51 WOODWORK PROJECTS that SELL PROFITABLY
51 WOODWORK PROJECTS that SELL PROFITABLY
Home Business| Woodworking Projects & Designs | Woodworking Shop Layout Plans
This is a comprehensive list of studies of possibilities of projects for the home woodwork shop.
It includes suggestions for actual commercial products which sell for a profit. Also there is suggested strategy and direction to take in selecting a niche market and the finishes that the home entrepreneur could have for their products.
There is indication where there is a resource for woodwork plans anything from a woodworking bench Home Woodwork Shop Plans Layout. This is all possible for the beginner or the more experienced in a short startup time frame.
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GARDEN WOOD WORKSHOP PROJECTS
GARDEN PICKET SECTIONS
Project uses rough strips say Redwood rough sawed, assembled in a table jig and stapled together by air gun. The wood should be in stock strip form and is stained after assembly. 6’ & 8’ panel sections sold. Batch or bulk manufacture | Sold garden centers. Panel retail at $20- $25. Clearly you would need to have a good timber source and a garden center who would give you orders of say 100+ panels
OVER SIZE PLANTING FLOWER BOXES
Similar to the above is the outsize planter box. With a good timber source such as disused wood pallets pallets you could develop a design and batch produce these. The non fussed basic rectangular design won’t get you into any trouble and the project would be run on the wood source shop organization efficiency. I wouldn’t consider anything other than a nail air gun for speed of assembly & profit maximizing
WIND CHIMES - WIND MOBLES
This is a tricky market as shown by the bamboo example here from Asia. This basic design sells for a low price . However there are project designs that are creative and are seen to be in the market place for $40 - $50. They are pretty easy to make and assembly and easy to ship. The challenge is to get a design that is exciting and can be produced profitably in as batch volumes A batch of 6 off would yield you say $250 for 2 days work.
OUTDOOR PICNIC TABLE
This is the classical "A" frame design that is well known and the construction is easy as seen. To make this possibly profitable you would need a low cost wood source and for the job to be for local customers due
to the transport issue. I other words you will be trying to gear this that most of the price id for your labor.
Noted that the prices generally range $200-300 but can be higher. Say you batch produce 4 then your project output totals over $1000
THEME PLANTER
INDOOR OUTDOOR POT HOLDER
Made from sawn straight stock pale timber anything grain. Partial assembly air staple gun and hand or air nailing. 2/3 assembly jigs. Prices range $150-300. Batch say 4 comes to $800 retail.
CHAIN SAW SCULPTING
If you are the artistic type then this is a very select niche with big mark ups as there is no real rule as to what the price should be. Generally you will be working on a commission basis. Timber will be free for most cases but one would have to have a way of sourcing, handling & recovering large heavy tree logs often alone in the wild .
One would need a few chainsaws , one or two of these with modified tips .Prices range from $300 - $5000
CABLE SPOOL REEL TABLES
This requires s good amount of creativity but not necessarily artistic ability.. Also a good ability to source the reels. For example its been noted that one spool could be broken up to produce two tables with the base of wood or welded steel scrap steel.
Transport is an issue each way though some source of supply offer delivery. Push your product to be exciting or different in some way. Adding exciting decoration will up the price. Making two at the same time gives you $700 for the project. Prices range $200--400-$1000+
WOOD WORKSHOP PROJECT BOXES
PRESENTATION BOXES
These are also known as keepsake or valet boxes and are typically natural grain with satin or good gloss finish. This is for people who have high priced collectables like maybe wrist watches and they either want a presentation box or a quality storage box made with typically a quality finish.
The interior can be lined with a great color velvet or similar material and supports for the items in similar material. Personalized or embossing could add value. Prices are sort of $200 - $400. Setting up for 4 off batch manufacture of a generic selling size could see a project ticket of $1500.
ANTIQUE STORAGE CHEST TRUNK
Basically a large rectangular classic box trunk with a hinged lid. The attraction would be in the themed look and finish defined by the wood appeal, the staining and top finish followed by the fittings.
There may be added value if there are internal removable storage trays and boxes. One should aim in the $1000 - $2500 price pitch. One would need creativity to support the price.
TACTICAL CONCEALMENT SECURITY SHELF
This is a wall fixture in the house to hide typically defense items such as a gun or mace. It would have a security catch to allow the bottom half of the shelf to open to access a weapon. Its function is twofold
and this is to have and element of surprise and safety , and then access from the like of children.
