20 Creative Woodworking Business Ideas

20 Creative Woodworking Business Ideas

Interested in starting a woodworking business but not quite sure what to start?

Fortunately, there are plenty of different opportunities to start an innovative and profitable business in this line of work.

If you're looking to start your own woodworking business, there are several low-investment options you can choose from.

Here they are:

1. Start a blog ($60K/year)

How Much Can You Make?
$200 — $160,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$2,687
Time Commitment Per Week
Min. 5 hours/week
Skills
Interests

Chhavi Agarwal from New Delhi, Delhi, India started Mrs Daaku Studio over 4 years ago, a blog.

  • Revenue: $5,000/ month
  • Founders: 2
  • Employees: 3
  • Location: New Delhi, Delhi, India

Case Study

I am a licensed attorney in India and right after my master’s in law, I started working with a leading company as a lawyer. I worked there for about two years before I quit my job to become more location independent.

Choose a niche in whatever you start. It is critical for streamlining your efforts and make money.

My job paid me well but I worked 12 hours a day, I was exhausted by the end of each day, spent my weekends sleeping and I almost quit the things I liked to do - for example, sketching, yoga, traveling, etc.

how-this-couple-makes-5k-month-generating-content-about-ways-to-make-money-online

2. Start a clothing blog ($72K/year)

How Much Can You Make?
Skills

Jon Shanahan from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA started The Kavalier about 8 years ago, a clothing blog.

  • Revenue: $6,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 1
  • Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Case Study

My days with a camera can be traced back to my parents’ Sony Handycam when I was 6 directing my friends to make mini movies (still somewhere around here on VHS) but high school was a defining time for that passion as I joined the video club.

There’s certainly no substitute for hard work and dedicating thoughtful time to what you’re working on. I’ve published over 500 videos in the last three years and it takes a lot of time and effort to get there but if you show up everyday you will be ahead.

I was a distracted student in high school but my one reprieve was making videos at the direction of my teacher Brad Schulte. One of my earliest projects is still on YouTube which received 700k views at a time when that was a big deal. Most of those views came from people searching for keywords which planted a seed.

starting-a-youtube-channel-and-blog-making-6-000-month

3. Create an online course ($60K/year)

How Much Can You Make?
$350 — $3,735,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$6,531
Time To Revenue
150 days
Skills

Lidiya Kesarovska from The Netherlands started Let's Reach Success about 10 years ago, a online course.

  • Revenue: $5,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 0
  • Location: The Netherlands

Case Study

Back in 2013, I had already discovered my passion - personal development - and had realized writing is the best way to express myself. So I combined these and started a self-improvement blog.

Starting the blog was the best decision and not giving up on it over the years (even when no traffic or money was coming in) was what helped me move forward.

It was first just a hobby and I knew nothing about blogging. Over the years, after publishing a ton of content, gaining traffic, learning about SEO, email marketing, social media, and all the ways to monetize a blog, it became a real business.

how-i-created-a-5k-month-online-course-about-blogging

4. Start a woodworking business ($78K/year)

How Much Can You Make?
$1,000 — $1,600,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$17,833
Time Commitment Per Week
Min. 5 hours/week
Skills
Interests

Sasha Weekes from Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, Canada started Timber Grove Studios almost 6 years ago, a woodworking business.

  • Revenue: $6,500/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 0
  • Location: Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Case Study

I was always the art kid growing up, so I naturally began my post secondary education by pursuing a degree in Fine Arts. I spent my summers refinishing furniture and doing photography and that’s how I got my feet wet with business, so by my second year, I was also pursuing a minor in Commerce.

I had never really done much woodworking at all but became a lot more interested in design and home decor during those years. After finishing my third year, I was itching to do something more practical than becoming a gallery artist, so I set my sights on furniture design and enrolled in a college cabinetmaking course instead. It really wasn’t where I had ever expected to end up, but it was sort of a natural progression and I’m so glad I did it!

I started making mountain shelves in the morning before class to sell on Facebook and Kijiji. It was intended to be a fun side project but they were so popular that I started my business shortly after graduating with the mountains as my first product.

how-i-took-my-woodworking-hobby-full-time-to-build-a-successful-brand

5. Start a plywood manufacturing business

Examples of a successful plywood manufacturing business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a plywood manufacturing business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a plywood manufacturing business ➜

6. Start a book shelf business

Examples of a successful book shelf business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a book shelf business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a book shelf business ➜

article

7. Become an interior designer ($1.32M/year)

How Much Can You Make?
$100,000 — $415,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$2,000
Skills

Examples of a successful interior designer:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a interior designer:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting an interior designer ➜

Case Study

Well, to make a long story short, my mother and I started this company together in 1996. I was working as a staff interior designer at a private firm in NYC, and my mother, Rosemarie was the manager of the Estate and Trust department at a large Law Firm. We both HATED our jobs and dreamed of doing our 'own thing'. We had no idea what that looked like, and so we turned to our passion..antiques and design.

