Best Selling Wood Projects at Craft Fairs and Online aren’t always the most complicated builds — They’re the ones people actually want to buy.
While craft fairs, Etsy shops, and online marketplaces are packed with handmade goods,
only certain wooden projects consistently attract attention, sell quickly, and deliver real profit.
If you’re looking to turn your woodworking skills into income,
this guide breaks down what actually sells, why some projects outperform others,
and where different types of wooden items perform best.
Whether you’re setting up a craft fair booth or listing products online, the goal is the same:
Build projects that move fast, price well, and make your time in the shop pay off.
🪚 Tools That Make Selling Wood Projects Easier
If you plan to build wood projects for craft fairs or online sales,
efficiency matters just as much as craftsmanship.
The right tools help you produce consistent results, work faster, and keep costs under control — Especially when you’re making the same item over and over again.
These tools are popular among small-scale woodworkers because they save time, improve accuracy,
and make batch production far more manageable without turning your shop into a factory.
🔹 Benchtop Thickness Planer
A thickness planer is one of the biggest time-savers when making items to sell. It allows you to quickly mill boards to a consistent thickness, which is critical when producing multiples of the same product. Consistent stock means cleaner joinery, faster assembly, and a more professional final result.
 Amazon Product Suggestion:
 WEN PL1326 15-Amp 13-Inch Spiral Benchtop Thickness Planer
If you’re working with rough lumber or want consistent thickness across your boards, a benchtop planer is a game-changer. The WEN PL1326 makes it easy to flatten and thickness boards accurately, helping you get better glue-ups, tighter joinery, and smoother surfaces before sanding.
The spiral cutter head delivers a cleaner cut with less tear-out compared to straight knives, especially when working with figured grain. Combined with a powerful 15-amp motor and compact benchtop footprint, this planer is a great fit for home shops that want professional-level results without dedicating floor space to a full-size machine.
Why It’s Great:
 Spiral cutter head reduces tear-out on tricky grain
 Produces consistent, accurate board thickness
 Powerful 15-amp motor handles hardwoods with ease
 Compact benchtop design for small shops
 Excellent upgrade for milling rough lumber at home
🔹 Random Orbital Sander
Sanding is unavoidable when selling wooden items, but the right sander makes it far less tedious.
A random orbital sander helps you achieve smooth, even surfaces quickly
— Especially on small items like boxes, frames, and cutting boards —
Without leaving noticeable swirl marks.
 Amazon Product Suggestion:
 SKIL 5” Random Orbital Sander
(with Cyclonic Dust Box)
This SKIL 5” random-orbital sander is a killer little powerhouse — perfect for smoothing out your walnut display case, taking down glue squeeze-out, or prepping panels before finishing.
It’s compact, strong, and stupid-easy to control.
The built-in cyclonic dust box actually works (rare for budget sanders),
keeping the air cleaner while you work.
Why it’s great:
 Random-orbit finish for smooth, swirl-free sanding
Cyclonic dust box that actually traps dust
Comfortable grip for long sanding sessions
Variable speed for precise control on any wood
Low vibration for accuracy and less fatigue
🔹 SKIL 6-Amp Corded Jig Saw
A jigsaw is one of the most versatile tools for making wood projects that sell. It allows you to cut curves, shapes, and decorative details that help smaller items stand out at craft fairs and online listings.
From signs and ornaments to toys and wall décor, a reliable jigsaw expands the range of products you can offer without adding complexity to your workflow.
 Amazon Product Suggestion:
 SKIL 6-Amp Corded Jig Saw
A dependable jigsaw with solid power and smooth control. The SKIL 6-Amp delivers clean curves, fast cuts, and easy bevel adjustments, making it a great all-around tool for woodworking and DIY projects.
Why it’s great:
Powerful 6-amp motor for hardwoods and plywood
4-stage orbital action for smooth or aggressive cutting
Bright HALO LED for clear visibility on cut lines
Tool-free bevel adjustment for quick angled cuts
 Comfortable grip with low vibration for better accuracy
🔹Circular Saw with Guide
Accurate, repeatable cuts are essential when building projects for sale.
Whether you’re using a table saw or a circular saw with a straight guide, having a reliable cutting setup helps you produce parts that fit together properly and reduces wasted material.
