Wood Working Ideas to Sell at a Flea Market

There is money to be made selling wooden crafts at flea markets.

Flea markets are a collection of old and new, ordinary and bizarre. You can buy everything from vintage comics to baby pythons. When thinking of woodworking projects to build and sell at the flea market, stick with simple, practical goods that can be built quickly and cheaply.

Kid Stuff

Parents will often spend more money on their children than themselves. Creating useful furniture and decorator items for kids can be very profitable.

Small table and chair sets sell from $40 up to several hundred dollars. A table and two chairs that can be built quickly from inexpensive materials will be a big seller. Be sure to build them strong enough to take a beating and paint them in bright colors.

It seems that every kid could use more storage space for toys. A brightly decorated plywood toy box is a quick and easy project. Be sure to add soft-close hinges to prevent accidents.

Small kitchen sets with a sink, oven or refrigerator will have little girls begging their parents to buy them. Add twisting knobs and working doors to keep them busy for hours.

Decorator Items

Kitchen utility items, such as paper towel holders and cutting boards can be made from scraps and sold at a big profit. Stain them in rich wood colors or go to the local paint store and ask about the most popular decorator paint colors.

Single wall-mount shelves for knickknacks are simple to build. Build up the fronts with crown molding for a custom, decorator feel.

Framing and hanging family photos gives a home a lived-in feel. Create unique picture frames from moldings or rustic barn wood. Have glass cut to fit and display them with cut-out magazine images.

Having a few big-ticket items will help draw people to your stall or table. Create small end or occasional tables from hardwoods, such as cherry and oak. Use cabinet-grade plywood for tops and side panels to save time and money.

Tool Boxes and Accessories

Help eliminate the headache of home projects by building and selling quality tool and supply storage pieces.

Open-top carpenter's boxes with dowel-rod handles can be made for a few dollars each. Offer to customize with a paint pen to include the owner's name or add generic slogans, such as "Grandma's Tools."

Make framed pegboards with similar messages, either hand-painted or stenciled on, for hanging tools. Sell them with a few tools from the dollar store and hanging hardware for added value.

Wooden drawer organizers or bulletin boards with key hooks and mail slots are another good option. Paint them in bright colors and add flowers, butterflies or other designs to add detail. Use a piece of ¼-inch melamine framed in the center as an erasable marker board.

References

• "The Flea Market Entrepreneur"; Charlotte Harmon; 1987
• "Woodworking Projects for Your Shop"; Danny Proulx, Jim Stack, Bill Stankus; 2005
• "Children's Furniture Projects"; Jeff Miller; 2002