Why 1×6 and Small Lumber Is the Best Value in Woodworking
A 1×6 board is the workhorse of beginner woodworking. It’s wide enough to be a structural face, narrow enough to cut on a miter saw without a table saw, and cheap enough that a mistake costs you a few dollars instead of a weekend.
Before you buy, know the actual dimensions — the single thing that trips up first-time builders:
| Nominal size | Actual size (dressed) |
|---|---|
| 1×2 | ¾″ × 1½″ |
| 1×3 | ¾″ × 2½″ |
| 1×4 | ¾″ × 3½″ |
| 1×6 | ¾″ × 5½″ |
| 1×8 | ¾″ × 7¼″ |
A “1x6x8” is therefore ¾″ × 5½″ × 96″. Everything in this post is designed around those real numbers, so your cut list and your finished piece actually match. And always subtract a blade kerf (≈⅛″ per cut) when you plan a board out — an 8-footer does not yield four exact 24″ pieces.
The 30 projects below are grouped by type, each with the board sizes involved, a difficulty rating, and a real photo. Difficulty runs Beginner (miter saw, drill, glue, sand) → Intermediate (pocket holes, dados, or joinery that has to stay square).
Jump to a section: Planters & raised beds · Crates & bins · Shelves & ledges · Serving trays · Benches & stools · Small builds & displays · FAQ
Planters & Raised Beds
1. Privacy Planter Built From 1×6 Boards
Source: Etsy — Build a Privacy Planter Out of 1×6 Boards
This is the most literal answer to “what do I do with a stack of 1x6s”: a tall box that doubles as a screen. Board list: four sides plus a bottom made from 1×6, corner cleats from 1×2 or 2×2. The build: cut two panels at your chosen height (30″–48″ is typical), screw the 1×6 faces onto vertical corner cleats, then add a 1×6 bottom resting on ledger strips so soil weight sits on the cleats rather than the screws. Drill ½″ drainage holes before filling. Difficulty: Beginner. Give the inside a non-toxic sealer, or line it, if you’re growing edibles.
2. Black Tiered Raised Planter Box
Source: Clover Lane — How to Make a Raised Planter Box
Painting instead of staining is what makes this one read modern rather than rustic, and the black hides any filler or screw heads instantly. Board list: 1×6 for all four sides (two rows of stacked boards for extra depth), 2×2 or 2×3 for corner posts. The build: build the corner posts first, then attach the 1×6 rows to them so the corners carry the load; a good exterior paint and a sloped or removable bottom liner keep water from pooling. Difficulty: Beginner.
3. Honey-Stained Herb Planter Box
Source: Big Living | Little Footprint — Hubby How To: DIY Planter Box
A long, low herb box is the easiest possible entry into outdoor building — one box, one stain, one afternoon. Board list: 1×6 sides, 1×4 bottom slats, 2×2 corner reinforcement. The build: run the bottom as spaced slats rather than a solid sheet so water drains freely, and set the box on feet or a scrap 2×4 so air can move underneath. Stain the outside only. Difficulty: Beginner.
4. Modern Slatted Square Planter (Two Heights)
Source: Pine and Poplar — DIY Modern Planter Box Using Cedar
Slats are a clever trick with small lumber: instead of wide panels, you screw narrow boards with even gaps, which hides imperfections and looks far more expensive than it is. Board list: 1×2 slats wrapped around a frame of 2×2 or 1×3, plus an inner liner box. The build: build a square inner frame first, then attach the slats with consistent gaps (a spacer block makes this fast). Seal the inside and use a plastic liner so soil never touches the slats. Difficulty: Intermediate.
5. Cedar Planter With Built-In Privacy Trellis
Source: Studio Adash — DIY Cedar Planter Box with Wood Slats
Combining a planter and a trellis solves two porch problems at once, and a climbing vine hides any hand-cut edges within a season. Board list: 1×4 or 1×3 slats for the trellis section, 2×2 rails, 1×6 planter sides. The build: assemble the planter box, then extend two 2×2 posts upward from the back corners and attach horizontal slats at 6″–8″ spacing. Difficulty: Intermediate. Anchor it — a tall trellis planter is a sail in the wind.
