Woodworking is a very traditional craft, and with society's rapid development, many traditional carpentry techniques are gradually being lost. Because of this, handmade products are now sold at high prices.
Many woodworkers make money by selling their unique products. Of course, this lucrative business attracts many hobbyists, and earning money from your hobby sounds very attractive. However, many hobbyists are unaware they can also make a lot of money from this hobby.
This article will delve into the woodworking industry and discover how woodworkers can make money.

What is woodworking?

Woodworking is a profession and a hobby. Woodworking focuses on creating crafts through various design techniques, such as carving and cutting. The woodworking business has a wide range of applications, from house cabinets to wooden earrings made from wood.
Traditionally, woodworkers would use chisels, knives, and other carving tools to design a piece of wood into goods and give them function. Woodworking has long been an important part of our lives.

How to make money in woodworking

Many beginners and hobbyists ask, "How can I make money from woodworking" or "Can I make money from woodworking"?
Yes, there is a great market for wood products. If you love the design and have a unique idea, you can easily make money selling woodworking products. The next few ways to start a woodworking business are recommended to make your woodworking business go more smoothly.

Launching multiple online platforms

 

Image by Etsy

Selling crafts online is the most effective way to showcase your products to everyone. No matter what type of wood products you choose to sell, you can sell them online. Of course, many online shops do require a fee. For example, Amazon is free to sign up and the first month is free. You have to pay $39.99 per month from the second month onwards.
If you don't have the budget upfront, you can start with just one platform for your online shop. Each online shop has its character. Choose Etsy to sell small items such as wooden table lamps, earrings, clocks, etc. Amazon would be better if you needed to sell wooden wardrobes, large tables, etc. Be sure to choose a suitable online platform for selling items.

Selling crafts offline

You can open a woodworking shop or take products to local craft fairs/exhibitions, which can generate some profit for you. And you can also get your customers to follow you on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc. This will keep a lasting connection with your customers. Build up slowly; I'm sure you'll have more customers and orders.

 

Sell woodworking design kits

Suppose you have a laser cutter and have enough ideas and creativity. In that case, you can sell original files of your designs on the design platform for around $1-$3 for simple designs and $30-$1,000 for complex ones, depending on the complexity of the product. And it will cost you money because if someone still likes your design years later, they will still pay you for your woodworking kit.

Woodworking services

This is the most traditional way to make money as a woodworker: refinishing wooden furniture or providing sensible solutions for your customers' wooden products. And with so many antique or expensive wooden items needing restoration these days, you can make enough money by restoring wooden goods if you are skilled enough at woodworking.

How do I start a woodworking business?

This is a exciting time for entrepreneurs who can't wait to start a woodworking business. But the process of creating a woodworking business is likely to involve buying tools that are not necessary and spending money that is not necessary. This can add to the production costs of a woodworking business and can even cause money problems for entrepreneurs with a small budget.
So what is necessary to start a woodworking business, and what can be omitted? Here are some basic processes to help you create a successful woodworking business:

Define your business

Define the initial direction of your business, such as whether you want to start an online or offline shop, sell small items or large furniture, etc. This is all something you need to think about upfront. I would suggest that the woodworking business initially tries to sell FMCG items such as accessories, wall art, picture frames and other small items.
If you sell high-cost items such as wardrobes or dining tables at the beginning, you will likely have no customers for a long time. Few people will choose a startup shop with no brand or factory to buy expensive furniture.

Make a plan

Buy your raw materials and tools wisely according to your choice of woodworking business. I recommend that you invest more money in purchasing production tools, as the results of the product once you have launched your business will depend to a large extent on the quality of the devices.

Learn carpentry skills

To have customers placing orders depends heavily on the quality of the product. It would help if you took the time to learn the skills of whichever woodworking tool you choose. And keep up to date with market changes to ensure your products are current and popular.

Obtaining a business permit

Whichever type of woodworking shop you start, you will need to obtain a specific local license, which you can find out from the local authorities.
Once everything is ready, you can start your own woodworking business.

How to make products more attractive

How can you make your product stand out? This is the most important question many entrepreneurs want to ask. Here are a few ways in which you can make your goods more competitive:

 

1. Uniqueness: Unique items are more attractive whether you are running a bespoke business or mass production. Many businesses now offer a bespoke service and, after research, sales of bespoke items are high in market share.
2. Diversity: If the woodworking business sells small items, you may choose to sell everything from mobile phone stands to earrings together. This increases the customer base and caters to the market better.
3. Quality raw materials: if your product is of good quality and unique, you can sell it for a higher price. Using high-quality panels will cost more in materials, but you can save on other costs by optimizing the process. This way, you can maximize your profits while ensuring customer satisfaction.