Wood could be oak satin finish. Prices cab range up to $350 ea.
WOOD PROJECT PRIMITIVES
This is a niche for decorative and utility products in the home. This woodworking project area
from a production point of view calls for different savvy wood sourcing strategies. It also calls
for mastery of techniques for fast wood removal from the product bulk piece using machinery
such as normal chain saws and chain saw discs fitted to angle grinders.
Finishes can vary to rough scoured or smooth. Wood treatment could be oiling, sealing and staining. Need to go for large chunky rather than "usual stuff," Stools seem to get prices $300+ possible.
Primitive Display Dish & Candle Set
Two Rough Hewed Display Dishes
A Twin Handled Lidded Container and a Four Legged Stool
HOUSE & HOME
CHIP CARVED PANELS
For this stock cut timber of soft basswood blanks are available online here . This is in the form of tiles for small panel manufacture. Patterns are available online and can be be downloaded. These panels and be built into projects that are planned.
Projects to choose from are available such as the fantastic resource of 16,000 plan resource from here. Incorporating these into the project naturally adds big value to the end price.
OVERSIZE GATES & DOORS
These projects will be highly probably on a commission basis . There is no ceiling to price possibility here. A whole business can be built just in this niche market. There will be focus on quality of design, wood selection and fittings & hinges. Transport is an issue to be considered so the market is likely to be fairly local.
Prices for gates which aim for the upper end range from $5000 - $20,000. Yes check it out! Doors seem to be $2000 - $4000
KITCHEN - HOUSEHOLD
OVERSIZED SPOONS
The basic spoon single or in sets is not worth looking at . But there is a niche market for oversize and quirky designs. Not only to be unusual with the design but with the selection of wood with regard to the grain appeal. Walnut, Olive, Cherry woods. Prices $20/30/50+ per piece have been noted. Very big decorative Wall mounting ginormous spoon and fork pair have been noted at $150 per pair.
CHOPPING BOARDS
Your timber supply is a key here and the wood maple, walnut white oak is the best woods. If you have the means to emboss then personalizing this can possibly double the value. Also choose your size. Outsize is the most likely option. ie 10” x 15” and bigger. A possibility is to buy in pre chopping board stock in batches of say 20 alter to a better design and personalize this per order. In shopping around I found the availability of wooden chopping boards to purchase retail is very limited.
A 12” x 27” Chopping bard has been note at $45 while a personalized butcher black. chopping board has been seen as high as $75
WOODEN DOUGH BOWL
Go for the large here. Usually primitive is fine for rustic farm look intended with a sanded natural finish. Size is something like 12” x 22” x 3”’ deep. Imperfections generally accepted lie limited cracking and knots.
Interior surface finish can be smooth or primitive. Do batches of four at the same time for retail ticket total $280 @ $70 each
BUTCHERS BLOCK | BUTCHERS BLOCK TABLE
Using say a thick cutting board of 2” or more you could easily have say a related products as an option i.e. Chopping Block or Butchers Chopping Block Table using straights cut stock timber to form the frame base. These are priced over a wide range $220 - $1400 , the thicker the block the more the price increases .
OVERSIZE BOWLS – KITCHEN & DISPLAY
Usually for semi display and that these may be used for food display such as fruit. This is for those who have artistic members of family or you are artistic. You could use acrylic or even dyes set off the relief painted in wax so the dye does not leave feathered edges. How much? Depends on the artist. Research the market well here. Stay away from anything bamboo. Go for large only. I see prices range $30-$200-$300. Niche with tricky research. Paint batch of 3 or 4 design different but as one batch together.
WOODEN MATS –“BRANCH MOUNTS & PANELS
Evenly sliced wood branches set onto say a rubber base using glue. These are called “ Branch Mats”. Finished they could be sealed topside. Asking prices of $80 have been noted. Produce in batches.
ANTIQUED RUSTIC AMERICAN FLAG
This is a classic Standard produced in a simple panel form and is usually best appreciated with an antiqued or distressed patina look. The prices vary a lot between $100 - $300 but can vary. It depends on the size and the artistic rustic appeal. The sizes where the money is are 12 x 24,18 x 36, 24 x 48. Some finishes are just a clean smooth satin sealed. Others are antiqued stained. With a batch of 5 off say you could be generating well into the 4 figure dollar project level
SPECIALIZE DESIGN WINE RACK
Leave out the small stuff unless you find a design theme which is quirky and desirable or exciting. Probably with this niche product you are looking to developing a design or two such as shown which is modular and
can stack or build into big section of wall. Here if you can get a commission to install onto a wall 6 modules at a time you would find this to be profitable. Typically 72 bottle storage per module stack the rack price would be $120.