6. Cedar Garden Planter Box (Unfinished, Pre-Assembly)
Source: Simply Easy DIY — DIY: Garden Planter Box
This photo is useful because it shows the frame before the finish goes on — you can see exactly how the boards meet at the corners. Board list: 1×4 sides, 1×2 corner stops and top trim. The build: butt-joint the corners with exterior screws or pocket holes, add a 1×2 lip around the top rim to stiffen the box (and give you a place to rest a trowel), then seal all faces, edges, and ends. Difficulty: Beginner. Cedar’s natural rot resistance means it holds up even before you seal it.
Crates & Storage Bins
7. Rustic Wood Crate With Whitewashed Boards
Source: Flower Patch Farmhouse — Build an Easy Rustic DIY Wood Crate Box
Crates are the classic small-lumber project because slats mean you can use up offcuts and the gaps are part of the design. Board list: 1×4 and 1×6 for slats, 1×2 or 1×3 for the corner rails. The build: build your 8 corner rails first, then nail or screw slats across them with a ½″ gap, which gives you tolerance for slightly uneven cuts. Sand the slat edges so nothing snags a blanket or a tomato. Difficulty: Beginner.
8. Wood Crate With Rope Handles
Source: Pneumatic Addict — How to Build a Wood Crate
Rope handles instead of cutout handles is a smart swap for beginners: no jigsaw, no sanding inside a curve, and it looks intentional. Board list: 1×6 for the front and back faces, 1×4 for the side slats, 1×1 or 1×2 rails. The build: assemble the box, drill a hole slightly larger than your rope in each end of the front and back faces, thread the rope through, and knot the inside so it can’t pull out. Difficulty: Beginner.
9. Stacked Slat Crates (Batch of Four)
Source: Turtles and Tails — DIY: How to Build a Wooden Storage Crate
If you’re building one crate, build four — the setup time is identical and the setup is the slow part. Board list: 1×4 slats plus 1×2 corner rails; a single 8′ board yields roughly one crate’s worth of slats, so plan your yard run accordingly. The build: cut everything at once in batches, run a stop block on your miter saw so every slat is identical, and stack the finished crates overnight to check the sizing before you nail the second one. Difficulty: Beginner.
10. Classic Slatted Crate From Small Pine Boards
Source: Ana White — Wood Crate Building Guide
This is the reference-build version of the crate — every dimension works out, and it’s the one to copy if you only make one. Board list: 1×4 slats and 1×3 rails, with a 1×2 handle rail. The build: cut handle openings in two face slats with a jigsaw, sand the openings heavily, then assemble around the corner rails. Taken unfinished it looks great; stained walnut it looks like store-bought storage. Difficulty: Beginner.
Shelves & Ledges
11. One-Hour Floating Shelf From a 1×6
Source: Inspiration Made Simple — Easy One-Hour Floating Shelf
The trick that makes a shelf “float” is a hidden cleat, and a 1×6 is the perfect board to build one around. Board list: 1×6 for the shelf face, plus a 2×2 or 1×2 cleat screwed to studs. The build: screw the cleat into wall studs with a level, then slide a hollowed 1×6 sleeve (or a 1×6 with a routed/notched back) over it and fix it in place. A 36″ shelf from one 1×6 leaves you a matching offcut for a second one. Difficulty: Intermediate. Locate studs first — a 1×6 shelf with books will pull out of drywall anchors.
12. Thick Stained Floating Shelves (Three-Run Set)
Source: Yellow Brick Home — DIY Floating Shelves for Easy Storage
Stacking two or three shelf runs in a corner is the fastest way to make a blank wall look built-in. Board list: 1×6 shelf bodies plus 1×2 and 2×2 internal framing. The build: build one shelf, mount it, then use it as your level reference for the next two — measuring from the wall rather than marking each shelf separately keeps the reveals even. Difficulty: Intermediate.
