Make money selling your woodworking creations! Discover the most profitable woodworking projects that fly off the shelves at craft shows, along with tips to boost your sales and make your booth a must-visit destination.
Are you passionate about woodworking? Do you dream of turning your hobby into a source of income? Selling your handmade wooden items at craft shows can be incredibly rewarding, but it’s easy to feel overwhelmed about what to make. You want pieces that are not only beautiful but also sell well. It’s a common challenge: spending hours creating something stunning, only to have it remain unsold. Don’t worry, you’re in the right place! We’ll break down the most profitable woodworking projects perfect for craft show success. Get ready to discover what buyers love and how to present your work to make those sales. Let’s get your woodworking business booming!
Table of Contents
Why Craft Shows Are Great for Woodworkers
Craft shows offer a fantastic direct-to-consumer sales channel for woodworkers. Unlike online stores, you get to interact with your customers face-to-face. This direct connection builds trust and allows you to share the story behind your creations. You can explain your process, the type of wood you use, and why your piece is special. Shoppers at craft shows are actively looking for unique, handmade items and are often willing to pay a premium for quality craftsmanship. It’s also a great way to get immediate feedback on your products, helping you refine what you offer. Plus, the atmosphere of a craft show can be really fun and inspiring!
Choosing the Right Profitable Woodworking Projects
The key to a profitable craft show booth is offering a range of items that appeal to a broad audience, are relatively quick to produce, and have a good profit margin. Think about items that are:
Affordable: People at craft shows often buy smaller, impulse items as well as larger, more significant pieces.
Unique: Stand out from the crowd with distinctive designs or finishes.
Functional: Items that solve a problem or serve a purpose tend to sell very well.
Giftable: Many craft show purchases are bought as gifts.
Let’s dive into some of the best profitable woodworking projects to sell at craft shows.
Small Home Decor Items
These are often impulse buys and are perfect for shoppers looking for a little something special to brighten their homes.
Wooden Coasters: Easy to make in batches, coasters are always in demand. You can make them from various woods, carve designs into them, or create unique resin inlays. Offer sets of four or six.
Wooden Trivets and Pot Holders: Functional and decorative, these essential kitchen items can be made from durable hardwoods. Simple designs with a nice finish are often bestsellers.
Small Shelves and Wall Hangings: Think decorative floating shelves, key holders, or small shadow boxes. These can be customized with different wood types and finishes.
Bud Vases and Small Wooden Bowls: Perfect for small floral arrangements or holding trinkets, these can be turned on a lathe or even carved from solid wood.
Wooden Picture Frames: Classic and always popular. Offer a variety of sizes and wood types. You can add personalized touches like engraving for an extra fee.
Candle Holders: From simple block designs to more elaborate turned pieces, wooden candle holders add a cozy ambiance to any home.
Kitchen and Dining Accessories
Wood adds warmth and natural beauty to the kitchen. These items are practical and highly sought after.
Cutting Boards: A perennial favorite. Offer a range of sizes and wood combinations (like maple, walnut, and cherry for their durability and food-safe properties). Consider adding juice grooves or custom engraving. A good quality cutting board is a substantial purchase, so pricing them appropriately can lead to good revenue.
Serving Trays: Whether for breakfast in bed or entertaining guests, decorative serving trays are functional art. You can add handles, unique wood grains, or decorative inlays.
Spice Racks: Wall-mounted or countertop spice racks are popular for home organization enthusiasts.
Utensil Holders: Simple, functional, and can be made from attractive wood scraps.
Wooden Spoons and Spatulas: Hand-carved kitchen utensils are a charming addition for those who appreciate artisanal kitchenware. Ensure they are finished with food-safe oils.
Organization and Storage Solutions
People always need ways to keep their homes tidy and stylish spaces.
Desk Organizers: Small boxes, pen holders, and letter sorters made from attractive wood can elevate any workspace.
Jewelry Boxes and Trays: These can be simple or intricate, depending on your skill level. Offer different sizes and wood types. A well-crafted jewelry box is a wonderful gift item.
Key Holders/Mail Sorters: Wall-mounted pieces that offer both functionality and a decorative element near the entryway.
