand and being inexpensive to make, are a profitable woodwork project to embark on.

5. Plant Boxes

Wood is a great material for robust and eye-catching plant boxes, which make a great addition to patios, terraces, gardens and even indoors. These simple-to-make and sought-after items are one of the most inexpensive and profitable woodburning projects you can get involved in.

6. Wooden Furniture

It’s hard to resist a piece of bespoke, handmade wooden furniture that provides a robust, lasting and practical feature in the home. From coffee tables made from pine to wardrobes in mahogany, set yourself a rewarding and profitable woodworking project making beautiful pieces of furniture.

7. Wooden Utensils

Spoons, knives, forks and other utensils made out of wood don’t just look great and can be used solely as ornamental pieces, but they can be functional features in the kitchen and dining room, conducting heat more efficiently than metal utensils.

Capitalize on the unique properties of wooden utensils by making your own exclusive and highly profitable knives, forks and spoons made from wood.

8. Corner Wall Shelves

Corner wall shelves that are made from chunky wooden pieces provide a unique feature in both traditional and contemporary homes.

These woodworking projects are fun to try and, other than the wood and glue, cost next to nothing, meaning you can sell your creative inventions for a tidy profit.

9. Birdhouses

Birdhouses look fantastic when they are made from a high-quality wood and they aren’t as difficult to make as you might have thought. Start knocking together redwood, cedar, pine or cypress and you’ll have a desirable product bird-enthusiasts will want to buy from you.

10. Wooden Pallet Christmas Trees

Wooden pallet Christmas trees are incredibly easy to make and can be sold for a tidy profit for those seeking a quirky alternative to a real Christmas tree. Simply build your tree by placing pieces of pallet wood on top of one another and add some pretty Christmas decorations for a creative woodwork project you can sell for a profit.

How to Make Money Woodworking From Home

If woodworking is your hobby and you have already done a few projects, you might be wondering if there is any way to make money from it. You may also want to see if there is a way to turn your hobby into a full-time job.

On the one hand, if you’re just getting into woodworking, it can be an expensive hobby when you consider the high-quality tools and the price you have to pay for wood.

If you manage to get enough revenue from selling your crafts to be positive, you can turn your woodworking hobby into a real business.

When starting with your woodworking business, like as with almost every other business, it is essential to start small. Don’t invest too much, and allow yourself to slowly take the first step into the woodworking business world. You should choose a couple of inexpensive and straightforward projects and build them well.

Choose something simple, but do your best to build and polish it to look fantastic. It doesn’t matter if you can’t sell it for the same price as more complex items. It’s more important that it has a high-quality build.

It is also important to say to yourself that the business has started and that you have some sales behind you, even small ones. Something like wooden guitar stands, key hangers, or cutting boards might be a great way to start.

However, no matter how unique and high-quality your project is, you will need people to hear about it. Without people knowing about your crafts, you won’t make any sales.

Besides friends and family, you should also share your projects on social media and sometimes even give a project for free, as a gift, to build trust among potential customers.

Most Profitable Woodworking Projects to Build And Sell

Woodworking projects you can earn money from are an easy way to turn a hobby into a profitable business. You can sell them at flea markets or take the ecommerce route – sell your own products on online marketplaces like Etsy or Amazon.

Which woodworking products are proven to sell the best? Here are our top ten:

1. Wine Bottle Holders

People love to buy wine bottles either for their own home decor or as gifts. If you can craft the wine bottle holders in a way that each can be personalized – with the name of the owner or recipient of the bottle – it could be a lucrative product on the online gifts marketplace.

2. Picture Frames

Wooden photo frames are timeless. They are durable and can be painted in various colors. But, often they are overpriced in gift shops and photo stores. Try making your own wooden frames to sell online or in flea markets. If you make a lot on a regular basis, why not contact shops in your area to find out if they need picture frame suppliers?

3. Wooden Bottle Openers

Who doesn’t need a bottle opener at some time in their life? Wooden bottle openers are a good woodworking project because they don’t require extravagant amounts of time to craft. They can be made quickly and sold easily. Small enough for people to buy while traveling, plus easily packaged and posted to your buyer.

4. Knife Blocks

Knife blocks can also be elegant gifts. Carve some out in your wood workshop, then purchase the matching knives so that you can sell your products at a higher retail price.

5. A Wooden Storage Bed

Storage beds are popular with home tenants who need practical space solutions. Make stylized headboards to go along with the wooden storage beds. You can sell these to individual homeowners – or partner up with a larger furniture store – to manufacture wood beds for them.

6. A Swing Bed for a Patio

Popular in the spring and summer, wooden patio swings are a great way to expand your woodworking products. During the winter months, they are popular for cuddling up on under warm blankets and a cup of hot cocoa. Patio swings only require a few wooden pallets and some rope or chain. They can be made in very little time, but are still sturdy and elegant.