13. DIY Floating Shelves With Hidden Internal Frame
Source: Sawdust Sisters — DIY Floating Shelves (Free Plans)
Free plans change this from a guess into a repeatable build, which matters if you want three identical shelves across a room. Board list: 1×6 faces, with 1×3 or 1×4 structural rails. The build: cut the rails to match your wall spacing first, because the wall dictates the layout — screw the rails to studs, then box the 1×6 around them. Difficulty: Intermediate. Free plans for this build are on the source page.
14. Floating Shelves Showing the Hidden Bracket
Source: Tylynn M — Easiest DIY Floating Shelves
Most floating-shelf tutorials skip the confusing part: how the sleeve actually slides over the bracket. This one photographs both pieces separately, which is genuinely helpful. Board list: 1×6 for the sleeve, 1×3 or 2×2 for the wall-mounted bracket. The build: make the bracket slightly smaller than the sleeve’s interior, mount the bracket level, slide the sleeve on, then fasten from the underside through a pre-drilled hole. Difficulty: Intermediate.
15. Scrap Wood Wall Shelf (No Visible Brackets)
Source: Pretty Handy Girl — DIY Scrap Wood Shelf Tutorial
This is the “use up the pile” project — offcuts of 1×4 and 1×6 joined into a chunky decorative shelf where the plank seams become the design. Board list: whatever 1×4/1×6/1×2 offcuts you have, plus a 1×2 cleat for the wall. The build: glue and nail the planks face-to-face into one thick slab, clamp it flat while drying, then mount it on a 1×2 cleat that’s hidden behind the front lip. Difficulty: Beginner. Great first project for using up rough ends.
16. Two-Tier Bathroom Wall Shelf
Source: My Love 2 Create — Easy to Build Wood Shelves
Small spaces are where small lumber shines, and a two-tier shelf fits above a toilet where nothing else will. Board list: 1×4 or 1×6 shelves, 1×2 side brackets and back rail. The build: cut two shelf boards and two 1×2 side brackets, assemble as an open box with a back rail, and screw through that back rail into studs. Keep the tiers 10″–12″ apart so taller bottles still fit. Difficulty: Beginner.
17. DIY Picture Ledges (Pottery Barn Look)
Source: Thrifty Decor Chick — DIY Wood Picture Ledges
A picture ledge is just three boards — back, bottom, and a front lip — which makes it the highest-value-per-board project on this list. Board list: 1×4 back board, 1×3 or 1×4 bottom, 1×2 front lip. A single set of three 8′ boards builds several ledges. The build: glue and nail the bottom to the back board, then add the front lip to create the tray, and screw the whole thing through the back board into studs. Difficulty: Beginner. This is the project I’d hand a first-timer.
18. Snowflake Holiday Shelf From Small Pine
Source: Woodshop Diaries — DIY Snowflake Shelf in 4 Easy Steps
Small lumber quietly becomes wall art here — angled cuts turn 1x boards into a snowflake with a working shelf in the center. Board list: 1×3 or 1×4 for the spokes, 1×2 for the center shelf frame. The build: cut all spokes at identical angles with a miter saw stop, dry-fit the whole snowflake flat on the floor before gluing, then assemble in two halves so you can check symmetry. Difficulty: Intermediate. Awkward but very forgiving — spacing errors read as handmade.
Serving Trays
19. Reclaimed Wood Serving Tray
Source: Funky Junk Interiors — How to Build a Reclaimed Wood Crate/Tray
A tray is the gateway project for small lumber — borders and a bottom, nothing more — and using reclaimed boards gives it instant character. Board list: 1×4 bottom slats, 1×2 or 1×3 border pieces. The build: cut the bottom planks and the four border sides, glue and brad-nail the frame around the planks, then add two 1×2 handle blocks outside the short ends if you want grips. Difficulty: Beginner. Keep food-contact safe with a food-safe oil finish rather than stain.
20. Personalized Oak Serving Tray With Metal Handles
Source: Four Oaks Crafts — DIY Lowe’s Serving Tray
Add purchased hardware and a bit of stenciling and a tray becomes a wedding gift instead of an offcut. Board list: 1×4 bottom, 1×3 or 1×4 sides. The build: assemble the frame, sand thoroughly, stencil the surname or monogram through a cut vinyl stencil, then seal before installing the handles so adhesive doesn’t smear your finish. Difficulty: Beginner.
