How To Make Money Woodworking

You will be delighted to hear that it does not take that much time to make money woodworking.

You can even do it in your spare time from your garage for that matter.

Woodworking from some is just a hobby but it’s one that you can actually develop and make a substantial amount of money from it. You don’t necessary need the finest pieces to be sold for thousands of dollars even the small crafts could be sold within your community to get the ball rolling.

In this detailed article, I will be sharing how you can have fun working on your woodworking projects and the same time earn some extra cash on the side. Whether you decide to do this full time or not will be up to you.

How much does it cost to start woodworking?

In order to assess how much you would need to start woodworking, it’s worth reviewing some great tips to get started and what you will need.

The essential woodworking tools to get started

Working with wood requires some basic tool that you can’t do without as a beginner. These include but not limited to:

Power Drill

The first portable electric drills appeared in 1895 in Germany and have continued to evolve since. The power drill is essential in all toolboxes of DIY enthusiasts, whether they are beginners or experienced. It is made for jobs requiring autonomy and power.

Circular Saw

The circular saw enables straight line cuts to be made quickly and precisely. It is the ideal tool for long cuts in thick materials. These saws are used for cutting wood but can also be used for other materials with an adaptable blade. Note that most circular cut materials include chipboard, plywood, beams, floorboards and structural panels.

Jig Saw

The jigsaw is the most versatile saw. It cuts with precision in a straight line or in a curve. For cutting rounds, the jigsaw is by far the best solution. The jigsaw accepts many types of blades, suitable for different materials, precision levels, speeds and curves. It cuts wood, metal, plastic, drywall, laminate, certain ceramic tiles, etc.

Orbital Sander

The orbital sander is a hand-held power sander primarily used for fairly fine sanding of surfaces. It’s a versatile tool you will need for sanding your final piece of work.

As I write these words, you can get these tools on Amazon for $200 or less. I can safely say that you can get started for round about $200 with the assumption that you may need some accessories such as sandpaper and so forth.

As a beginner in woodworking, I would suggest you take on projects that will not require more tools than the ones shared above unless you can afford to buy them. This will give you enough time to fine tune your craft before buying professional tools you may need.

15 Great Places to buy the raw material (Wood) you need for your projects

Regardless of the type of project you want to work on, you will need to buy the raw material: wood.

Different types of wood have different properties and color thus making it a better fit for various kind of projects.

As a beginner though, I would suggest you get some ready to be finished wood if possible as it will make your experience easier and more fun.

Most woodworking projects require surfaced lumber (s4s).

Here is a list of natural wood you may need for your projects:

Pine: softwood, easy to work with

Cedar: softwood, easy to use best suited for chests, wardrobes.

Redwood: resistant to moisture. Works well with outdoor furniture.

Cherry: Hardwood. A bit challenging to work with. You may stay away if you are a beginner. Suited for interior furniture.

Maple: Found in two varieties, hard and soft. Can be used for any type of furniture.

Here are 15 places where you can get your wood:

Large Home Improvement Stores such as HomeDepot and Lowes
Local Hardware Stores (Mom and Pop Shops)
Fine Woodworking Stores and High End Tool Stores
Exotic Hardwood Stores
Lumber Yards
A Hobby Store or Craft Store
Ordering Woodworking Wood Online
Harvesting Wood From Pallets
Getting Scrap From a Retail Store
The Scrap Bin at a Hardwood Store
Cutoffs From a Woodworking Business
Second Hand Stores and Websites
Bulk Trash Pickup Day
Harvest Your Own From Nature
Tree Trimming in Your Neighborhood

Where to sell your woodworking projects

Once you are done crafting your projects, you can start selling your items locally or online with sites like Etsy.

Regardless of the channel you use, you will need some form of marketing to spread the word out.

Anything that helps you sell your finished products locally is welcome. Try your community center, craft fairs, coffee shops that will agree to display your items.

For online sales, you can explore etsy.com and Custommade.com

What woodworking items sell the best?

There are some easy woodworking projects you can make and sell well as a beginner and even if you are a seasoned woodworker.

Picnic Table

Picnic tables are easy to make and can sell for $100+

Rustic Signs

Another item you can easily create. They sell very well.

Step Stool

You can sell step stool for $30 if you manage to make some.

House Numbers

House numbers are common and can be crafted easily with very minimal set of tools. They also sell well.

Pallet Wood Sign

Pallet signs can be expensive and yet very easy to make using low cost materials.

Conclusion on Woodworking for a living

Woodworking is an hobby that be fun and inexpensive to get started. You can build some simple items from scratch and sell them for anywhere from$10 with relatively good margins.

If you can find more items to create then you will stand a good chance of making regular sales thus reaching your goal of eventually making money woodworking.

Good Luck!

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