How to Make Things out of Wood

Learn the techniques to working with wood.

Many projects can be made out of wood, and attending a wood shop class is one way to learn how. With all the different types of wood available, and all the many different tools and techniques used for working with wood, making things out of wood is simple. All it takes is a little time and a little know-how. The self-satisfaction when your project is complete is worth all the time and energy it takes to get the job done.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Instruction manuals
• Wood
• Nails
• Screws
• Hand tools
• Power tools
• Glue
• Sandpaper

1. Use hand saws or power saws to cut your wood. Measure and secure your wood to a table or platform before attempting your cuts. Wood comes in all different shapes and sizes, and the nice thing about wood is that with a saw you can change any piece of wood into the shape or size you need.

2. Connect your wood pieces together using nails, screws and hinges. Nails are hammered into wood using hammers or electric nail guns. Screws also hold wood together. Screw the screws into your wood using screwdrivers and power screw guns. Hinges are a great idea for connecting two pieces of wood together that need to move around, such as shutters or cabinet doors.

3. Use glue to hold wood pieces together before nailing or screwing. Glue gives wood additional bonding strength. Wood glues are available at any lumber or hardware store. Just add a little glue between the wood pieces. If the glue is the only bonding method you'll be using, use clamps to hold the wood together after the glue is applied.

4. Sand the edges of your wood before assembling your project. Sanded edges prevent splintering. Sanding also gives wood a neat and clean appearance. Sandpaper comes in different grains. Some are rougher than others for use on types of wood that are dense and hard to sand. Power sanders are also a great wood-sanding tool.

5. Make fancy details and designs in your wood using a router. Routers come with a variety of different router bits and are easy to use. Make fancy scrolls or give your item a beveled edge using an electric router.

6. Purchase instruction manuals for making things out of wood. Books are available with plans for building almost anything out of wood. If you are building furniture, find a book in your local hardware store that details exactly how to build furniture. Step-by-step instructions are a helpful resource for building anything out of wood.

Tips & Warnings

• Wood makes incredible furniture, shelving, frames and other objects. When planning your project, make sure to buy the appropriate wood. Wood comes in different textures, thicknesses and durability. Not all wood can be used for making chairs, for example.

• When working with any tool, always take necessary precautions. Wood can splinter, so wear gloves. Using power tools with wood can send wood chips flying right into your eyes, so wear goggles.