🪚 Woodworking Shop · Strategy
Pricing woodworking honestly: why $200 cutting boards don't pay for the wood
The full cost stack — lumber, shop time, finishing, packaging. The honest pricing tier that turns woodworking into a real business.
Image: Cutting board pricing
The cost stack per cutting board (end-grain, 12x18, walnut/maple)
| Cost item | Per board |
|---|---|
| Lumber (walnut + maple at $9/bd ft + 30% waste) | $22 |
| Glue, finish oil, end-grain wax | $4 |
| Shop time (2-3 hrs at $40/hr) | $100 |
| Machine depreciation (planer, jointer, table saw) | $8 |
| Dust collection / utilities | $3 |
| Packaging / shipping prep | $8 |
| Insurance allocation | $4 |
| Etsy/processor fees (~13%) | $22 |
| Real cost per end-grain board | $171 |
At $200 retail you net $29 per board. After taxes and the failed-board reserve, $15 per board. The 3-hour build pays $5/hour. Below minimum wage.
The pricing ladder for cutting boards
| Tier | Board type | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Budget Etsy | Edge-grain, simple wood | $45-75 |
| Standard artisan | Edge-grain, premium woods | $80-140 |
| Premium end-grain | End-grain, walnut/maple | $180-320 |
| Custom personalized | End-grain + laser engraving | $220-450 |
| Heirloom/showcase | End-grain, exotic woods, large | $400-1,200 |
The honest pricing for furniture
Same math at scale. A dining table that took 60 hours of shop time and $400 in lumber needs to sell for $3,500-4,500 to clear $40/hour after costs. Most custom furniture makers chronically underprice their first 20-30 commissions.
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