WINE BARREL ART WOOD PROJECTS
COAT RACK
Made from a single stave/ I see on Etsy for $65 - $75 !!
PLANTER
Selling $50 - $160. Depending what you add on and put into it.
LAZY SUZANNE
Selling $110 - $180. Once again depending on your creativity input. Wood surface treatment, wood grain, edging and wood embossing effect all add into the value.
SERVING TRAY
Asking $100 - $150 . There is still wood left over from the heads which could make up two more smaller tray type creations or these could be use to fashion the handles.
ARCHED CANDLE HOLDER
Once again a single barrel stave selling $30 - $90 !! . If you sold these at $45 and the barrel had 32 staves you would have a project size of $45 x 32 = $1440 for a few days work.!
WINE BOX HOLDER
If you are using both heads of the barrel then the pieces of off cut staves are still very valuable and can be used for candle holder or wood projects such as this wine bottle carry holder shown
TABLE CENTERPIECE
Guide price for the basic design indicates $100 - $150 but more for the example below which has better design featured incorporated
AMERICAN FLAG
Here is the good old standard which always has wide appeal and in many design form. The example here has a very antiqued look. It could be in flat form from the heads or curve from the form of the stave strips. Sometimes the plaque shows distressing at the edges like scorching.. Prices range hugely from $100 - $650 type of thing
TOYS | SPORTS
YOYOs & SPINNING TOPS
This is an evergreen toy which is usually seasonal and part of the wooden spinning toy niche market If you have a lathe the yoyo halves can be turned out in mass pretty quickly from finished round wood stock material. This is helped if you can have prepared a profiling tool with the exact outer shape. Assembly can be done gluing the halves together with a wood dowel at the drilled centers.
The yoyo can have a finish using the natural woodgrain or there are an infinite ideas you can use for color & design finish. Don't for get to look into spinning tops Prices of $10-15 are achievable. Spinning Tops can be $10-15
SCALE WOODEN MODELS
Here we are not talking the commercial completed model or a kit form product but specifically a project that targets a one off project that is not available in the market and has superior quality and/or detailing
A lot of the time these projects are personal commissions, but the woodworker could decide to undertake a like one that has great historical significance . Nautical or architectural are the most common niches
Prices are usually in the thousands of dollars like this one on eBay of the Cutty Sark asking $7500. Scale houses and even dolls houses can show the same posting prices. Sometimes the asking prices can be in the 5 figure range!!
HANDBUILT GUITAR
The market here is for hand made instruments and there is s demand for this. Some of these instruments
can be made to a formula design so there is little chance of major failure. Design layouts and specifications are available by doing your normal research. Probably the best product is the guitar which is the most prolific. But there is a huge range in price and variety in the market. So be careful about just diving in! If you can inlay and have design features the you can add value to the price. Here is a good range of the possibilities.
Typically you may be looking to selling $1200-$2500 for commission sales of a good quality product.
DUCK CALLS
There is still a niche market for the traditional here, and by this is meant lathe turned wooden duck calls. These have a traditional shape basically and sealed and /or vanished for waterproofing to hold their natural wood grain look. They can further be embossed for personalizing.
The plastic voice insert can be bought for pennies in the dollar. Prices range $10-20 . For a run of say 100 off you are looking to lay up to $2000 worth of stock/turnover for a couple of days labor with good markup.
DUCK DECOYS – HUNTING & DECORATIVE
Woods are usually white pine or cedar but also used are Beech Maple Walnut, Cedar, Cherry. Any wood could be used if you are going to paint but if its a working decoy then account needs to be made with regard to waterproofing and weathering.
A higher price play could be for models made in exotic woods with lovely wood grain and a deep clear gloss finish. This would be for the decorative upmarket. Prices seem to be in the region $150 - $300
STAND UP PADDLE BOARDS
This is a niche market for high end sportsmen uses and this means the production of a hollow manufactured product using wood ribbing construction and PVC / wood sandwich facings.
Note that kits & plans are available online. You can buy in at any stage. Prices $1200 - $2200
WOODEN INDIAN CANOE
This is the same as the above idea for the high end sportsmen user. Construction and principle is the same concept ie ribbed core with veneer/ fiberglass outer skin . Kits are also available so you could have all the materials/plans online and just have the markup as your labor.