7. Salad Bowls

These are not only beautiful, but you can guarantee that your crafted art will be used daily. The best wood for salad bowls are hardwoods. It will last longer, especially if the new owner is careful to take good care of the bowl. Hardwoods usually produce nuts and fruits and you can find them in regions that have moderate weather.

8. Salad Spoons

These are fun to craft. But don’t limit your sets to only spoons. Expand your products so that you can up-sell other items as well or offer various packages online. For example, you can also carve wooden spatulas, chopsticks, cheese boards, rice paddles and tongs. The ideas for kitchen utensils are endless!

9. Wooden Toys

With the gift-giving season coming up soon, there’s no better time to make — and market — wood worked children’s toys. You can have a wide range of products to offer clients — from small and large doll houses to rocking horses or nutcrackers. If you do decide to go with making children toys, be sure to adhere to safety requirements to ensure a thriving and popular, family-friendly business.

10. Pet homes

You might be surprised at the amount of money some folks will pay to have the best products for their pets. Domesticated animals are like one’s children, after all.

Besides selling pet homes and pet furniture made of wood, you can also approach other companies with your craft. Try taking your crafts to pet stores, trade shows and farms. It’s best to find out what is offered in your local area and what the biggest needs of your market are.

How to Make Money From Woodworking

Not only can you build furniture to make money, but there are some other ideas to help boost your earnings even further.

1. Build Custom Pieces of Wood Furniture

For those who are more seasoned woodworkers, building custom pieces of furniture is a superb way to make money because of extremely high-profit margins for your pieces.

You could opt to make bed frames, tables, or side tables to get started. It’s common to charge more than $1,000 for custom pieces of furniture making it well worth the time.

2. Build Other Wood Projects

Whether you’ve decided to make floating shelves or wooden mantels, there are plenty of options to get started. We’ll explore more of these below.

3. Teach Others About Woodworking

Another great way to make money with your skills is to teach others about it. You could choose to create a class or have individuals pay for personal instruction.

The amount of money you can make teaching classes varies widely depending on your skills and offerings.

4. Start a Woodworking Blog

Similar to teaching others about woodworking, you could also opt to start a blog dedicated to helping others master their woodworking skills. While starting a blog is not the quickest way to make money, over time your audience will grow and your ability to make money will become easier.

To make money with your blog you can display ads on your website, sell digital products, or offer coaching like mentioned above.

6. Start a Woodworking YouTube Channel

Just like starting a blog, you might opt to teach others via video. The best place to do this is likely YouTube. You can make money through ad revenue generated by people viewing your videos.

A YouTube channel will often supplement a blog, but it’s possible to only have one.

7. Flipping Furniture

Sometimes you don’t always have to start from scratch to make money. Instead, you can purchase an existing piece of furniture and restore it to sell for a profit.

How Much Money do You Need to Start a Woodworking Business?

The costs of opening a woodworking business are significant but manageable. Business owners might expect to spend around $6,500 total, which would break down as follows:

• $2,000 for wood and other materials
• $1,500 for woodworking tools and equipment
• $1,000 for a computer
• $1,000 for miscellaneous expenses
• $800 for a website and camera
• $200 for business cards

This example doesn’t include the cost leasing space for a shop or storefront. Many business owners are already woodworking hobbyists and, therefore, have space to work in. They can avoid leasing a store space by selling at festivals or online.

Business owners who already have tools can further keep their costs low by using tools and equipment that they already have. Those that need specific equipment they don’t have might be able to convince a family member or friend to pay for the equipment in exchange for a product that requires that piece.

How Much Does a Wooden Sign Cost?

Your custom wood sign cost is based on square footage alone for most signs. If your design has multiple paint colors, there can be a small painting fee added depending on the design. The complexity of the design never affects the price, no matter how intricate. As for shipping, we give you the quote we get from the shipping service and never add additional costs.

These are some of the most commonly requested sizes, but we can do any size and shape you want:

• A 12” x 12” sign will cost $190 + $26 shipping
• A 22” x 14” sign will cost $285 + $33 shipping
• A 40” x 16” sign will cost $440 + $44 shipping
• A 36” x 24” sign will cost $535 + $49 shipping
• A 104” x 16” sign will cost $749 + $220 shipping

Where Can I Buy Wood For Woodworking Projects?

Start out in the stores, then branch out into some of the second hand places and in scrap bins you can find. Getting a lot of wood for a low price is a good start, and it can broaden your ability to create a nice looking project.

Here are the 15 places you might need to check.