Wooden Crates and Boxes: Decorative storage boxes can be used for everything from storing toys to holding firewood. Offer them in various sizes and styles.
Seasonal and Holiday Items
Tap into the spirit of the seasons with specialized items.
Christmas Ornaments: Small, intricately carved or painted wooden ornaments are incredibly popular during the holiday season. Think snowflakes, reindeer, or personalized date ornaments.
Halloween Decorations: Wooden ghosts, pumpkins, or spooky signs can be big sellers.
Easter and Spring Decor: Bunny figures, decorative eggs, or small floral stands.
Wreaths and Garlands: While often made with other materials, incorporating wooden elements like carved shapes or beads can make them unique.
Outdoor and Garden Items
Customers might be looking for items to enhance their outdoor living spaces.
Birdhouses: Decorative and functional birdhouses can be a hit, especially in spring and summer.
Planter Boxes: Small to medium-sized wooden planters add charm to a patio or garden.
Garden Signs: Personalized or decorative wooden signs for the garden that indicate plant types or add a whimsical touch.
Outdoor Coasters: Made from weather-resistant wood and sealed appropriately, these are practical for patio tables.
Tools of the Trade: What You’ll Need
To get started with many of these profitable woodworking projects, you don’t need a massive workshop. Many can be made with a few essential tools. As Jack Shaffer, I always emphasize starting with what you can manage and growing as you go!
Here’s a breakdown of some key tools:
Essential Power Tools
Miter Saw: For accurate crosscuts and angled cuts. A decent 10-inch compound miter saw is a workhorse for most projects.
Orbital Sander: Essential for achieving smooth finishes quickly. Consider a random orbital sander for best results.
Drill/Driver: A cordless drill is indispensable for drilling holes and driving screws. Look for a model with good torque and battery life.
Jigsaw: Useful for cutting curves and intricate shapes, especially on smaller decorative pieces.
Router (Optional but highly recommended): A router can create decorative edges, cut dados, and much more, elevating your projects from basic to beautiful. A trim router is a great starting point.
Essential Hand Tools
Measuring Tape: Accuracy starts here!
Pencils: For marking cuts.
Clamps: You can never have too many! Bar clamps, pipe clamps, C-clamps, and spring clamps are all useful.
Wood Chisels: For fine-tuning joinery or carving.
Hand Saw: For quick cuts without power.
Wood Glue: A good quality wood glue is a must for strong joints.
Safety Glasses and Hearing Protection: Non-negotiable! Always protect yourself.
Finishing Supplies
Sandpaper: In various grits (from 80 to 220 or finer).
Wood Finish: Polyurethane, oil finishes (like Tung oil or mineral oil for cutting boards), stains, or paints.
Brushes and Rags: For applying finishes.
For more in-depth information on choosing the right tools, I recommend checking out resources from reputable woodworking organizations. For example, the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory, part of the U.S. Forest Service, offers a wealth of information on wood properties and uses, which can inform your choices. Visit the Forest Products Laboratory for scientific insights into wood.
Crafting for Profit: Pricing and Strategy
Making beautiful items is only half the battle. To be profitable, you need a smart pricing strategy and a plan for your craft show sales.
Pricing Your Work
A common formula for pricing handmade goods is:
Cost of Materials + (Hourly Rate x Time Spent) + Overhead + Profit = Price
Cost of Materials: Track every bit of wood, glue, screws, and finishing supplies you use.
Hourly Rate: Decide what your time is realistically worth. For beginners, this might be lower, but aim to increase it as you gain speed and efficiency.
Overhead: This includes booth fees, gas to get to the show, packaging, marketing materials, and tool depreciation.
Profit: This is the added percentage that makes your business sustainable and allows for growth.
A simpler, quick-check method often used is:
(Cost of Materials x 2) + Your Labor = Wholesale Price
Wholesale Price x 2 = Retail Price
This is a starting point. You then need to adjust based on market research and what similar items are selling for. Don’t underprice yourself! Quality craftsmanship deserves fair compensation.
Maximizing Craft Show Sales
Display is Key: Your booth is your storefront. Invest in attractive displays. Use varying heights, good lighting, and clean tablecloths. Arrange items in visually appealing groupings.
