11 Great Woodworking Blogs to Inspire Creativity
Woodworking is a source of relaxation for some and an obsession for others. The best thing about woodworking is that no two projects are identical. There are almost endless ways to personalise your finished product by mixing up the design, colour or style.
Whether you’re just getting started or are an experienced carpenter looking to take your skills to the next level, there are many great resources out there with tips on improving your craft.
Whether you like reading print magazines, listening to podcasts or watching videos online, these 11 great woodworking blogs will help you tackle just about any woodworking project you can imagine.
What is a Woodworking Blog?
A woodworking blog is a website that focuses on woodworking. Depending on the blog, it may focus on any woodworking project. It can be a place for readers to share their projects, tips, and ideas. It can also be a place for people to learn more about woodworking.
Some woodworking blogs have a very specific focus, while others are very broad in scope. Some focused blogs may only cover one type of woodworking project. Other blogs may cover all types of woodworking projects. Regardless of the type, all blogs should provide valuable information for their readers.
Woodworking blogs can help people learn new skills and gain knowledge on a wide range of topics related to the craft. They can also inspire future projects.
1: Popular Woodworking
America’s finest woodworkers have brought you excellent articles and commentary for over 30 years in Popular Woodworking Magazine.
Hybrid woodworking is the editorial focus of this particular woodworking blog, which features projects of every level, from simple to complex, ranging from basic joinery to advanced woodworking, using hand tools and power tools.
Contributors include Roy Underhill, Christopher Schwarz, Mary May, Bob Flexner, Toshio Odate, Gary Rogowski, and more. The magazine is published 6 times annually, with 5 regular-sized issues and one double issue.
It is available digitally and in print, and back issues can be examined on the magazine’s website. They also send out a free weekly woodworking newsletter.
2: Woodworkers Journal
Woodworker’s Journal, America’s oldest woodworking publication and the largest-circulating woodworking magazine, has chronicled the development of new woodworking tools and techniques for over forty years. Although not the king of woodworking blogs, it is a reliable and steadfast publication with much expert knowledge that could be worth an investment.
They bring these innovations to our readers’ skills to educate, inspire, and motivate them to keep learning. Their writers are active woodworkers who are well-informed about the woodworking industry.
They deliver a balanced editorial approach every six months, combining reviews of new tools and techniques with a wide range of projects. WJ attempts to deliver the knowledge to develop skills and become better woodworkers.
3: Fine Woodworking
A Woodworking magazine was first established by the Taunton Press in Newtown, Connecticut, in 1975. It was founded by Jan and Paul Roman, and Fine Woodworking, a high-quality woodworking magazine, was released.
Paul was concerned that there was a lack of competent information on the craft. It was his goal to provide quality information in a multitude of forms. Fine Woodworking is one of the largest and most popular woodworking blogs on the web.
In addition to publishing a magazine, website, digital content, audio recordings, online courses, and live events, Fine Woodworking makes videos, podcasts, and online education available to assist woodworkers in their development.
4: Woodworker’s Guild of America
Woodworkers Guild of America provides woodworking education, inspiration, and information on its website, a community where woodworkers can express their creativity and master their craft.
You may learn new woodworking approaches, be inspired by new concepts, and connect with other woodworkers when you visit WWGOA.
It’s more than just a hobby for you, a lifestyle. By learning new methods, receiving inspiration, and connecting with other woodworkers, we at WWGOA want to help you become a better woodworker.
The video lessons they teach are taught by friendly, talented woodworking instructors who demonstrate time-honoured techniques and step-by-step procedures, giving you suggestions and ideas as you go.
5: Ana White
Ana White has built and distributed thousands of furniture plans over the last decade, helping people improve their homes with simple tools on modest budgets.
The Ana White plan website and YouTube channel offer everything from basic plans to advice and how-to’s. Ana White’s goal is straightforward – helping people improve their homes by providing simple tools at an economical price.
Everyday living is about getting mattresses off the ground, closets organised, coffee tables that are not wobbly, and so forth. If it looks good, that’s an added bonus!
They recommend the Kreg Jig and a jigsaw as well as a circular saw because they are big fans of these tools. If you have a table saw, you’ll be spoiled for life.
Their creations include everything from simple shelves to elaborate staircases.
6: The Wood Whisperer
The Wood Whisperer started in 2006 as the first online video series about woodworking. Since then, it’s grown into a small, family-run business with several employees.
TWW is run by Marc Spagnuolo, who quit his job in biotech in 2005 to pursue a career in timber craft. Since then, he’s written books, hosted podcasts and runs TWW with a growing team.
The main element of TWW is the Videos section, where you can watch hundreds of hours of Marc goofing around and doing some fantastic projects, where you’ll learn a lot of valuable info as you look to develop your own skills.
A section devoted to his workshop also features tips and tricks to get the most out of yours.
7: Lost Art Press
Lost Art Press is a small publisher based in the US that promotes woodworking using traditional tools and methods. They sell all kinds of products in their online store, but the focus is very much on independent authors and helping them reach a wider audience hungry to grow their knowledge of traditional woodworking.
The LAP blog is an informative and charming one. Rather than taking the polished approach of promoting the latest tools and gimmicks, they instead focus on the craft of woodworking and the traditional techniques behind it, offering a space for once-forgotten skills to be brought back into the frame and rediscovered by new generations of woodworkers.
8: Jay’s Custom Creations
Jay’s Custom Creations is an American woodworking website that features tons of videos about woodworking, from projects and how-to’s to upcycling and a vlog that follows our host along with his discoveries, projects and thoughts..
Although choc-full of varied content and even an online store, the main thrust of the website is Jay’s vlogs which go into detail about all kinds of woodworking projects, tools, techniques and lifestyle projects to make practical use of your skills.
There’s also a big section on Sketchup which is an indispensable tool for anyone working with this fantastic design tool at all skill levels.
9: Wood and Shop
Wood and Shop is a blog focusing on traditional hand tool woodworking techniques, with lots of helpful and informative posts on using and maintaining hand tools, traditional joinery and woodworking techniques, and a host of projects to delve into.
In addition to the blog, the website features guides on hand tools and power tools, videos, woodworking plans, projects and an online store.
If you’re interested in woodworking, this is a great resource.
10: Paul Sellers
Paul Sellers‘ blog features opinions, projects and techniques from a lifestyle woodworker.
Paul Sellers began woodworking in a small joiner’s workshop in Stockport as a hobby in his teens. He has taught woodworking worldwide for decades, according to his biography. Although he has lived in the United States for most of his life, he has kept up his blog, where he frequently discusses his craft.
President George W. Bush and Senator Phil Gramm were among his clients. His designs have been used in the Cabinet Room of the White House, where they have been featured.
11: Matt Cremona
Matt Cremona Blog follows Matt on his journey through the woodworking life, from setting up shop to crafting fine furniture, with posts about his experiences and projects, since 2014.
Matt’s website features a lot of great info on woodworking, the projects he has built and the techniques he uses. This is a great site for anyone interested in the practical side of woodworking, with pages and pages devoted to explaining the process as each job unfolds.
Wrapping Up
Woodworking is a great way to spend time on your own with little expense and still have a lot of fun. With the right tools, wood and design inspiration, you can turn your ordinary wood scraps into something beautiful and useful. The best way to start is to find the hobby you love and make it a part of your life.
Woodworking blogs will give you the inspiration, understanding and confidence to try something new, solve a problem in a new way and create fantastic projects. If you’re going to spend time living the woodworking life, you can’t go wrong with these.