General

After the hustle and bustle of the holidays are done, the long winter nights settle in. If you’re not the snow or ski enthusiast, and don’t want to just sit in front of the tv, what to do? How about trying to create something with wood and improve your DIY skills? Here’s a few ideas for woodworking projects to get you through the winter months.

Interior Woodworking Projects

Picture frames. This should be an easy project! Choose a favorite profile of decorative moulding to frame photos and artwork. Simple 45° miter cuts produce clean edges and join together (with nails or glue) to form a frame.

Chess/checker board. Straight line cuts produce 64 squares which are then glued to a piece of wood and framed. Alternating wood grain creates the checkerboard pattern. Stain or paint to finish.

Bookcase. Attach to a wall for a built-in look or create a freestanding piece to hold books, CDs, videos, pottery, etc.

For the Outdoors

Patio planter. After winter comes spring! Prepare for it now by creating floral planters for a garden on the deck. Simple square planters can be made by using 1×4 wood or recycled pallets.

Potting cart. If you or a family member is a gardener, a small cart keeps your tools and supplies ready. Adding wheels to the legs lets you roll it along for easy access.

Trellis. If you’ve got an area in your yard that needs a little something, use a trellis as an accent for climbing vines.

Picnic table & benches. You can find patterns for rectangular, square, octagonal and more table shapes to fit your backyard space. Do most of the work now; then put it all together outdoors once the good weather has arrived.

Trash can corral. Hide those garbage cans! A corral keeps them out of sight, in place during storms or high winds, and away from critters. A simple fence with swinging gate will do or build a sturdier corral with double doors and a hinged lid.

For Furry & Feathered Friends

Dog house. If your pup prefers the great outdoors, build a comfy home that matches his/her size and protects the pet from bad weather.

Bird house or feeder. Keep it simple so children can help with this project. These can be made with leftover pieces of wood from other projects.

An online search will help you to find patterns and lists of the materials you’ll need to complete your woodworking projects. Most of these should not be expensive to create. And we hope you’ll enjoy the time spent making them!

Oak, poplar & mahogany wood boards