10 Project Ideas That Will Make You Never Throw Away Scrap Wood

Guest Blogger by -Woodboss.com

So, the big project is over, but a few miscellaneous pieces of wood remain. While sometimes it may seem to make sense to toss them, there are actually a lot of scrap wood projects out there.

Wooden Stool
All of the materials required for this project are rudimentary and you likely already own if you are working with wood, such as a handsaw and screws. The woodworker in the video uses tree branches, but similar projects are also possible with general scrapwood as well. Whatever way you choose, don’t forget that safety comes first with saws!

Jewelry or Towel Hanger
The beauty of making a towel hanger is really all you need to do is decide how much weight it will need to hold - wet towels or tiny necklaces - and choose the hook durability from there. The link even includes a cute, but optional, shelf.

Blanket Ladder
A blanket ladder is significantly simpler than a typical ladder as the weight you have to take into account is much, much less. At most, each rung should not be holding more than a few pounds. This project could also serve as a towel or drying rack.

Winter/Holiday Decoration
Although a snowflake like this can look rather daunting, it's actually fairly simple. The only "fancy" tool required is a miter saw. Everything else should be easy to come by.

Candle Holder
While the tutorial is rather crafty, the degree to which you follow it is a personal decision. You can forgo the print and opt for a simple rustic wood look.

Coasters
Coasters are perhaps the simplest project on this entire list. All required is measuring squares and cutting to size. Any extra decoration is optional. There are more complicated coaster designs involving many wood pieces glued together, however, that is not really for a novice woodworker.

Storage Boxes
This is a good project for someone who has a large piece or several mid-size pieces of scrap wood so they can trim them down to the proper dimensions. The interior sections can also be skipped for a simple wooden storage box.

Bottle Opener
This nifty bottle opener was created using some leftover fence plank and a few pieces of hardware. Wood glue will suffice to hold the weight of the wooden pieces because minimal weight should need to be supported. You can find the zinc bottle opener on Amazon for a great deal.

Rustic Mirror
All the tools required for building this mirror are simple and the project is quite easy. This project would require a fairly large piece of scrap wood, so, you can easily adjust the size for a smaller mirror (maybe 1'x1' or so?) that could perhaps sit on a table or hang in an entryway. 

Mason Jar Holders
Mason jars can be purchased at most craft stores for around a dollar, depending on the size you hope for. While the project linked only uses a single jar, it could be used for multiple holders.
These are just few examples of what you can do with all of that scrap wood. Next time you finish a bigger project, don’t throw away the scraps – instead, build something cool!