Something marvelous about this craft is that fine work isn’t limited to talented, seasoned pros with decades of experience. Beginners can make beautiful work, too, even if they don’t know a dovetail’s pin from its tail.

Below are a handful of our excellent projects accessible to a broad range of skill levels. Tackle any one of these, and you’ll end up with an heirloom piece of furniture you’ll still be happy to have around no matter how skilled you become. There’s a workbench down there, too, to help you along your journey.

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Bookcase made with biscuit joinery

Peter Turner’s small, easy-to-build bookcase is modeled after one his great-grandmother owned. It’s simple, and he chose richly figured cherry to set off the wood. He roughed out the pieces from 7-in. stock, but he explains how to build it if you choose to edge-join boards. Then he joined the V-shelves, cut the biscuit slots, and shaped the edges. Multiple drawings show how a jig helps cut the tapers and various side views of the piece. The slots in the sides and shelves need to match, so he marked the location of the mating slots on the bookcase’s sides. Turner used a template for the cutouts in the sides, and he used a shopmade squaring jig during clamp-up.

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Build a simple and stout workbench

This bench design is used for the student workbenches at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, so it has to be an easy-to-build, no-nonsense affair that can stand up to lots of use and abuse. It is built from inexpensive materials and can be adjusted to fit any space, or even adapted for use as a sharpening station, finishing table, or router table. Simple plywood, MDF, and a few hours of work are all you need to make this bench.

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(Video Series) Getting Started in Woodworking: How to build a bookcase

Seven episodes take you from the lumberyard to milling to constructing.

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Easy-to-build outdoor bench

This beginner-level project is a great way to get ready for spring and summer. The plans are so simple that it can be finished in a day, and you won’t need any special tools to get it done.

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(Video series) Getting Started In Woodworking Season Three: Build a walnut nightstand

This eight-part series begins at the lumberyard, with tips on how to purchase rough boards. Further lessons cover everything from milling your own lumber and cutting tapered legs to joining your nightstand pieces together with simple, strong dowels. You’ll also learn how to create your own beautiful tabletops, add a shelf, and tackle a professional oil finish with ease.

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Free Plan: Classic lift-lid box

You may wish to make a ring box or gift box, but with Doug Stowe‘s plans you might find the box itself becomes more treasured than its contents. By changing the size, proportions, joinery, or wood choices, you can create countless attractive variations of this simple design.