You’ll never run out of DIY wood burning ideas. If you’ve never tried your hand at making a burned wooden object, this would be a good starting point.

Among DIY wood preservation methods, wood burning offers the cheapest and most effective solution.

There are a variety of tools and accessories one can use which are also inexpensive. When adding character and charm to scrap wood or decorative pieces, wood burning is an alternative not many people consider.

Wood burning art is not as hard as you think, and we’re going to show you what we mean by that and other unique ideas that will expand your DIY skills.

Best Wood Burning Tool Kits

If you want to make wood burned items, you’ll need a wood burning kit. Here are some of the best you’ll find on the market today.

Aipudi Wood Burning Kit With LCD Display

This Aipudi wood kit includes 48 pieces and a soldering iron. It has a variety of pen tips, heads, and several accessories like lettering pens, a sterilizer, curved tweezers, and a box to keep them organized.

The napping tool has a small LCD screen that shows the temperature. It’s an efficient tool that heats up to the target temperature within 40 seconds and the temperature can be easily adjusted. It’s easy to use, intuitive, and suitable for both beginners and pros. If you want to make a rustic wedding gift, this kit is ideal.

Pros

FlexibleEasy to use

Cons

Temperature reading doesn’t lastStencils are strange

Wood Burning Kit With Travel Case

The Woodland Home wood burning kit comes with 27 drawing tips that can be interchanged so you can create all sorts of patterns and intricate designs. It also includes a stand and a metal stencil with all the letters. The wood burning pen has a stainless steel barrel and a rubber handle that’s resistant to heat so you can use it safely and comfortably.

The temperature is adjustable so you can use this tool on a variety of different surfaces and materials. It works with wood, leather, cork, and cardboard. You can even use it to decorate and customize pumpkins and other items.

Pros

Precision accuracyEasy to use

Cons

Weak threadingPen tips are hard to replace

Chandler Tool Wood Burning Kit

If you’ve never tried wood burned art, the Chandler Tool kit offers a simple start. It includes a high-heat wood-burner, a stand, and 8 tips made of solid brass. The kit also includes a wood burning art guidebook that will show you how to handle a hot object, for example. It will explain everything you need to know about wood burning to help develop your DIY skills.

Pros

FlexibleEasy to use

Cons

Best for short period usage

Tool Kit With Temperature Control

Another kit option for beginners is the Walnut Hollow wood burning tool. It has variables for lower temperature controls so you can use it on other materials. It has a heat shield for protection and easy grip, making it an ideal tool for newcomers and professionals alike.

The pen tips can be changed using pliers and the kit comes with 11 different ones which you can use in different ways to create unique and interesting designs on wood, leather, and more.

Pros

Long lastingPrecision applications

Cons

Temperature control is heavyTools control is too far down

Wood Burning Crafts For 2022

Let’s take a look at a few DIY wood burned projects you can do at home.

Wood Burned Kitchen Utensils

With personalized gifts, marshmallow sticks are customized with a wood burning kit and letters. The burn marks are a small detail but add to the design, giving it a personal touch. It’s something extra to make your gifts special.

If you want to try a different kitchen utensil, plain wooden spoons would be a good idea. Check out craftivitydesigns to find out more about the technique here.

Holiday Gifts

Greeting cards have gotten too complicated over the years, with lots of details and colors on them and lots of preexisting details that don’t allow the sender to do much in terms of personalization. You can however choose to make your own greeting cards and to make them really special.

For instance, instead or using paper of cardboard, you can use balsa wood and a wood-burning kit to personalize it. There’s a nice tutorial on johannarundel which shows how you can make this cute geometric swallow design on it.

Nature Prints

Another super cool idea is to use a wood-burning kit to personalize your cutting board. It’s not something that’s necessary to do but it helps a lot to make cooking a little bit more enjoyable.

It also gives you a reason to display your cutting board out in the open instead of hiding it in a cupboard. Check out this design featured on doityourfreakingself inspired by “Game of Thrones.”

Unique Patterns

Wood burning patterns are fun and easy to make. If you’re looking for something simple and interesting to craft, how about some custom bottle stoppers? You can use simple corks and a variety of wooden blocks or knobs in different shapes and sizes.

However, they won’t look special if they’re plain so use a wood-burning tool to add some details and to make each one unique. You can go with something simple like a geometric pattern or try something different inspired by something you love. Head over to abeautifulmess for more details and ideas.

Family Name Decor

It’s not just wood that you can decorate and personalize using a wood-burning tool even though the name surely suggests that. If you adjust the heat you can also use it to decorate cork. Use this technique to personalize items like cork trivets or coasters and use stencils to create beautiful designs and patterns.