21. Octagonal Serving Tray
Source: Woodshop Diaries — DIY Modern Serving Tray With Handles
The octagon is the upgrade moment: eight equal 45° cuts and suddenly a small-lumber tray looks store-bought modern. Board list: 1×3 or 1×2 side segments, 1×4 or ¼″ ply for the bottom. The build: cut eight identical segments at 22.5° on each end, dry-fit the ring before gluing, then cut the bottom panel to fit the finished ring rather than cutting it first. Difficulty: Intermediate. Free plans are available on the source page.
22. Chevron-Pattern Serving Tray
Source: The Nomad Studio — How to Make a Serving Tray
Chevron trays use the smallest offcuts of all — short strips glued side by side — so it’s the ideal “I refuse to throw anything away” project. Board list: 1×2 or 1×3 strips cut into short diagonal segments, plus 1×2 border rails. The build: cut all segments to the same length, alternate the direction to form the chevron, glue down onto a ¼″ backing panel so nothing shifts, then trim the backing flush and frame it. Difficulty: Intermediate.
23. Chalkboard Serving Tray
Source: Sawdust Sisters — Easy DIY Wood Serving Tray
Painting the base with chalkboard paint turns a plain tray into a labelable cheese board or party board you can rewrite every time. Board list: 1×4 bottom, 1×2 rails. The build: build the tray frame, paint the recessed interior with two or three coats of chalkboard paint, leave the rails natural, then season the surface by rubbing it with chalk before first use. Difficulty: Beginner.
Benches & Stools
24. Two-Seater Garden Bench With Built-In Table (From 1×6)
Source: BuildEazy — Two-Seater Bench With Built-In Table Made of 1×6 Lumber
This is the most ambitious build on the list, and notably it’s designed entirely around 1×6 stock plus a few 2x2s — no sheet goods, no rip cuts on a table saw. Board list: 1×6 for seats, backs, aprons, and tabletop; 2×2 or 1×2 for legs and rails. The build: build the two seat frames first and check they sit level, then add the inner table as a bridge between them, which is what locks the whole assembly square. Free PDF plans accompany the source article. Difficulty: Intermediate. Expect a full day, and build it on the surface where it will live.
25. Simple Reclaimed-Lumber Outdoor Bench
Source: Artsy Chicks Rule — Simple DIY Outdoor Bench
An apron-and-leg bench is the simplest real furniture you can build from dimensional lumber: two leg assemblies, a slatted top, and a couple of aprons to keep it from racking. Board list: 2×4 or 1×4 legs, 1×4 or 1×6 seat slats, 1×4 aprons. The build: build the two leg frames as identical rectangles, connect them with front and back aprons using pocket holes or corner braces, then screw the seat slats across the top with small gaps for drainage. Difficulty: Beginner.
26. Entryway Bench With Stacked Block Legs
Source: DIY Candy — DIY Entryway Bench
Stacking same-length blocks into thick legs is a great beginner illusion — it reads as a heavy timber base but every cut is the same square cut. Board list: 1×4 or 2×2 blocks for the legs, 1×6 or 1×4 for the top and lower shelf. The build: cut all leg blocks to one length with a stop block, glue them in stacks and clamp square, then screw the top and lower shelf to the stacks. Difficulty: Beginner. Best entry-level bench in this list.
27. Tree Bench Built Around a Trunk
Source: My Perpetual Project — Let’s Build a Tree Bench
A tree bench is just two nested square frames with slats spanned between them — the tree does the structural work of holding the shape. Board list: 1×4 or 1×6 for the outer and inner frame rails and the seat slats. The build: measure the trunk diameter, build the inner frame with clearance, build the outer frame larger, then span slats across and screw down. Check that the trunk has room to grow before committing. Difficulty: Intermediate.
