Wood crafting can be expensive but it doesn’t have to be. With some basic tools and a little know-how you can make dozens of unique decorative and functional furnishings for your home on a budget. If you’re looking for wood craft ideas that won’t cost a fortune, we’ve put together some tips to help.
Blanket Ladder
Ladders have become an important and popular part of interior design. You can use them to create many useful furnishings like bookcases, lighting fixtures and rustic decor. One way to upcycle an old ladder that’s easy on the budget is to create a blanket ladder. For a wooden ladder, all you’ll need to do is sand the surfaces to prevent splinters and fabric snags. Then hang blankets over the rungs to add instant coziness and keep them close when you need them.
You can use this same idea for more than blankets, too. Try a ladder in your kitchen to hang dish towels or in the laundry room to hang drying clothes. Ladders are truly versatile and don’t require any expensive refurbishment to make great decorative pieces.
Wall Hooks
You can never have too much storage and wall-mounted storage will save valuable space. A great woodworking DIY project is to create a board with hooks to hang on the wall. You can use this for keys, towels or even jewelry organization. The process is simple and only requires a perfect piece of wood and some metal hooks from your hardware store.
To start, you’ll want to sand the wood plank or piece for your base. If you want to add any paint or stain, make sure it has time to dry before moving on to the next step. Using a manual screwdriver or cordless drill, attach the hooks to the wood surface in either a symmetrical or staggered pattern. Keep in mind what you plan to hang on the hooks when determining the space between them and you’ll have a useful and inexpensive handmade storage solution in no time.
Hanging Rope Shelf
Hanging wall shelves are a huge trend in interior design and also make quick and budget-friendly crafting projects. All you need to get started is a board in the size you’d like your shelf, a wide drill bit and some rope. After sanding the wood, use a cordless drill to add two holes on either end of the board. Feed the rope through the holes and tie knots on the bottom to hang.
You can customize these shelves for specific purposes such as hanging potted plants. Cut circular holes in the board the same diameter as a small planter and you can nestle them securely into the shelf without worrying about balance. You can hang these rope shelves against the wall or even in windows. You can even make multiple hanging tiers for more storage, all for the low price of easy-to-find materials.
Crafting can be a great way to save money on home decor, but it’s easy to get carried away at the hobby or hardware store and end up over budget. Luckily, these project ideas should keep you within your comfortable spending range and provide you with unique handmade items for your home.
About the Author
Ryan Mandigo
Ryan Mandigo is an award-winning professional broker associate with Omni Real Estate. Originally a native of New Hampshire, his love of real estate began 30+ years ago while swinging a hammer on a framing crew. He has always had a strong passion for helping people, whether it be assisting a couple in purchasing their first home, finding a home that fits a growing family's needs, or downsizing for those with an empty nest. He strives to build strong personal and professional relationships with being a true believer in the power of positive thinking and always willing to lend a helping hand.
He is also a co-founder and board member of the Swing Fore the Kids organization. A local charity that is 100% nonprofit and their sole purpose is to help needy children and young adults within Horry County communities. He finds great satisfaction and pleasure in seeing how working hard for a great cause and raising funds can help others in need. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Waccamaw Youth Center in Conway, where their mission is to provide at-risk youth "A Place To Call Home"
When he is not working, he enjoys music, working around the home, spending time with family and friends, turning wrenches on vintage vehicles, getting some wind therapy on the Harley or chilling with their dogs.
Some quotes he lives by - "Do what you like and like what you do" - "You have to be odd to be number one" - "Dreams don't work unless you do" And one of his favorites. "Positive and enthusiastic thinking in all you do"
