21 Clever Little Things to Do with Scrap Wood

Don't toss all that scrap wood left over from your last DIY adventure! Instead, put it to good use building one of these fun and functional projects for your home.

By Manasa Reddigari | Updated Jun 01, 2018 11:46 AM

Tool Around

1/21
Easy DIY Toolbox

Keep the tools of the DIY trade safe and secure in this scrap wood tool tote. The bottom tray comes together with brads and glue, and offers shelter for hammers and wrenches. The plywood upright, which fits securely into a slot in the base, features holes for tin snips, pliers, and other essentials.


Related: 21 Brilliant Hacks for Everyday Home Repairs

instructables.com via bennelson

Nocturnal Nook

2/21
Easy DIY Bookends

These wise-guy bookends will start a new chapter on stylish storage in your home library. Assemble the bases using scrap wood and wood glue, and then carve the owl heads. Attach eyes and a beak to each head, and finish by screwing an owl to each base for an enchanting book nook.


Related: 10 Novel DIYs for a Better Bookshelf

thatsmyletter.blogspot.com

Blaze a Trail

3/21
DIY Pallet Garden Path

If you're looking to add or replace a walkway in your garden retreat, consider this pretty (and free!) pallet wood solution. First, dig a level pathway that's about the same width as the pallet boards and lower than both the surrounding landscape and any adjacent driveway or other paved area. Then, simply fit the boards tightly in place, pushing a little soil in between each slat to hold it securely. 


Related: 7 Thrifty Designs for a DIY Walkway

funkyjunkinteriors.net

Into the Woods

4/21
Rustic DIY Accent Wall

What better way to accent the walls of your art studio than with remnant wood from your last design project? Here, painted pallet wood boards are secured to the wall with construction adhesive and finishing nails. You can even install ledges above some of the boards to display decorative accents.


Related: 9 DIY Ways to Redo Your Wall—Without Paint

prettyhandygirl.com

One for the Birds

5/21
DIY Bird Feeder and Planter

Give your flighty neighbors a place to nest in this bespoke birdhouse planter, made of scrap wood assembled with glue and finishing nails. The main box is constructed of scrap cedar and accented with a poplar perch post, while the cedar roof tray holds home-grown succulents.


Related: 10 Forgiving Houseplants You Can Grow Anywhere

lowes.com

Take a Number

6/21
DIY Wood Address Marker

Good for more than just prepping a can of paint, wood paint stirrers can also make a splash on your front porch. To make your own house number display, cut and stain a collection of paint stirrers, then glue them horizontally onto a scrap wood board. Top the board with sleek numerals, and you've got a dazzling DIY house ID.


Related: Curb Appeal to Steal from 12 Hollywood Homes

4men1lady.com

Farm Fresh

7/21
DIY Reclaimed Wood Picture Frame

Farmhouse-style accents can come with a high price tag—but not this rustic wood picture frame. Made from barn wood and assembled with hot glue and a few screws, this picture-perfect wall hanging offers both bucolic charm and the lightweight durability required to hang it securely on the wall.


Related: 10 Things You Didn't Know Super Glue Can Do

apieceofrainbow.com

Window of Opportunity

8/21
DIY Window Planter

Bring the bounty of spring indoors by putting this weathered-wood planter on display. Deck out a store-bought window box using inexpensive wood shims cut to size and painted in a rainbow of soft colors. Attach the shims to the box using wood glue, and fill with herbs, succulents, and other seasonal staples. 


Related: 10 Crazy New Ways to Bring the Garden Indoors

centsationalgirl.com

Doggy Dining

9/21
DIY Pet Feeding Station

With this pup-friendly project, you can feed Fido as well as your own DIY cravings. The table, cut from scrap pine board, is supported by four cut-to-size table legs and features two jigsaw-cut holes sized just right for food and water bowls. After assembly, sand and paint the station so it will be as attractive to you as it will be to your hungry pet.


Related: 9 Things You Can Do with 1 Gallon of Paint

eastcoastcreativeblog.com

Florid Details

10/21
DIY Wood and Paver Address Marker

Ordinary scrap wood and concrete pavers can pave the way to a flourishing planter. The joinery, made from 2x2's, comes together with deck screws, and the pavers are secured to the wood pieces with construction adhesive. Complete the look with a set of shiny house numbers that will make your curb appeal pop.


Related: 8 Ways to Upgrade Your Backyard with Pavers

classyclutter.net

See the Light

11/21
DIY Outdoor Lanterns

As these DIY luminaries demonstrate, lanterns exude an ambience that will never go out of style. Assemble scrap wood planks into a lantern box and base, attach the box to the base, and top with brad nails and wood glue. Add a paint bucket handle to make the lantern easier to move around, then rest a candle inside to cast a romantic glow—and perhaps release a whiff of your favorite fragrance too.