28. One-Board Two-Step Stool
Source: My Repurposed Life — Creative One Board Projects
A step stool earns its keep in every kitchen, and this one is the perfect “I have one board and an hour” build. Board list: a single 1×8 or 1×10 typically yields both treads plus the two side panels. The build: cut two stepped side profiles identically (clamp the boards together and cut both at once so they match), then screw the treads between them with glue. Difficulty: Beginner. Cutting two sides at once is the whole trick — it guarantees a stool that doesn’t wobble.
Small Builds & Displays
29. One-Board Utility Bench
Source: Jaime Costiglio — One Board Challenge: Bench
This build comes from the One Board Challenge, a maker ritual where everyone builds something from a single 1x8x8 board — a useful constraint to copy when you want to force yourself to design around one board. Board list: one 1x8x8, split into the seat, two legs, and a lower shelf rail. The build: cut the seat first, then divide what remains between legs and shelf — and remember an 8′ board loses roughly ⅛″ per cut to kerf, so plan cuts before you commit. Difficulty: Beginner. Free plans are on the source page.
30. Blanket Ladder From 1×3 Rails
Source: Budget101 — The One Board Challenge
The photo pairing here is genuinely useful: the finished dark-stained ladder next to the exact pieces it took to build it. Board list: two 1×3 or 1×2 rails, five 1×2 or 1×3 rungs. The build: lean the rails at your intended angle against a wall and mark the rung positions on the wall-facing side, then screw rungs from behind so no fasteners show. Space rungs 10″–12″ apart. Difficulty: Beginner. Under $20 in wood for most makers — a strong first project.
FAQ: 1×6 and Small-Lumber Projects
What are the actual dimensions of a 1×6? A 1×6 is ¾″ × 5½″, and the length is true — a 1x6x8 is 96″ long. This matters because any cut list you write in “nominal” numbers will be off by ½″ in width and ¼″ in thickness if you don’t convert.
How much does a 1×6 board cost? It varies widely by species, region, and lumber prices at the time you buy — pine is the cheapest, cedar and treated lumber cost more. Check your local lumber yard or home center for current pricing rather than budgeting from an old tutorial, and buy one extra board for mistakes.
What can I build from a single 1x6x8 board? With 96″ of ¾″ × 5½″ stock you can build a step stool, a small side table, a picture ledge, a serving tray, a wall shelf, a birdhouse, or a small storage bin — all the “one board challenge” projects. Sketch your cut list first and allow ~⅛″ per cut for blade kerf.
Do I need a table saw for small-lumber projects? No. A miter saw handles almost every cut in this list, a drill/driver handles the joinery, and a sander handles the finish. A table saw only becomes necessary if you need to rip boards narrower or cut dados.
What wood is best for outdoor small-lumber projects? Cedar and pressure-treated lumber hold up best outdoors thanks to natural rot resistance or treatment. Pine is fine for outdoor work if you seal every face and end, but it will weather faster. Whatever you choose, use exterior-rated fasteners and glue.
How do I join 1x boards without visible screws? Pocket-hole joinery (screws driven from the inside face), countersunk screws filled with wood filler, or glue plus brad nails. For outdoor and structural builds, use exterior wood glue and mechanical fasteners — glue alone will fail when it gets wet.
How do I keep 1x lumber from splitting? Pre-drill any hole within about 1″ of a board end, use screws with a shank (not fully threaded), and clamp the pieces together so the board can’t lift as you drive the fastener. Splitting is nearly always an end-grain or over-torque problem.
What’s the best finish for small-lumber builds? For interior pieces: sand to 150–180 grit, then stain and topcoat with a wipe-on poly or a hardwax oil. For outdoor pieces: an exterior deck stain or exterior paint, with special attention to end grain, which absorbs water fastest. For anything touching food, use a food-safe oil.
Final Thoughts
Small lumber is the most underrated material in woodworking. A 1×6 is cheap enough to experiment with, true enough to cut on a miter saw, and versatile enough to become a planter, a shelf, a tray, a crate, or a bench. The projects above range from a fifteen-minute picture ledge to a full-day bench, and every one of them can be built with a miter saw, a drill, glue, and sandpaper.