You can find a detailed tutorial on wherethesmileshavebeen which explains exactly how this is all done.

Rustic Wedding Gifts

You can also use a wood-burning tool to personalize a serving tray. You can add a few decorations to it, maybe use a stencil to get a nice and clean design and to make it special without relying on paint or colorful elements.

It could be fun to make the tray from scratch out of a larger wooden object and some cabinet handles or by repurposing a cutting board. This tutorial from amber-oliver explains the whole process from start to finish.

Home Decorations

On the topic of decorations and accessories that can be made from scratch, another idea is to make a wooden sign. You can have it displayed at your front door, in the entrance, or out on the porch. It can also become a decoration in other areas of the house.

A wood-burning tool can help you add a cute message or an interesting design to it instead of using paint for the same purpose. Check out bergangrisham for a nice design idea and more details about the project.

Family Tree Wall Art

If you want to make something that’s versatile and that you can display or use on multiple different occasions, how about some oversized wood burned magnet blocks made out of wood and decorated with letters.

You could make several with different letters on them and combine them to spell out different words and messages. Mix and match them and have fun displaying them throughout the house. If you want to find out how to make these, head over to ribbonsandglue.

Wood Slice

You can make some interesting designs and intricate patterns using a wood burning tool and once you’ve familiarized yourself with how it works you can get creative. You could make custom boards and signs and sell them at craft fairs. Check out instructables for more details and ideas.

What Is Yakisugi?

If you’re looking for something different and want to expand your DIY wood burning skills, then Yakisugi could be for you.

Yakisugi, otherwise known as “shou sugi ban,” is an ancient Japanese wood burning technique. It wood burning method hit the US recently and has since become the hottest wood preservation method.

Japanese wood preservation method is all about creating visual interest while enhancing the wood furniture pieces. The technique builds upon the benefits of water and fire resistance.

Let’s explore further and show you how it can be applied to your next DIY project.

How Does Shou Sugi Ban Work?

Shou sugi ban is a Japanese expression that means “char cedar board.” The process consists of charring cedar boards, rubbing the surface with sandpaper and wire brushes, and then sealing the burnt surface with natural oils. Although new to the US, the wood burning method has been popular in Japan since the 18th century.

As a wood siding, it offers greater protection for home exteriors due to its waterproof and fire-resistant properties.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)FAQ

How To Add Color To Wood Burning Projects?

Watercolor pencils work great when adding color to wood burning projects. The pencils look like normal colored pencils on paper or wood. The trick is to moisten the pen tips with alcohol. When you do this, the color dissolves into the paint. Ordinary colored pencils only tint the wood’s surface. The goal is to get the color to penetrate the wood fibers.

What Is The Best Wood For Wood Burning Projects?

Basswood is believed to be the best wood. It’s soft, burns easily, and there are hardly any grains. You can add a clear coat to the solid surface, making it ideal for soft-burning wood. The grains are clean and light, allowing you to add light or dark details to your wood surface. A coffee table project would be good with basswood.

What Does Beeswax Paste Do For Wood?

Beeswax is DIY furniture polish. It’s cheap, accessible, easy to use, and is commonly used on wood furniture. And because it’s a natural substance, it’s non-toxic.

When applied to wood, it creates a natural shine by absorbing itself in wood fibers and sealing it. The sealing helps repel additional moisture from water, other wood polish, or chemicals.

What Is The Best Sandpaper To Use For Wood Burning Projects?

Mirka Abranet is a grit mesh abrasive dust-free sanding disc. Professional and amateur woodworkers consider it to be the best sandpaper for wood-burning projects.

For dust-free sanding, you won’t find anything better. This unique patented sanding material contains thousands of small holes, making it possible to vacuum dust and particles without clogging the disc surface. The result leaves you with a uniform sanding pattern and a smooth surface.

Which Varnish Is Good For Woodburning Projects?

The best varnish is lacquer. You can also use linseed oil, polyurethane, and shellac. The thing with lacquer is how it’s non-yellowing and dries quickly. If the varnish is too glossy, it can be removed with lacquer thinner.

Wood Burning Ideas Conclusion

There’s an unlimited amount of DIY wood burning ideas. There are different types of wood burned patterns to choose from or you can create original designs. There isn’t a starting place, so jump in wherever you want.

Wood burning is a unique way to improve the appearance of your furniture pieces. One thing you’ll find among woodworking enthusiasts is how they never stop searching for new techniques.

From picture frames to wooden spoons, you can make each holiday season special by creating that perfect gift. Most craft stores may carry the thing you want to make, but it wouldn’t be as special.