If some people say that woodworking is a dying craft—don’t listen to them—rather show them the Woodworking subreddit to prove otherwise. Since its creation in 2008, it has grown into one of the most prominent craft appreciation communities on Reddit. From sturdy tables to unique home décor pieces, this is the place to find inspiration, advice and support.

Woodworking is one of the oldest crafts in the world. Since the start of civilizations, it has been used for constructing houses, furniture and tools. Usually, the craft is passed down through generations but today not everyone is willing to learn.

It’s a skill that requires enormous patience and dedication but if you add a little precision and skill to the mix, there’s no limit to what you can do with just a couple of tools. 

For most of us, our experience with woodworking probably began and ended in our high school crafts class, and people often have some doubts about taking up such a hobby later on. Feeling threatened by different tools and countless rules, or thinking that you won’t be able to measure right or cut a straight line. Regardless of the excuse, there are plenty of reasons to at least give it another try.

Even though it might not look like it at first, becoming a woodworker is actually easier than you think. If you enjoy working with tools, learning the basics is quite cheap and simple since you don’t need much higher-priced equipment. With enough dedication, everyone can master this craft and get a taste of what it has to offer.

According to Sam Richards, there are some really great long-term perks that come along with being a woodworking enthusiast. To begin with, it significantly improves your physical and mental health. This craft requires strength in order to be able to do some heavy-lifting, so pursuing it will give you some useful exercise. "This work can also help reduce illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes," he wrote. 

When it comes to your mental well-being, working with wood requires patience and focus. Just imagine, everything needs to be designed and measured perfectly just to be cut and formed with extremely sharp tools. Being able to concentrate on one thing only grounds you in the present and removes your worries and anxieties. It also helps you to enjoy the satisfaction you get after creating an entire piece from scratch. 

One major benefit of creating bespoke furniture production—you will never have to buy expensive goods. If you want to have something original that's not a cheap mass-produced piece of furniture, this is a great hobby to try out. And you can do it all from the comfort of your home. Once you learn the nooks and crannies of this craft, you will be able to save money and know that every piece you’ve created is of a higher quality and made with care. 

One of the reasons why working with wood is considered so rewarding is because it makes us feel at home. Since the beginning of human existence, people have lived in natural environments, so it is considered that our bodies are adapted to such natural settings. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in the relaxing effects of wood on people, and there’s a study that can prove it.

It seems that highly urbanized environments cause high levels of stress and increase our blood pressure, heart rate and stress hormone. Researchers carried out an experiment based on the hypothesis that "humans would be more relaxed after touching the wood than after touching the other materials." Eighteen female university students participated in the study. They had to touch plates of uncoated white oak, marble, tile, and stainless steel with the palm. After sitting at rest with their eyes closed, participants touched the materials for 90 seconds. 

The study revealed that "touching wood with the palm calms prefrontal cortex activity and induces parasympathetic nervous activity more than other materials, thereby inducing physiological relaxation." In other words, touching the white oak plate was believed to cause much more comfort for the participants than by touching other materials. When we enter natural environments, we are more relaxed and closer to our original state as human beings. 

That’s why working with wood or any other material connected to nature is receiving more and more attention these days. If you’re feeling intrigued and want to learn more, make sure to check out the Woodworking community, the perfect place to get some incredible wood inspiration.