 Amazon Product Suggestion:
 SKIL 15-Amp 7-1/4″ Circular Saw
(5280-01)
This SKIL saw is a solid, no-nonsense workhorse for cutting lumber.
The 15-amp motor gives you smooth, confident cuts, and the built-in laser helps keep your lines straight. It’s lightweight, easy to handle, and perfect for breaking down boards for a project like this porch bench.
Why It’s Great:
Strong 15-amp motor
Laser guide for straight cuts
Lightweight and beginner-friendly
Great for rip cuts and crosscuts
Excellent value for the price
🛍️ Best Small Wood Projects That Sell at Craft Fairs
Craft fair shoppers are usually looking for affordable, giftable items they can carry home easily.
The projects that sell best tend to be small, visually appealing, and priced in a way
that feels like an easy decision.
These are proven wood projects that consistently perform well at in-person events.
🪵 Wooden Cutting Boards
Cutting boards are a craft fair staple for a reason.
They’re useful, giftable, and easy for customers to understand at a glance.
Simple shapes sell well, and adding subtle details like juice grooves or unique wood grain patterns can help your boards stand out without overcomplicating the build.
🖼️ Picture Frames
Picture frames are lightweight, easy to batch-produce, and appeal to a wide range of buyers.
Clean, simple designs work best, especially when paired with neutral finishes that fit almost any décor. Frames also allow for easy upselling when customers buy multiples.
🧸 Wooden Toys
Classic wooden toys — such as cars, animals, and stacking toys — are popular with parents and grandparents looking for handmade gifts.
These projects don’t need elaborate details to sell well;
smooth edges, safe finishes, and solid construction matter far more than complexity.
📦 Small Wooden Boxes
Keepsake boxes, trinket boxes, and small storage boxes sell well because buyers immediately imagine how they’ll use them.
These projects are great for scrap wood and can be customized with different sizes, lids, or finishes to create variety without changing your workflow.
🪧 Wooden Signs
Simple wooden signs with routed, carved, or painted designs are easy sellers at craft fairs.
Even without text-heavy customization, shape, texture, and finish can do most of the visual work. Seasonal themes can also boost sales at the right time of year.
❤️ Home Décor Accents
Small décor items like hearts, animals, trays, and shelf sitters appeal to impulse buyers.
These pieces are quick to make, easy to display, and allow customers to justify the purchase as a small upgrade to their home.
Why These Projects Sell
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Easy to carry and transport
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Affordable price points
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Clear purpose or gift appeal
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Quick to understand visually
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Efficient to batch-produce
đź’» Best Wood Projects to Sell Online
Selling wood projects online is a different game than selling at craft fairs.
Items need to ship easily, photograph well, and survive handling without damage.
The best online sellers are typically lightweight, durable, and simple to explain in a product listing.
These wood projects consistently perform well on platforms like Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, and personal websites.
🧱 Wooden Home Décor Signs
Wooden signs do extremely well online because they photograph cleanly and
appeal to specific tastes or themes.
Simple shapes, layered designs, or engraved patterns tend to perform better than overly detailed builds. Signs also benefit from clear listing photos that show size and texture.
📦 Small Wooden Storage Boxes
Boxes are strong online sellers because they’re practical and easy to ship.
Jewelry boxes, desk organizers, and keepsake boxes fit neatly into shipping boxes and feel substantial when they arrive.
Clean joinery and smooth finishes matter more online than decorative complexity.
🧸 Wooden Toys and Kids’ Items
Wooden toys sell well online when safety and quality are clearly communicated.
Parents shopping online look for smooth edges, durable construction, and non-toxic finishes.
Simple designs photograph well and build trust quickly in listings.
🖼️ Picture Frames and Wall Décor
Frames and flat wall décor items are ideal for online sales because they’re lightweight and easy to package.
Neutral styles tend to outperform trendy designs,
since buyers want something that fits into existing décor.
Offering multiple sizes can also increase repeat purchases.
🍽️ Small Wooden Kitchen Items
Items like utensil holders, trays, and small serving boards sell well online due to their everyday usefulness. These products don’t require customization to attract buyers and often benefit from lifestyle photos showing them in use.
