What Constitutes a Great DIY Project Idea?

There’s something special about making a handmade gift. You may have a few tools and materials, but what makes for a good gift idea? What project should you make? I like to consider this list of criteria when coming up with great workshop projects:

Necessary Materials

Ideally, a good gift project shouldn't take an excessive amount of material. That makes it cheaper if you want to build several versions of the project. But I like to look at it from another angle. It’s not about being cheap. It allows me to use select materials. I can pick boards with the best grain, or highly figured wood. I can make the gift from my most beautiful material so it looks amazing.

Get the Project Plans

You can make this wood scoop out of a small block of wood. That means you can use scrap wood or a small turning blank. Turning blanks are often identified for their beautiful grain. This scoop is small enough to be made from one.

Project Complexity

The more complex the project, the longer it takes to make. That's fine for a one-off gift (if you have the time) but not great if you need to make more than one or have a busy schedule. I love making beautiful cutting boards, but how long does it take to make one? It can be quite the adventure, which is why I have an article on the essentials to making professional cutting boards.

I think cutting boards are good gifts; however, they can be complex and time intensive. A great DIY gift project should take you as much time as you need and can afford. It shouldn’t stress you out to the point of rushing, making mistakes, and getting potentially getting hurt in the workshop.

Making Batches

Batching out a project means you can make multiple versions of the project at the same time. For example, imagine you are making a wood box. You need to set up your tools to cut the box sides to a specific length. Instead of cutting four boards to create the box sides, you can cut eight boards. This lets you build two boxes at the same time.

I like when a DIY gift is batchable. It can take a lot of time to prep materials and set up tools. It’s a huge win if I can make multiple versions of the same project to give to people.

Sparks Creativity

My projects tend to look better when I’m passionate about them. I made and sold woodworking items for years. It can get really boring repeatedly making the same thing. It’s great when a project idea allows you to get creative and have fun. The results are easily seen in the final product and the look on the person’s face who is receiving the gift.

The Finishing Process

The project will likely need some sort of finish, such as oil or a top coat. Overall, I think it’s easy to get sucked into using a complicated finishing process. I’ve heard, and admittedly been apart of, some complicated processes that require several steps over a long period of time. If the finishing process requires days in-between steps, or weeks of fine tuning the perfect blend of this or that…. it’s probably too complex. Next thing you know, you’re rushing to get it done because the finish isn’t dry and you’ve run out of time.

I like to stick with something simple. If the item involves touching food, then it should be a food safe finish like butcher block oil. For other projects, I often use a hard wax finish. I can usually apply just 1-2 coats and get a great looking project.

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Purposeful or Usefulness

A project can require few materials, be easy to make, and built fairly quickly, but it doesn't matter if it doesn't serve a purpose. That purpose could be thoughtfulness, providing sentimental value. Or it can just be dang useful! That's how I look at the wood scoop I made. There are so many ways it can be used in the kitchen. Every morning, someone will wake up and use the wood scoop to brew a fresh pot of coffee. When they take that first sip of delicious coffee goodness, you’ll know you helped them to start the day off right.

6 Rules for DIY Gift Projects