After honing their skills, they may want to enter woodworking as an adult but that journey begins with some simple projects, ideally in high school.
These projects may be completed by the high schoolers themselves but could turn into an ideal way for some parental bonding.
There are high school wood projects that are ideal for those who just want to learn how to work with wood and create something useful.
In this guide, we will look at five of the best high school wood projects to try today. These will include a key holder, a corn hole game, a wooden chest, a hiking stick, and a bath tub tray.
Key Holder
If you live in a house where keys tend to go missing every so often then creating a key holder could be a great wood project to start with.
You will need a piece of scrap wood and some hook screws.
1. Start by ensuring that the piece of scrap wood is thick enough to hold hefty sets of keys.
2. Check that the length of the screw will not stick out of the back side of the wood once fixed in.
3. Sand down the wood and then add a design of your choice. If you are using paint, allow it to dry before inserting the hook screws.
4. Drill in a shallow hole for each screw and then insert each one in.
5. Attach a picture hanger to the rear side of the wood to hang up the key holder from a nail. You may need several hangars to ensure that the wood is adequately supported.
Corn Hole Game
There are some angled cuts involved in creating a Corn Hole Game in this moderately difficult wood project. It should be rewarding as the game proves to be fun, especially in summer.
You will need a drawing compass, a pencil, some screws, measuring tape, a few pieces of half-inch plywood, and several two-by-fours.
The cut list includes two 24 by 48-inch sections of half-inch plywood for the game board surfaces.
You will also need four 48-inch sections of the two-by-four with four 21-inch sections of the same two-by-four. For the game’s legs, you will need four 11.5-inch sections of the two-by-four.
1. Create two boxes for the game’s frames from the two-by-four sections by placing the 21-inch sections inside the 48-inch sections. Use a few screws to attach the pieces together.
2. Lay the 24 by 48-inch sections of plywood on top to create those two platform boxes that can be attached by some more screws.
3. Attach two legs to each platform box and make sure that one end is elevated while the other is angled down. Ensure that it lays flat on the ground while the elevated edge is elevated up around 12 inches.
4. Mark out the center hole and draw a circle measuring around six inches around it with the compass. Cut it out with a jigsaw and repeat that for both of the game platforms.
5. Sand out the rough edges and try to decorate the game accordingly.
Wooden Chest
A wooden chest may take a few hours to complete but it will be worth it. The chest can be a space to keep plenty of valuables and belongings safe for years.
Your cut list will consist of two front and back pieces measuring three-quarters of an inch by 16 and 34 inches as well as two chest sides which measure three-quarters of an inch by 16 and 17 inches.
The bottom will measure three-quarters of an inch by 15.5 and 32.5 inches while the top piece will measure three-quarters of an inch by 18 and 36 inches.
There are also four interior supports that will be two by two sections around 14.5 inches long.
Make sure that you measure out each piece of wood accordingly as they should all fit neatly together.
1. Form a box with wood glue from the front, back, bottom, and side pieces. Leave the glue to set and then use a drill with some screws to fully attach the pieces.
2. Ensure that the support pieces are cut at an angle to fit in the corners to be glued and then screwed into place.
3. Trim your backboard trim to match the length of the front of your chest and attach that with glue and then screws, though you can use nails.
4. Use a couple of hinges to attach the top piece to the chest and then decorate the test with paint or stain it.
Hiking Stick
It should be relatively easy to create a hiking stick as it is simply crafted from a stick or a piece of wood, though you will need to know how to drill a hole.
By creating a walking stick, you may also encourage some outings into the great outdoors.
You will need a long enough piece of wood, preferably as a stick that you will not need to trim too much. Find some string or twine to go with the stick too so you can hang it up when you are not using it.
1. Trim down your stick to ensure it is the correct height for whoever you intend to use it.
2. You can carve the bark or leave it on for a rustic aesthetic, or create a groove for a handle to be added.
3. Create a loop from string or twine and braid it to create a 12-inch-long section. Drill a hole into the top of the stick to run the braid through and you should be able to hang up the hiking stick.
4. This is an ideal project to practice your staining and varnishing skills though you may simply want to paint your hiking stick instead. You may even want to carve a specific design into the stick for some customization.
Bath Tub Tray
To create a bath tub tray for the whole family to enjoy, you may only need a couple of hours of spare time. You only need to measure and cut a few pieces of wood too.
When completed, the bath tub tray should prove to be an excellent gift or something that the whole family can enjoy.
The measurements are key as the tray is required to fit across the bath tub so an individual can relax in the warm water while reading a book or watching a video.
You will require a large wooden board that measures around 37 by 8.5 by 1.5 inches.
1. Measure how wide your bath tub is and then mark out a section of wood to that width which is still long enough to have around six inches going past the edge.
Should the tub be against a wall, take into account how restricted that space is while it can still be longer on the other side.
2. Cut out the wood into two slats with each one being around six inches long.
3. Place the wooden board across the tub and mark where those slats will be attached to the board’s bottom. Each slat will rest on the inside edge of the bath tub and should keep the tray in place.
4. Attach the slats to the wooden board where you have marked them. You could use some glue or work in some screws.
5. Sand and finish the tray while making sure it is completely flat to balance everything that goes on it.
Final Thoughts
The best high school wood projects should not be too challenging as they should prove to be an introduction to woodworking.
Start off with some easy projects like a key holder, a hiking stick, or a bath tub tray and then move onto more difficult ones.
That could be a wooden chest or a corn hole game which can mean a few more measurements need to be made to ensure it is built correctly.
Whatever you create, ensure that you take your time to create something memorable that should last for years.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Should A Ten-Year-Old Try To Build As A Wood Project?
Ten-year-olds should be able to create a few wood projects, even at that early age. That can include a crayon holder, wind chimes, or a poster frame.
At that age, a birdhouse, a catapult, or a set of spinning tops from wood could be created too.
Which Do-It-Yourself Wood Projects Could Be Sold?
If you are looking for some do-it-yourself wood projects to sell as a business then start with some toys.
These will test your crafting skills as well as your decorating, as will a wine rack and a set of wooden coasters. Wooden picture frames could be lucrative too and they should remain popular.
Hi, my name is Helena Waters and I was a teacher for 40 years before retiring last year.
During my time as a teacher I dedicated the majority of it to making classrooms as fun as possible, with educational parties, fun activities, and low cost entertainment that made the children excited about learning.
I taught children of all ages, from preschoolers to high school students. Now, with the pandemic having uprooted everything that children once knew about school and learning, I think that the need for my ideas is bigger than ever.
That is why I created School Sparks, a place in which I can write down and share all of my ideas on how to get students excited about going to school again. I hope that you’ll find some useful within a school setting, even at home too!