Demonstrate Value: Talk about your process, the type of wood used, and the durability of your finishes. Educate your customers.
Offer a Range of Price Points: Have small, affordable items for impulse buys and larger, statement pieces for more significant sales.
Bundle Deals: Offer a discount for purchasing multiple items (e.g., a set of coasters and a trivet).
Customization: Offer personalization on items like cutting boards or picture frames. This can be a great upsell.
Business Cards and Social Media: Have professional business cards ready. Encourage people to follow you online for future purchases or custom orders.
Collect Email Addresses: Offer a sign-up sheet for a newsletter or future show notifications.
Be Friendly and Approachable: Smile, make eye contact, and be ready to chat without being pushy. Genuine enthusiasm for your work is infectious.
Payment Options: Be prepared to accept cash, and have a way to take credit card payments (like Square or PayPal).
Profitable Project Examples: A Closer Look
Let’s flesh out a few popular project ideas with more detail.
1. Premium Cutting Boards
Cutting boards are a staple in many kitchens, and a well-made wooden one is a functional piece of art.
Materials: Hardwoods like maple, walnut, cherry, or exotic woods like purpleheart (for accents). Use food-safe wood glue.
Tools: Miter saw for initial cuts, jointer and planer (if available for precision) or hand planes, table saw for glue-ups and strips, router for edges and optional juice grooves, orbital sander for a smooth finish. Make sure any tools you use for food-contact items are dedicated to that purpose or thoroughly cleaned. The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) provides guidance on food safety practices that can inform your finishing choices.
Finishing: Food-grade mineral oil, beeswax, or a 50/50 blend of mineral oil and beeswax. Avoid varnishes or lacquers on the cutting surface.
Profitability: High. Materials can range, but labor and skill increase the value significantly. You can sell simple boards for $30-$50, and intricate end-grain boards can command $100-$200+.
Craft Show Tip: Display them leaning against a stable surface, showing off the grain. Have a small demonstration board showing the difference between a finished and unfinished board.
Here’s a quick comparison of cutting board types:
| Type | Construction | Appeal | Profit Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edge Grain | Strips glued on their sides | Durable, practical, classic | Good |
| End Grain | Strips glued on their ends | Self-healing, visually striking, premium | Excellent |
| Face Grain with Accents | One large piece with inlaid strips | Decorative, emphasizes wood beauty | Good |
2. Wooden Signs and Plaques
Personalized signs are always a hit, especially for entryways, kitchens, or nurseries.
Materials: Pine, cedar, or plywood for painted signs. Hardwoods for more premium, carved signs. Paint, stain, vinyl for lettering, or wood burning tools.
Tools: Miter saw, table saw (for ripping lumber to width), sander, router (for routed lettering or decorative edges), jigsaw or scroll saw (for cut-out shapes), drill for mounting hardware. For carved signs, a CNC machine or a router with specific bits can be used.
Finishing: Exterior-grade paint or stain, clear coat for protection.
Profitability: Very high, especially if you can do custom orders quickly. Simple painted signs can be $20-$40, while larger, routed, or carved signs can be $50-$150+.
Craft Show Tip: Bring a few examples of popular phrases or designs. Have a sign-up sheet for custom orders on the spot. Consider adding small decorative elements like hooks for key holders.
3. Decorative Boxes and Trays
These items are versatile, used for jewelry, keepsakes, serving, or simply as decor.
Materials: Plywood with veneer, hardwoods like maple, cherry, walnut, or even reclaimed wood. Hinges, drawer slides (for more complex boxes), handles, and decorative hardware.
Tools: Table saw for precise cuts and joinery (like dados for bottoms and tops), miter saw, router for decorative edges and joinery, sander, drill. For very fine boxes, a band saw might be useful.
Finishing: Stains, lacquers, polyurethanes, or oil finishes. Felt or velvet lining can add a premium touch.
Profitability: Moderate to high, depending on the complexity and species of wood. Simple boxes might sell for $25-$60, while intricate jewelry boxes could fetch $75-$200+.
Craft Show Tip: Display them open to show the interior and any lining. Group them by size or wood type.