4 Great Ways to Make Use of Scrap Wood

There’s nothing that beats the all-natural look of timber. Around the home and in the garden, its warm tones, organic shapes, and one-of-a-kind imperfections are a soothing, classic choice for décor, design, and construction. Yet, today, finding wood to work with can be tough.

To start, timber prices skyrocketed by over 60% for softwoods and nearly 50% for coniferous woods between 2020 and 2021, according to Forest Research data. And even if you can afford it, the wood might lack Forest Management Certification from the Forest Stewardship Council – seriously impacting its green credentials.

However, if you love DIY, there’s likely a ready supply of wood at your fingertips – in your scrap heap! Instead of burning it or letting it rot, here are four great ways you can make the most of your material.

Wooden Clock

A wooden clock is a straightforward DIY project that’s a great centerpiece for any living space. The only other materials you will need are the clock movement and fixtures – both of which are easily found at most DIY stores.

All you need to do is form a circular design from wooden planks, sand down the wood with a cordless angle grinder for a smooth finish, then affix the clock movement and other fixtures. Simple!

Wine Rack

Either a perfect addition to your home or a brilliant gift for the oenophile in your life, a wine rack is a relatively simple creation that can be made from a wide range of wood varieties.

While wine racks look pretty complex to the untrained eye, their simple ladder construction isn’t too taxing to put together at all. What’s more, with this method you can adapt your rack to a range of shapes and sizes that suit the bottle shape, from a slim Bordeaux to a rotund Chianti, all the way to mighty Magnums, Methuselahs, and Balthazars!

Desk Organizer

Remote working has taken off in the past few years, and with more of us than ever honing our home offices, having something you’ve made yourself can make the space a more relaxing and productive place to work.

Building a desk organizer is a super simple project. Choose a flat, rectangular piece of wood as the base. Glue four sides to the base and install smaller slats within the cavity to make separate dividers. Clamp everything together to ensure a tough bond, then decorate as you wish!

Plant Display

The possibilities are endless when it comes to garden décor, and a wonderfully natural destination for your leftover lumber is a plant display.

Best forged from weather-resistant wood, plant displays like this one from Maison de Pax can be made for pots and planters of all dimensions.

So there you have it – with the ideas above you should be able to work your way through your wood while bringing design savvy to every corner of your home and garden. Are you a dab hand with scrap wood? Tell us what you’ve made in the comments!