The most versatile woodworking tool: laser engraver

The CO2 laser cutter is the most efficient and suitable tool for cutting/engraving wood. It cuts a wide range of boards efficiently, precisely and with high productivity.

You have several advantages in using the CO2 laser cutter in your woodworking business:

1. Cutting/carving precision: the CO2 laser cutter is computer-controlled and produces excellent carving results by simply entering the carving parameters on the computer. Traditional woodworking tools can often make mistakes during use and may need to be recreated if you are a beginner.
2. Efficient: The CO2 laser cutter is several to several dozen times more productive than conventional woodworking when cutting/carving wood. The automated cutting technology allows the laser beam to be engraved precisely on the board, saving a lot of production time.
3. Labor saving: the machine operates very intelligently, and the whole process does not require too much labor, which saves labor costs significantly.
4. Consistency: the CO2 laser cutter relies on machine control and can produce the same product many times. This ensures that all items produced are consistent.
5. Cost savings: there are no engraving errors during the machine engraving process, so there is no need to worry about wasting material. And laser engraving is non-contact, so there is no need to worry about damaging the laser head by engraving wood.

Best Woodworking Tools Recommendation

Gweike G1

Price: $399
This entry-level woodworking tool is fully functional and can easily cut/carve a wide range of woods.
You can make your woodworking business more productive with a super fast carving speed of 400mm/s.
G1 is compact, has a small footprint and is lightweight so that you can move it around easily.
The air assist makes carving details more precise and makes your woodworking business stand out.

5 of the most profitable woodworking projects

Finding a profitable woodworking project is also very important to the success of your business. Suppose you have yet to decide on a woodworking project right now. The following section will give you 5 woodworking businesses currently on the market with high sales volumes. This will provide you with some inspiration for your business venture.

Wooden mugs

The most common mugs we see are glass and stainless steel. Have you ever thought about selling wooden mugs? You can make wooden champagne glasses, mugs and other cups. Wooden mugs can be engraved with letters or numbers, and giving this unique mug to your partner as an anniversary gift will surely be heartwarming.

 

Wooden photos

This is one of the biggest-selling woodworking projects today, and with the CO2 laser cutter, it is easy to carve fine photographs in just a few minutes. People prefer personalized wooden photos to paper photos. Engraved details make it a unique and meaningful gift. Make a wooden photo of your wedding, graduation, or birthday photo and display it in your home to add interesting and fond memories.

Wooden signs

This is one of the most common woodworking projects. In the beginning, woodworking appeared mainly to produce wooden furniture and signs. In places such as coffee shops, bookstores and libraries, wooden signs would look more serene and elegant in the environment. Nowadays, many wedding signs and company nameplates are personalized with various wood shapes.

Wooden brackets

This is a very simple woodworking business requiring only a little particular skill. Almost every home has a stand at the moment and although mobile phone stands are sold at low prices, they sell in very high volumes. If you have yet to think about what woodworking project to start up front, you can start by selling mobile phone stands. Not only can you personalize your phone stand by making various animals or engraving personalized text on it, but you can also make a multifunctional phone stand like the one pictured below.

 

Wooden maps

Wooden maps can be used as wall decorations by cutting different shapes of panels and putting them together. You can add uniqueness to the product by attaching text or directional markings. You can also paint them in a different color to make them unique items.

How do I sell a carpentry project?

Determine the price

Before you customize prices for your woodworking projects, you need to know what your competitors charge. Then combine your advantages, materials, labor costs and input costs with the overall level of buying in the area where you are selling.
Once you have completed your research, you can produce a reasonable price for your item to ensure it is competitive in its industry.
It is not the case here that the lower the price, the better. If your creativity is unique, the quality of the panels is also good, and the courier shipping time is short, etc., these are all advantages for conducting a woodworking business. With these advantages, you can appropriately price your product higher.

Selling online

Opening an online shop is the best way to get your goods seen by more customers. Here we recommend Etsy, Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba, and you can also build your specialist website focusing on your woodworking business.

Promote display items

Posting daily merchandise on social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, etc., helps to help you attract more potential customers. You can also interact with your followers regularly, increasing your customers' trust and thus increasing your chances of making a sale.

Selling offline

You can open your shop and sell, and you can also contact larger local shops and sell your goods to them.

Attend craft/DIY shows

This is the quickest way to tap into customers, as most people at trade shows are very interested in crafts. If your product is unique enough, you will stand out. However, some fairs can be expensive, so if you are on a budget, you will need to be selective. It is best to choose one that is well-attended and inexpensive.

Conclusion

You can make many unique woodworking projects with your imagination and creativity and make more money by selling them. Suppose you are not initially confident in your woodworking business. In that case, you can start with the gweike cloud G1, a great starter machine for your woodworking business and very inexpensive for entrepreneurs.
So get your woodworking business started and make money!