How to Carve a Wooden Bowl

Wood carving for beginners (like me)…

About 6 months ago, I got really into the idea of making small things with wood – spoons, bowls, trays, cutting boards. But never actually committed to buying the tools to get started.

So my brother gifted me a few wood gouges and spoon blanks, which was so nice. But I lost motivation and felt kind of intimidated to try something new, even though I have some experience with wood. Until yesterday! I finally had some time and felt like making something small, so I jumped in and made this tiny little wood bowl. It’s very simple and nothing crazy. But I was excited to finally carve something and start learning a new skill.

The process of wood carving was fun and pretty easy. Nothing to be intimidated by, especially when using a soft wood like balsa or basswood. I would not suggest using a hardwood for your first ever project. Much more difficult to carve, at least for a beginner like me. 

Anyway! I thought I’d share my little wood bowl DIY, in case wood carving sounds like something you’d want to try. Here’s what you’ll need and how to carve a wood bowl.

Materials / Tools for Carving a Wood Bowl

• balsa wood or basswood block – I got a block of balsa at a craft store, but you can order it online as well. Bothe balsa and basswood are great woods to use for a beginner bowl project like this because of how soft the woods are.
• wood carving tool(s) – I only used one tool for all of the carving – a PFEIL “Swiss Made” #7 Gouge, 14mm. But there are tons of different kinds of gouges and chisels available (found a bunch on Amazon).
• power sander – I used my orbital sander, but you could use almost any sander….not a belt sander though.
• vise – you can use a table vise, bench vise, etc
• sanding sponge or sandpaper (finer grit 120-220)
• handsaw, pull saw, or power saw
• wood finish / sealer – I like to use Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2c because it serves as color and wood protection. Plus its 0% VOC. It does have a smell to it, FYI. But definitely zero VOC.
• rag and gloves (optional)

How to Carve a Wood Bowl (beginner level)

I should probably preface this by saying that this is my first time carving a wooden bowl. It was an easier project than I thought it would be, and while I’m sure there are better ways to do it, it was fun. Could definitely see getting into this as more of a hobby, with just a few more tools.

1. The first step is cutting the larger block of balsa down to the approximate size of the bowl you want to make. You can do with a miter saw (or any kind of power saw really) OR a vise and handsaw. I used a pull saw – this is one I used. 

2. Next, attach the block to a vise, if it isn’t already, and start carving. You can start with carving the inside hole for the bowl or the exterior. I started with the interior bowl. I used only one chisel for the entire carving process. I know there is a chisel or gouge for every imaginable scenario, but I’m a beginner, and am not going to invest in a ton of tools just yet. 

Because I am only using one tool (and not the one that would be the best match for the inside of bowl, which I believe would be a spoon gouge or a bent gouge), it took more work and it required much more sanding down the line. I’ll get to that part later. BUT, it worked! Totally possible to make a bowl like this with just one carving tool.

3. Next, carve pieces off of the sides of the block on all sides until it starts to resemble a circular shape on the exterior. I did some carving at the top first so I knew how far to go in, before flipping the block over and doing the same on the underside.

4. Once I had the basic shape I was going for on the exterior and interior, I used a sander to smooth the exterior and shape it a bit more (used 120 grit sandpaper). And then for the interior of the bowl, I sanded by hand with 120 grit again.

I kept the shape relatively organic (not perfectly circular). I like the look and also takes the pressure off of making things perfect your very first time.

5. Then I used a fine grit sandpaper (220) for the interior and exterior. And wiped off any debris.

6. The final step is to add a wood finish / sealant. As I mentioned in the supply list, I like Rubio. If you use the accelerator, it cures much faster. But it’s not required. I didn’t use it for this particular piece.

Obviously, use whatever finish and/or sealant you would like.

Once the piece is cured, it’s ready to use! Because my bowl is so small, I’m planning to use it in the bathroom for small items – like rings and earrings.

Other videos that might be helpful to watch before you carve a wood bowl…

I made a video of the process on Instagram, that you can take a look at. And I also watched these 2 videos on YouTube that I found pretty helpful before starting. They’re not beginner videos, by any means, but they show the general process and I found it helpful to see that.

1. carving a wood bowl with hand tools 
2. how to carve a bowl

Other wood projects you might like…

• DIY built in bookshelves – The wall to wall built in bookshelves in our detached office has to be one of my favorite projects ever. Made with white oak and has a mid-century vibe to it.
• The plywood shelves in my old studio space have a similar vibe to the built ins. And helped a ton with storage.
• wooden serving board DIY – Found a really affordable serving board that had some deep engravings on it that wasn’t my style. So I sanded it down and made it more minimal.
• My DIY wooden wall hanging is reversible! 
• how to make DIY circle shelves – I used these in Hayes’ nursery and they were so cute (and easy to make).
• how to make unique tassels (using wood and leather) – Not big on tassels in general, but THESE tassels? I’m very into.