That passion has morphed into a boutique design firm that boasts over 1M in annual revenue and has completed hundreds of trophy projects.

how-we-mother-and-daughter-started-a-1m-year-boutique-design-firm

8. Start a picture frame making business

How Much Can You Make?
$500,000/month
Skills

Examples of a successful picture frame making business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a picture frame making business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a picture frame making business ➜

Case Study

My name is Mehdi Kajbaf, Co-Founder at Matboard and More ™ , the company that makes framing your art easier than you think. We brought sophistication to one of the oldest industries on earth, picture framing.

However, if you can live the life you want, have financial security for the future and the freedom to enjoy it, you are probably successful.

finding-financial-freedom-through-starting-a-matboard-business

9. Start a beer bottle crate business

Examples of a successful beer bottle crate business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a beer bottle crate business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a beer bottle crate business ➜

article

10. Start an antique furniture refurbishing business

Examples of a successful antique furniture refurbishing business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a antique furniture refurbishing business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting an antique furniture refurbishing business ➜

article

11. Start a candle holder business

How Much Can You Make?
$4,000 — $500,000/month
Average Initial Investment
$400
Skills

Examples of a successful candle holder business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a candle holder business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a candle holder business ➜

Case Study

My name is Kevin Gillespie, and along with Garrett Le’ Tourneau, we created Wax & Wick, the 100% soy candles with wood wicks.

Some notable differentiation between Wax & Wick and traditional candles is that our branding is simple, the style of the candle will fit with any decor, and we use only 100% soy wax and Fsc-Certified wood wicks. Our impact on the environment is intentionally small.

selling-over-4-500-candles

12. Start a woodworking supplies business

How Much Can You Make?
Skills

Examples of a successful woodworking supplies business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a woodworking supplies business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a woodworking supplies business ➜

Case Study

Hello! My name is Zack Hall. I’m a software developer, and I’m the founder of SketchUp For Woodworkers, an online course teaching woodworkers how to use 3D design software. This was a project that grew from scratching my itch. In my spare time, I joined a makerspace near my home in the suburbs of Boston to start woodworking.

Fast-forward and I ended up acquiring an old website and setting out to build the woodworking design tutorials and resources I wish I’d had when I was getting started. After launch, it is currently earning about $1k/month.

i-built-a-12k-year-online-course-tutorials-business-for-woodworkers

13. Start a jewelry box business

How Much Can You Make?
$7,000 — $400,000/month
Skills

Examples of a successful jewelry box business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a jewelry box business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a jewelry box business ➜

Case Study

I am Nikolay Piriankov, the Founder and CEO of Taylor & Hart. We are an award-winning, disruptive e-tailer of custom-designed, ethical engagement rings, wedding rings, and fine jewellery, that capture your story. Our online platform, processes, and brand democratises bespoke jewellery, allowing us to offer this service at scale. Taylor & Hart's vision is to reconnect customers with the original purpose of jewellery - a personalised product that tells a unique story.

Recently we closed a seed round of £1M. The London based Garage Soho, an early stage investor and brand builder also supported us in the last round.

starting-and-growing-a-jewelry-business-to-4-6m-year

14. Start a cabinet making business

Examples of a successful cabinet making business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a cabinet making business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a cabinet making business ➜

article

15. Start a decorative wood business

Examples of a successful decorative wood business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a decorative wood business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a decorative wood business ➜

article

16. Start a planter box business

Examples of a successful planter box business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a planter box business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a planter box business ➜

article

17. Start a cutting board business

Examples of a successful cutting board business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a cutting board business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a cutting board business ➜

article

18. Start a puzzle business

Time To Revenue
210 days
Skills
Business model
Work from home

Examples of a successful puzzle business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a puzzle business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a puzzle business ➜

article

19. Start a wooden remote business

Examples of a successful wooden remote business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a wooden remote business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a wooden remote business ➜

article

20. Start a wooden boat repair business

Examples of a successful wooden boat repair business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a wooden boat repair business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a wooden boat repair business ➜

article

Pat Walls,  Founder of Starter Story
Want to find more ideas that make money?

Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.

Get our 5-minute email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.

meet the author
Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.