7 Easy Woodworking Projects for Beginners

Here are some proven first projects that will help complete beginners learn the basics

Everyone has to start somewhere, and thankfully there are a lot of beginner woodworking projects to get you started. 

Whether you want to build outdoor wood projects or are looking for something to build with scrap wood for indoor use, these beginner projects can be done with basic woodworking tools most people have lying around in their garage.

So what are some simple projects to get started? Let's get into it.

The basics of beginner woodworking

What are some good tools to have so you can start with some easy ideas and scale up to more complex projects as you gain more experience. Some suggestions include:

• • A mitre saw or way to cut lengths of wood

  • An electric sander

  • A reliable drill with a variety of drill bit lengths

  • Varnish, paints and finishes to give your product a high quality final look

With just the basics you can start to make your own projects, from simple starter ones to more complicated builds like outdoor furniture. If you're taking on woodworking seriously you may want to consider a portable sawmill like the Woodland Mills HM126, which lets you mill your own custom dimensions of lumber.

What are some great beginner woodworking projects?

Let's get into some fresh ideas for getting started as a beginner woodworker:

Spalted Maple Charcuterie Board

Courtesy Wesley S. from the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group.

This is a great project for beginners, and can be made with practically any species of wood. Wesley, experienced in doing small projects like this with his HM126 portable sawmill, picked spalted maple to give the charcuterie boards a distinct look.

But any species of wood will do, and with the right grain patterns and finish you can make a distinct charcuterie board that stands out at any craft market or on Facebook Marketplace.

Round Coffee Table

Courtesy Karlos A. from the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group.

Have a large round of wood that you want to use for an impressive project?

Using rounds for coffee tables is easy because you can buy and attach legs at the hardware store that come with all the hardware you need to install them. Some experienced woodworkers will make their own legs using the same or different species, but for a beginner just installing something pre-built will be easier.

Then all you have to do is a custom finish, maybe some epoxy, and you have a fantastic custom coffee table that no one else will have.

Slab Tables

Courtesy Karlos A. from the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group.

Like the coffee table above, making a slab table can be relatively simple. With some hand tools you can sand down and fasten a pre-constructed base with legs, so you can focus on making that wood slab stand out.

It's a good project for beginners because you can focus on the slab, and as your skills improve you can tackle more of the complicated joinery of building your own legs underneath.

Wood Scrap Planters

Courtesy Keith B from the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group.

Have wood scraps from your own portable sawmill, and want to use them for your next project?

Keith used his cut-offs to make custom planters for his garden. It's a simple project that uses materials that might otherwise go to waste, and because it's outdoors and will see heavy use, the finish doesn't have to be the prettiest. It's a practical project designed to reduce waste and has plenty of function. Great job Keith!

Live-Edge Picture Frame

Courtesy Julie-Dennise H. from the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group.

Here's something that can make your paintings or family pictures pop: a beautiful live-edge picture frame.

The concept is relatively simple, and just requires a few precise cuts, easy for even new woodworkers. Put a solid backing behind it and put a hook or hanger on the back and you have a gorgeous frame that doesn't require a high skill level to create.

Leopold Bench

Courtesy Kurt E. from the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group.

A leopold bench is a style of bench that requires just a few pieces of wood, fastened together in such a way that creates a strong foundation despite its simplicity. With just six pieces of lumber you too can create your own custom bench.

You can use traditional screws and fasteners or if you're experimenting and want to learn more traditional joinery you could try building yours with tenon joints. Remember that every project is a learning experience and you should always consider new techniques when trying new projects.

Tree Trunk Lamp

Courtesy Dave S. from the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group.

Another project that takes advantage of your wood scraps is to create a lamp using your logs and cut offs. Hardware stores sell kits with everything you need to make your own custom lamp, all you need to do is find a creative way of feeding the wiring through your project.

They're great for the cottage and give a rustic, country charm that's easy to love. Try experimenting with this and learn how to do wiring in your projects, it's a skill that might come in handy down the line.

What else should I know when doing beginner woodworking projects?

What's some good advice for woodworkers just starting out?

• • Start small but be bold: Try small projects like cutting boards and coasters but expand rapidly to larger projects to keep your skills growing.

  • Expand your tool set: If you find a job is taking too long, see what the investment for new equipment is to make that part easier. For example, if sanding is becoming a bore, invest in a belt sander.

  • Learn from previous projects, but don't let mistakes haunt you: You might obsess over a fault in a project, but oftentimes mistakes stand out to the creator that are invisible to others. Focus on improvements and learning.

  • Know what look you want to go for: Some woodworkers want a refined, highly polished look while others want rustic, rough-hewn aesthetics. Decide your style as you build.