Cedar stripping is used. Full kits are available on line and there is a good markup from the purchase price here to the canoe. Selling Prices range from $3500 - $10,000
CANOE PADDLES
These paddles we are talking about here are upmarket custom for high quality canoe & stand up
hollow paddle board. See this site yo get an idea of this woodwork project
Woods can be laminated Red Alder/Basswood/Roasted Basswood Overlay fiberglass & deep clear gloss epoxy. Full Length Sizes= 52"- 60" Special grip Prices Range from $250 - $1000
DESIGNER LUXURY BIKES
Well we've hade the Easy Rider in Motor Bikes, now we have the City Luxury Bicycle. This is centered around a wooden frame which incorporates other normal bike parts such as the normal front, back and pedal mechanisms. You can go normal, fat tire and even electric here working out the innovation appeal and the costings of the various materials for best mix for highest profit . Woods are teak & mahogany. Prices are in the range of $4000 - $5000 asking
EQUESTRIAN STORAGE BOXES
Depending on the final outside look, the fittings used here and what the box has extra inside like slider and removable trays one should set out exactly the full product concept and see if this costs out for your materials plus labor input . I would look to producing say a batch of 3 at the same time for this to be viable. Of course how long will they take to sell is a consideration. Prices Range $500 - 1000
CROQUET GAME SET
The design is pretty standard and the prices vary a lot like $50 - $500.So it seems solid components and finish will be needed to raise the price to the higher level. The balls will be outsourced and maybe the hoops as well. Working off round stock wood size is a must. Best idea is to batch 10 sets@ $300 for $3000 target project value
OVERSIZE ANTIQUE ROCKING HORSE
This is going to be a challenge and will need good hands and a good eye for the shaping. Like shaping say a surfboard it needs a technical eye vs an artistic one. So don't be afraid here. You'll need equipment that can shift wood such as chain saw and chain discs fitted to an angle grinder.
Plans are available online. Prices range $2000 - $4000 - $6000 asking.
GAMES – BACK GAMMON BOARD
The board is basically a hinged box with catches. The tokens could be lathe turned from round stock. You could choose the natural color of the wood with just a sealed finish. The coloring of the board pattern board is a challenge. This is the center piece and must not look cheap for best price. To get the price level you may be looking at inlay with better quality cup & dice outsourced in.
CUSTOM CARVED WALKING STICK
Carved wooden walking sticks depend on your artistic assets you have at hand You should be able to place yourself in the $40 - $65 bracket for this / But if you are not in the carving field then you could base your model on the classic "pistol" grip.
If so then to raise this to the previous price level then you will have to add some value with maybe a metal novelty molding insert and a similar ring on the shaft. A batch of say 5 produced together will give value output of say $250 total.
AUTOMATIC – CUSTOM GEAR SHIFT CHANGE KNOBS
Bit of a fiddly niche market here. You would need to do this by specific request for a customer and have the source of the metal screw stud insert. a block of a good wood like walnut and a good pair of hands could shape this down to an isometric form comfortable for a hand .Polishing on a and a refit of any brand metal medallion may be called for . This is one of those fill in jobs. Price? Probably = $100+
WOODEN AUTO STEERING WHEELS
I don't think you will want to be going into this market as it is too varied and complex. BUT...
If you come across a good named vehicle steering wheel where the wood is badly damaged and the aluminum central frame bit is OK, you could turn the wood replacement halves and earn some good money.
Some prices noted for Corvette, Porsche, Mercedes and Mustang could fetch $1000 - $1500
RINGS or BANDS
Self or relationship Commitment rings for both men & woman of all types such as engagement marriage and friendship using wood are nearly always composite with other materials such as copper, gold, tungsten, antler, meteorite & more. Hey even dinosaur bone has been used!
The wilder it is the better. Although technically a challenge the prices are very high with big potential markup. Prices can range $100 - $1000 each
MARITIME - SHIPS WHEEL
This is fashioned from a central hub with 8 full length fancy lathe turned spokes and 8 radial spacer pieces. Theses spacers can be cut on a bandsaw using the master plan drawing.
They could be either hand finished using a disc and spindle sanders or some craftsmen use routers and a swiveling jig that can be moved in a circular fashion here. Mahogany can be used for decorative but oak for marine work and stain & varnish is fine to finish Its a tricky market to slot into. Choose your price target for your workshop project. Prices range $100 - $1000 up to $2000.
