Carpentry Project Ideas

We have 4 carpentry project ideas which is suitable for any keep DIYer, or carpentry beginner. Carpentry and woodworking are exciting activities if you know your tools and what to do with them. Many people learn carpentry as a side hobby, but they could come in handy if you ever needed to make something of your own around the house.

However, after the initial enthusiasm wanes, most people forget the true charm of working with your own hands. If you have basic knowledge of carpentry and the tools used for it, you can take your DIY game to the next level.

Nowadays, DIYing has acquired immense appeal because it lets you use things in new and creative ways. With carpentry knowledge, you can make your DIY projects more creative, relevant, and durable.

Below, we have shared some DIY woodworking ideas with their step-by-step tutorials to help you learn how to use your carpentry skills to create amazing wooden crafts.

Below are our 4 carpentry project ideas.

1. DIY Wooden Bench

Did you know you can use some basic woodworking supplies to make a DIY wood bench that looks like a designer bench? And you don’t even need screws or nails to do it.

Here’s how:

Tools and Materials

• Regular 2×4 wood planks
• Wood glue
• Waterproofer
• Paintbrush
• Sanding blocks
• T-square
• Table saw
• Bar clamps
• Handheld belt sander

Tutorial

• Mill the 2” edges off each wood piece using the table saw for sharper-looking edges.
• Cut the wood pieces with these measurements: 5 x 33.5”, 4 x 40” long pieces, 10 x 16” long pieces, and 8 x 12.75” long pieces. You can also customize the sizes according to your preference. For instance, you can close the bottom to create a hidden self storage unit underneath.
• Create a box joint using the wood pieces. Place the 40” piece flat on the ground and place the 33.5” piece in its center. Make the 16” pieces stand on each side perpendicularly to the other 2 pieces.
• Use a T-square to ensure everything is even and at the right angles.
• Glue each piece in place, clamp to hold them together, and let the bench dry overnight.
• Remove the clamps the following day and start sanding to smoothen the surface. Use a belt sander and a sanding block to get a perfectly smooth surface.
• Use a wood stain of your choice to stain the DIY bench with a paintbrush, and lastly, apply a waterproofer to keep it safe from the weather and the elements.

2. DIY Farmhouse Bathroom Mirror Frame

Farmhouse décor style combines cozy, country-style with modern and clean touches. You can easily incorporate hints of it in your home décor by DIYing a bathroom mirror frame.

Here’s how:

Tools and Materials

• Three 1” x4” x8” faux Barnwood pieces
• 1” and 2” wood board (cut to a 4.5” length)
• 3 x 3” wood screws
• 3 x 0.5” wood screws
• 4 x Kreg Jig screws
• Wood glue
• 3 x frame hanger loops
• Miter saw
• 1 x hole Kreg Jig
• Drill and head screw bit
• Level

Tutorial

• Use the miter saw to cut the 3 Barnwood pieces into 2 x 3’ 7 ½” pieces (for the sides) and 2 x 5’ 7 ½” pieces (for the top and bottom).
• Cut each end of all the 4 pieces at 45° angles, using the miter saw.
• Cut the 1’ x 2’ to 4.5’ for using it as a frame hanger.
• Anchor the 4.5’ piece into the wall at the mirror’s center using the 3” wood screws.
• After mounting the 1’ x 2’, use 3 evenly spaced 0.5” wood screws to put into that piece without screwing them all the way in.
• Assemble the frame using a Kreg Jig. Drill a pilot hole in the center of one piece at each joint for the attachment screw.
• Do it four times and then glue, clamp, and screw the frame to give it the intended shape.
• After assembly, attach the 3 frame hanger loops to the back of the frame, aligning them with the screws in the 4.5’ wood piece and your bathroom mirror frame is ready.

3. DIY Bird Nest

Want chirpy visitors in your garden? Build a DIY birdhouse for them to feel at home.

Here’s how:

Tools and Materials

• 1×6 board
• ¼” plywood
• Wood glue
• 1¼-inch nails
• Sanding sponge
• Paint or wood stain
• Paintbrush
• Wire, rope, twine, or chain for hanging
• Miter saw
• Drill and drill bit
• Hole saw
• Nail gun and pliers

Tutorial

• Cut the boards and plywood with a miter saw using these measurements: Two 7.5” 1×6 back and front walls, two 4¾” x 4½” 1×6 sidewalls, one 8” 1×6 base, one 8” x5 ½” plywood roof panel, and one 8” x5 ¼” plywood roof panel.
• Drill an opening of about 1¾” in diameter in the front board using a hole saw after marking its center.
• Attach the sides and the front using wood glue. You can also use nails for a sturdier job.
• Apply wood glue to the back piece and attach it to the rest of the pieces.
• Once it dries a little and holds its place, mount the base after applying wood glue to the edges of all 4 walls.
• To attach the roof, apply wood glue to the peak of the back and front walls and place the shorter panel first. Then, place the second piece, gluing it to the front and back walls as well as the shorter panel.
• Let the birdhouse dry overnight and then sand it the next day before applying wood stain or paint.

4. DIY Wooden Key Holder

This is our final project, out of our 4 carpentry project ideas. Always forgetting where you put the keys? Make a DIY wood key holder and never lose your keys again.

Here’s how:

Tools and Materials

• One 1x4x8 wooden plank cut into 4 equal pieces
• Four 1×4 wood boards cut at 12”
• Two mitered scraps at 15 degrees
• Hanging hooks
• Miter saw
• Drill
• Wood glue
• Clamps
• Sandpaper
• Nail gun
• D-ring hanger
• Wood stain or paint
• Paintbrush

Tutorial

• After cutting the wood boards to your desired size, you can assemble them.
• Glue the four equally cut pieces of the wood board for the back piece using wood glue and clamp them together for about half an hour.
• Follow the same steps with the 3 shorter 1×4 wood boards cut at 12” for the front basket.
• Cut the side pieces to hold the basket from a scrap piece of wood. Use a miter saw to cut two 1×10 pieces at 15 degrees. These pieces will look like 2 pie slices.
• Assemble the paper basket by gluing the pie slices with the front piece at a 90-degree angle.
• Start sanding the entire piece and then stain it with your desired wood stain or paint.
• After staining, attach the front basket with the back piece using wood glue.
• Attach the one 1×4 wood board cut at 12” that was left to the top of the back piece.
• Install some decorative hooks below the front paper basket and a D-ring at the back for hanging.

Final Thoughts

There you have it, 4 carpentry project ideas to keep you busy. Using the above-mentioned ideas, you can level up your woodworking and at the same time satisfy the DIYer in you. The tutorials mentioned above are all beginner friendly, meaning any one can start on them to explore their newfound woodworking hobby.