3 DIY Woodworking Projects to Make Use of your Scrap Wood

Wherever there’s a woodworker, there’s an ever-growing pile of scraps and sawdust trailing right behind them. If you’ve ever dealt with inspirational brain-freeze while looking at the remnants of a newly completed project, fear no more. We have three scrap wood projects that will turn what would be trash into your own personal treasure.

Coasters:

The perfect follow-up to a particularly arduous woodworking project. Coasters are super easy to make, require hardly any tools or materials, and can be used immediately after they’re finished.

Start with tree limbs, and try to select ones with a diameter slightly larger than the base of most of your cups and bottles so the coasters are big enough to comfortably hold your drinks, but not too big that they take up a ton of room on your table.

Before cutting your wood, make sure it’s dry enough that it won’t split apart while you’re working. If your moisture meter tells you the wood is at 10% moisture or less, get to cutting!

Measure out your preferred coaster thickness, and begin sawing at equal intervals until you have as many coasters as you want. Sand, stain, and seal your coasters at your own discretion—and voila! You'll be the proud owner of beautiful, handmade coasters (and a smaller pile of scraps in your workshop).

Bookends:

DIY bookends are totally functional and deceptively simple to make. Just round up some heavy reclaimed wood, sandpaper, stain, and appropriate safety gear, and you'll be ready to roll.

Start by clamping your wood to your workspace or workbench, and use a circular saw to cut a piece of wood to your desired size (keep your bookshelf in mind). While this can technically be done with hand tools, plugging in a power tool will make your life infinitely easier.

Using your first piece as a template, cut a second to match, then sand your bookends down so they're soft to the touch, and won't stick a splinter in your favorite Shakespearean play or Harry Potter book.

Now comes the fun part: saw the blocks into asymmetrical faceted chunks, brand them with your family name or the skyline of your favorite city, or carve them into the shape of your favorite animal. The creative possibilities are endless!

Wall art:

Whether you live in a shoebox or a two-story home, the urge to make your space your own is something we all can relate to, and there’s no better way to put your stamp on your home decor than to actually make it yourself.

With some fun stencils, paints, and perhaps a little fire-power (wood burning, anyone?) you can turn even the tiniest bits of scrap wood into one-of-a-kind decorations.

We love the idea of creating jumbo-sized Scrabble pieces to spell out your name or quotes above your mantle. A wooden garland strung together with twine, with each piece painted a different color or carved a different shape, could be another fun personalization to add to a room. Spice up an existing mirror or frame with wooden add-ons all your own.

Every scrap in your workshop can become a unique art piece for your home with just a little imagination!