Why These Projects Work Online
-
Easy and affordable to ship
-
Durable enough for transit
-
Photograph well for listings
-
Simple to explain and understand
-
Repeatable for consistent sales
đź’° Pricing, Time, and Profit Reality
Pricing wood projects isn’t just about materials — it’s about time, efficiency, and consistency.
Many woodworkers underprice their work by focusing only on lumber costs and ignoring the hours spent cutting, sanding, finishing, and packaging.
When you’re selling at scale, time becomes your most valuable resource.
Projects that sell best are usually the ones that can be made quickly and repeated easily.
A simple item that takes 30 minutes to build and sells steadily is often more profitable than a complex piece that takes several hours but sells occasionally.
This is especially true when producing inventory for craft fairs or fulfilling online orders.
Profit also depends on how well your workflow is set up.
Batch production, consistent sizing, and streamlined finishing all help reduce build time and material waste.
If a project can’t be priced competitively and still pay you fairly for your time,
it’s usually not worth keeping in your lineup.
Selling wood projects can absolutely be profitable —
But only when pricing reflects the full picture, not just the cost of wood.
🏪 Where to Sell: Craft Fairs vs Online Marketplaces
Both craft fairs and online marketplaces can be profitable places to sell wood projects,
but they each come with different advantages and challenges.
Understanding how they differ helps you choose projects that make sense for where —
and how — you plan to sell.
Craft Fairs
Craft fairs offer immediate feedback and in-person sales.
Buyers can touch the product, feel the weight, and see the craftsmanship up close,
which often leads to impulse purchases.
Smaller, giftable items tend to perform best, especially when priced affordably and displayed cleanly.
The downside is time.
Craft fairs require booth setup, inventory transport, and long hours on your feet.
Weather, foot traffic, and event quality can also impact sales.
Still, for many woodworkers, craft fairs are an excellent way to test products and build confidence quickly.
Online Marketplaces
Selling online provides access to a much larger audience and allows sales to happen without being physically present.
Platforms like Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, and personal websites make it possible to sell year-round, even while you’re in the shop building.
However, online selling comes with its own challenges.
Shipping costs, packaging durability, photography, and customer communication all matter.
Products need to arrive exactly as described, and listings must clearly explain size, finish,
and use to avoid returns or confusion.
Choosing the Right Fit
Many woodworkers start with craft fairs to learn what sells, then move successful items online.
Others focus entirely on online sales to avoid event schedules and travel.
There’s no single right approach —
The best choice depends on your time, goals, and how you prefer to work.
🧠Final Thoughts: Build What Sells, Not Just What’s Fun
Selling wood projects is about finding the balance between craftsmanship and practicality.
The projects that perform best aren’t always the most complex or time-consuming —
They’re the ones that fit buyers’ needs, price well, and can be made efficiently without burning you out.
Whether you’re selling at craft fairs, online, or both, success comes from choosing the right projects, pricing them honestly, and refining your process over time.
Start small, pay attention to what moves quickly,
and don’t be afraid to drop projects that don’t make sense financially.
When you build with intention and sell with clarity, woodworking can be both creative and profitable. Focus on what works, keep improving your workflow,
and let the sales guide your next build. 🪚💰
 More Woodworking Projects You’ll Enjoy
Here are a few other beginner-friendly project ideas you can try next:
-
How to Build a Wooden Mailbox – A sturdy outdoor project that teaches accurate layout and assembly.
-
Build a Simple Wooden Toolbox – A classic beginner project and a great way to organize your tools.
-
DIY Display Case – Learn clean joinery with a project that looks great in any room.
-
Craft a Kids’ Stool in 5 Steps – A quick build that teaches essential cutting and measuring skills.
These projects help you grow your skills while creating something you’ll enjoy for years to come.
You got this!
Craft it. Shape it. Own it!
 Need More Woodworking Plans?
 Click here to learn more about Ted’s Woodworking Plans:
If you want hundreds of additional project ideas with clear step-by-step instructions, my full review breaks down exactly what you get inside Ted’s Woodworking Plans.
It’s a great resource if you like weekend builds, simple jigs, or classic shop projects.
Check out the full review here → Ted’s Woodworking Plans
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