Related: 8 New Ideas for DIY Outdoor Lighting

jenwoodhouse.com

Woody Undertones

12/21
DIY Wine Rack

Your guests are sure to savor this eye-popping wine rack every time you pop open a bottle. To build it, measure and cut the top, base, and triangular midsection to size, and then assemble with pocket-hole screws. After staining and distressing the rack to suit your style, fill it with your favorite varietals.


Related: 7 Kitchen Design Trends Set to Dominate 2016

shanty-2-chic.com

Hole-in-One

13/21
DIY Sofa Sleeve

Give naked upholstery a sleek and savvy cover-up with this wooden sofa sleeve. Using glue, assemble precut and drilled scrap wood into a convenient perch that hugs an arm of your couch or chair. The circular trench, drilled with a hole saw, lets this sofa accessory double as a cup holder.


Related: Sofa, So Good: 10 Creative Ways to Revive a Tired Old Couch

abeautifulmess.com

Gear Up

14/21
DIY Wood Bike Basket

Accent your bike with this basket made of paint stirrers that have simply been glued together and stained. The finished product mimics a classic bike crate and lends instant old-school charm to your favorite mode of transportation. Secure the basket to your bike with belts or basket fasteners, and then hit the road in style!


Related: 10 Backyard Wood Projects for Total Beginners

alwaysrooney.com

Top-Shelf Idea

15/21
DIY Wood House Shelf

Classics, thrillers, and bedtime stories alike will feel at home in this winsome wood shelf. Assemble a frame from scrap wood, connecting the base pieces together using wood glue and brad nails. Attach the beveled-edge roof to the top, fill any nail holes with wood filler, and sand the shelf smooth. Paint if desired for a fairytale-worthy result. 


Related: Control Kids' Clutter with 7 Creative DIYs

sawdustgirl.com

Beyond Measure

16/21
DIY Kitchen Cabinet Organizer

Few store-bought kitchen tool organizers can measure up to this DIY equivalent. Cut off the handles of a few paint stirrers, give them a coat of color, and nail them to a kitchen cabinet. Cup hooks secured to the stirrers, with each measure carefully labeled, guarantee recipe success.


Related: 10 Extras to DIY for Your Kitchen

infarrantlycreative.net

Roped In

17/21
DIY Hanging Rope Shelf

Even hardworking spaces like the laundry room can use some playfulness. Here, a scrap wood plank suspended with rope from a screw-eye hook in the ceiling creates a hanging shelf with the fun vibe of a tree swing—and plenty of storage room for supplies.


Related: 20 Instant Updates for a Laundry Room You Can Love

homedepot.com

Counter the Ordinary

18/21
DIY Paint Stirrer Kitchen Counters

Refinish a countertop or give an old piece of furniture a rustic look by outfitting it with a surface made from a surprising wooden throwaway: paint stirrers. Nail a piece of cut-to-size plywood to your item, trim off the curved ends of the paint stirrers, and attach the straight lengths to the plywood top using wood glue. A little wood filler, sanding, and staining are all that's left to bring this project to its charming end. 


Related: 7 Countertop Materials You Can Actually Afford

blog.freepeople.com

Wood You Come In?

19/21
DIY Wooden Door Mat

Pep up a blah entryway with this wooden doormat. Glue and nail pieces of scrap cedar to form the frame, and then cut the inside pieces at angles, gluing and nailing them within the frame until it's filled. The widely spaced slats make it a cinch to scrape off mud and other carpet-soiling gunk from sopping shoes, ensuring that this project is both attractive and functional. 


Related: 14 Ultrafunctional Ideas to Steal for Your Entryway

themerrythought.com

Twiggy Figure

20/21
DIY Branch Coat Rack

No hooks handy to build your dream coat rack? Branch out! Twigs offer an ideal (and stylish) substitute, and you can safely prune them from nearby trees without causing any damage. Snip a few likely twigs, then paint them and screw them onto a wooden board to fashion a functional drop zone for everyday extras.


Related: 11 Easy DIY Projects to Declutter Your Home

gardentherapy.ca

Chopping Block

21/21
Scrap Wood Cutting Board

Any maple, mahogany, or other hardwoods left in your cutoff box can serve as the basis for a multifaceted cutting board. Glue together precut, jointed, and planed wood strips into one large board, then route a groove along the border. Finish with a thorough sanding, then use it to show off your culinary—and woodworking—chops!


Related: 11 Cheap Cures for a Cluttered Kitchen

instructables.com via noahw

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