1. The Large Home Improvement Stores
2. Local Hardware Stores (Mom and Pop Shops)
3. Fine Woodworking Stores and High End Tool Stores
4. Exotic Hardwood Stores
5. The Lumber Yard
6. A Hobby Store or Craft Store
7. Ordering Woodworking Wood Online
8. Harvesting Wood From Pallets
9. Getting Scrap From a Retail Store
10. The Scrap Bin at a Hardwood Store
11. Cutoffs From a Woodworking Business
12. Second Hand Stores and Websites
13. Bulk Trash Pickup Day
14. Harvest Your Own From Nature
15. Tree Trimming in Your Neighborhood

How do Small Woodshops Make Money?

Let’s explore a few options:

1. Wood Furniture

One of the most popular things you can make and sell is wooden furniture pieces. If you’ve shopped for furniture lately, you probably already know that finding quality wood furniture isn’t as easy as it once was. Many furniture pieces these days are made in factories from plywood, particleboard, plastic, and other materials.

There’s a certain beauty to furniture made from real wood that can’t be replicated with cheap materials. Quality pieces tend to last many years, too. Perhaps you have some wood furniture that was passed down to you from your parents or grandparents.

There are many possibilities with wood furniture. A few include:

• Beds
• Tables
• Chairs
• Nightstands
• Desks
• End Tables
• Coffee Tables
• Dressers
• Chests of Drawers

A type of furniture to consider if you don’t have a lot of experience is rustic furniture. Many people like the look of rustic pieces. They look great in old homes and log homes.

A great thing about rustic furniture is that they are supposed to look a little on the rough side. Depending on the piece, you might be able to get away with an imperfection here and there. The idea is to make new furniture that either looks like it’s from a different era or looks used. Rustic furniture made from logs is another option to consider.

Some woodworkers make rustic wood furniture from pallets they obtain for free. Many businesses will gladly save them for you if you take them off of their hands. You can then use this free wood to make many different things.

2. Repair and Flip Furniture

Another option to consider if you are wondering how to make money with woodworking is to repair and flip furniture.

Many people sell furniture pieces that need minor repairs for very little money just to get rid of them. They either don’t know how to fix them or they don’t have the time. Many people also give away perfectly good furniture that just needs a little TLC to bring it back to life.

In addition to making small repairs to restore furniture, it’s possible to completely transform some pieces from dull to beautiful by painting them. Many furniture flippers paint pieces in pastels with chalk paint to give them a beautiful vintage look that many find irresistible.

3. Specialize in Small Wood Products

Another option to consider for making money in woodworking is to only make small wood products. While you will probably earn more money by making and selling larger wood products like furniture, there are some advantages to only selling small products.

Small wood projects are usually much easier to ship. You will most likely have to ship large pieces by freight truck. With smaller pieces, however, you may be able to box and ship them via USPS, FedEx, or UPS.

Another advantage of specializing in small wood projects is that they usually don’t weigh as much as furniture pieces. Their small size also makes them much easier to move. With some furniture pieces, for example, you may need the assistance of another person to move them.

There are many small wood products to consider. A few examples include:

• Candle Holders
• Chess Boards
• Wine Bottle Holders
• Bookends
• Bird Feeders
• Picture Frames
• Toys
• Wall Art
• Floating Shelves
• Drink Caddies
• Jewelry Boxes
• Keepsake Boxes
• Serving Trays

A negative thing to consider with small wood products is that they usually sell for much less than larger pieces. This means you may have to sell several small pieces to earn as much as you would from one large piece of furniture.

4. Think Big

Another strategy to consider for making money in woodworking is to focus on big projects – like, really big. I’m talking about building timber framed houses. This isn’t something that you would be able to do from home, of course. You would have to travel to each project and complete the work where the homes are being constructed.

Timber framed houses are made from large wooden beams that are artfully joined together to form the frame of the home. It’s essentially a large scale woodworking project. Timber framed homes aren’t easy to assemble. They require the skills of wood artisans to measure, cut, and join all of those beams.

Read Also: Using Computer Repair Services to Make Money

Training programs are available to learn the art of building timber framed houses. If this is something you are interested in, you might be able to make arrangements with building contractors to use your services when the need arises.

5. Start a YouTube Channel

One possible strategy to make money with woodworking is to start a YouTube channel on the subject. Many YouTube channel owners earn money from the videos they post. Some earn full-time incomes.

In each video you make, for example, you could document a project build step-by-step. In other videos, you could talk about different woodworking techniques and how to master them. And in other videos, you could review different woodworking products. There are many possibilities.

Another great thing to consider with a YouTube channel is that it’s a great way to advertise your products. You could, for example, tell viewers to visit your woodworking website (if you have one) at the end of each video to check out the items you currently have for sale.

Finally

Let friends and family know you’re starting a woodworking business and are looking for custom projects or people interested in buying your products. Invite them to your website to view your finished pieces or a list of custom services you provide.