If you’re like us, you’re already obsessed with crafting! But even if you’re new to the world of wooden crafts, there’s always time to learn about all the different tools at your disposal. One of the most popular tools used in a variety of crafting projects is the wooden dowel (sometimes known as a wood dowel rod). Wooden dowels are popular for both aesthetic and functional reasons, but either way, they can take your DIY crafts to the next level!
Assuming that this is your first time working with wooden dowels, we’re sure that you have plenty of questions. First and foremost, what are wooden dowels? How can you use wood dowels for crafts? What are some fun wooden dowel rod projects? Lastly, where can you find high-quality wooden dowels for your next project?
In today’s guide, we’ll answer all of these questions and more, so let’s get started!
What is a wooden dowel?
At its most basic form, a wooden dowel is simply a long, thin rod made of — you guessed it — wood! The traditional wooden dowel is cylindrical, though they can come in many different shapes (we’ll talk about that a bit more later on). They’ve been in use for more than a century, and are commonly applied in various types of woodworking, carpentry, and DIY crafting projects.
We mentioned that dowels tend to be long and thin, but these are both pretty subjective terms. The exact length and diameter of a wooden dowel can vary based on your needs or the requirements of your crafting project. Manufacturers craft dowels in many different sizes, using a variety of wood types. At Woodpeckers, we offer birch, oak, and walnut wood dowels.
Birch vs. oak vs. walnut dowels
Most people choose between birch, oak, and walnut dowels based on aesthetics alone. However, depending on the type of crafting you’re doing, other differences, such as durability and cost, could matter to you as well.
Birch wood is often the most cost-effective option. It gives you plenty of strength and durability at an affordable price. Aesthetically, it tends to have a light, creamy color, as well as a fine, uniform grain pattern.
Walnut is also quite hard and durable, but it’s usually a bit more expensive than birch wood or oak (due to its reduced availability). It usually has a rich, dark brown color and a straight-grain pattern. Walnut is a hardwood that is really popular for its appearance, which is why it is frequently used to make fine furniture and luxurious decorations.
Finally, oak is the strongest and most durable of all three wood types. There’s a reason that people use the term “as strong as an oak” — it really is built to last! While birch and walnut are more than strong enough for most crafting projects, it would be difficult to outperform the toughness of oak. This also means that oak tends to be a bit more expensive than birch. Oak can come in a wider range of grain patterns and colors, from light tan to deep brown.
Wooden dowel shapes
Once again, most people think of dowels as cylindrical (or circular), but they can come in many different shapes for crafting. At Woodpeckers, we offer dowels in a range of shapes and sizes, from 1/8th of an inch to 1 inch in diameter, and 6 inches to 36 inches in length. We also offer all the following shapes:
- Circle - The standard circular or cylindrical dowel is a good choice if you want your crafts to have clean, rounded edges. The circular dowel is also one of the easier options if you need an axle for toy cars or other crafting projects involving wheels.
- Split - The split or half-circle shape is great if you want to attach your dowels to a flat surface and ensure that the entire edge is flush with any other pieces you’re working with.
- Triangle - The triangle shape is extremely versatile, as you have three flat edges to attach to other pieces as needed.
- Square - Lastly, the square dowel has four equilateral and parallel sides that work well for a variety of projects, especially if you want to avoid rounded edges.
Popular wooden dowel crafts
A wooden dowel can be used on its own for crafting, but it’s often best when combined with multiple dowels or other wooden (and non-wooden) pieces. If you’re struggling to come up with ideas for your next crafting project, here are some popular ideas for wooden dowel crafts:
- Macramé wall hangings - Most macramé hanging decorations need something sturdy to ensure that the fabric can hang loosely without coming apart. Wooden dowels provide the essential structure on which to hang your macramé creations!
- Plant hangers - Looking for a stylish way to hang your indoor plants? Wooden dowels are great for creating the basic horizontal design for plant hangers of all shapes and sizes.
- Mobiles - You can buy plastic mobiles from the store, but if you want to make something extra special for your little one, wooden dowels can help form the structure of your child’s mobile. Using string or strong yarn, you can hang a variety of fun shapes and images for your baby to enjoy!
- Toys - Wooden dowels are essential for creating many different toys, from miniature cars and spinning tops to wooden wands, swords, and fishing rods — the possibilities are endless! Plus, the durability of DIY wooden toys means that you can keep your special creations in the family for generations to come!
- Jewelry holders - Jewelry boxes are nice, but they can make it easy to lose track of important pieces of jewelry. If you want an easier way to organize your special pieces or you even want to display them for others to see, wooden dowels are a great part of a DIY jewelry rack. You can hang rings, necklaces, bracelets, and even earrings from the dowels as part of a personalized display.
- Frames - Wooden dowels might be best for creating frames, and we’re not just talking about picture frames. By attaching wooden dowels in a square or rectangular shape, you can make a frame that can be combined with fabric or a flat, hard material. From here, you can design and decorate picture frames, box lids, and even small window coverings or room dividers.
- Signs & garden markers - By design, dowels work well if you ever want to create a sign. Whether you want a big sign to hold up at a sporting event or a small marker to categorize different herbs in your garden, wooden dowels are a quick and easy way to create the bottom half of your sign. Simply attach a sturdy piece of flat wood to the top half and write (or paint) whatever you want on it!
- Dollhouse furniture - While dowels can be used for full-sized furniture, their thin size is often best reserved for smaller “play” furniture, like the pieces you might find in a doll house. With just a few thin dowels, you can create chairs, tables, cabinets, and all sorts of furniture pieces for your little ones to play with!
Did you enjoy our wooden dowels for crafts guide? Be sure to check out our wooden dowel crafts shop to find the perfect gift for yourself or a loved one!
